From the pages of the Banner

50 years ago
Centralizing admission and establishing racial quotas are included in proposals on how best to desegregate Maryland’s six-college system in the wake of the federal government’s warning that about $29 million in education funds might be cut off. Student-faculty committees at each of the six previously segregated state colleges provided school officials with the desegregation proposals Thursday.

Contained in the reports to be presented to the Board of Trustees of State Colleges, the advice offers a wide range of techniques for breaking down racial barriers. In addition to the centralized admission and racial quotas suggestions, the proposals recommended instituting faculty and student exchanges, and establishing black-studies programs on all campuses.

The Department of Health, Education and Welfare directed state officials Monday to devise a preliminary desegregation plan for the six colleges by July or face the loss of all federal higher education funds. The department charged the state college system, as it now exists, is “racially segregated.”
The department found that complete segregation existed at the six colleges: Bowie, Coppin, Frostburg, Morgan, Salisbury and Towson.

The three formerly all-Negro schools - Bowie, Coppin and Morgan - are still overwhelmingly Negro. All the three formerly all-white schools - Frostburg, Salisbury and Towson - are still close to 100 percent white.

Aware of the slowness of integration, the college trustees committees developed desegregation plans in 1967, which were presented to the state board last year.

100 years ago
Four weeks ago, arrangements were made to hold the first Automobile Show on the Eastern Shore in the First Regiment Armory, in Salisbury, opening at 6 p.m. on March 19, and closing at 10:30 p.m. on March 22. The committee has planned for four big nights and three great days of the show.

There will be nothing lacking to make this one of the most attractive shows ever held outside of Baltimore City within this state. It being the first automobile show ever held on the peninsula, there was naturally much new thought and energy necessary to get the plans into proper shape, but those who have charge of the show have had so much experience with other shows in Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, that they were thoroughly equipped to handle this big project in a first-class manner.

It is the intention of the promoters to have nothing lacking in this exhibition. Each dealer will try to outdo the other, not in the elaborateness of booth decorations, but in the seductiveness of his show models. There will be lordly limousines, comfortable enough for a journey of one or 1,000 miles, with more conveniences than an up-to-date flat; and sumptuous sedans, in silver-plated mountings.