May 3, 1961

Mrs. Elizabeth Bennett
119 Fisher Street
Burlington, North Carolina

Dear Mrs. Bennett:

I am delighted with your letter regarding Dr. Esther McGinnis.

We have a place for a teacher of psychology and should be very
happy to have her here. Our big problem, however, is that we
have only $5800 for the nine-month position. A person with

her experience and training is obviously worth much more but that
is one of our problems about which we are trying to do something.

Tf Dr. McGinnis is interested in a position at the salary named

above, I shall appreciate your having her send us her credentials
along with a request for employment. I shall not make any attempt
to fill this position until I hear from her or from you after you

have written her,

I appreciate your kind invitation to attend your party on Saturday,
May 13, and regret that another engagement will keep me from ace
cepting. As a matter of fact, I have six speeches that week. As
you might guesf, this is the banquet season in Eastern North
Carolina.

us on May 27. I should
shall have to face at this
ly qualified Negro students,

I am looking forward to having you with
like to alert you to a problem that we

meeting. We have applications from high. :
some of whom have A certificates in North Carolina. The consensus

among board members with whom I have spoken, Messrs. Morgan, Belk,
Waldrop, Oglesby and Larkins, as well as the advice I have re-
ceived from the Vice President of the University of Tennessee,
and some of our governmental officials in the state, seems to be
that the only thing we can do is to admit them without a lot of
fanfare, making the procedure as routine as possible and explain
+o the students that their cooperation will be needed, The only

alternative, according to one of the lawyers on our board, is that
of throwing it to the courts, with the accompan ing publicity and
losing the case in short order. We shall also reminded that

Woman’s College, State, and Chapel Hill have Negro students. It
is the opinion of some of the board members, also, that the second

approach would be considered a challenge te the sources where

integration is being pushed and an attempt would doubtless be made
: here after they had won a victory.

Mrs. Elizabeth Bennett 2 May 3,1961

I, of course, intend to carry out the wishes of the board in this
matter. However, in trying to decide what seems best for the college

and the state, I believe my recommendation would be to follow the
first proposal, admitting only a few highly qualified applicants

without publicity.

It may be wise not to discuss this with anyone, for I am most anx-
jous to have no newspaper hassle and no discussion of this until
the board has an opportunity to discuss it and make a decision,

With all good wishes, 1 am
Cordially yours,

Leo W. Jenkins

LWJ 3b