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Reporter Sees AAHS Scuffle

Reporter Sees AAHS Scuffle image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
May
Year
1968
Copyright
Copyright Protected
Rights Held By
Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

(Eoitor's Note: ann Atdof News Reporter Ron Cordray was dispatched to Ann,Arbor High School yesterday when reports of fighting first reached The News. His firsthand observations are reportedbelow.) By Ron Cordray Mass confusión and tensión dominated the main corridor of Ann Arbor High School shortly after noon yesterday. Possible serious trouble was averted when a rapid decisión was made to shut down the school until Monday. Pólice Chief Walter E. Krasny said he had been in contact with school officials during the morning. Shortly after noon he was on the scène. Based on what he saw happening, he advised closing the school immediately. What he saw was some 400 or 500 students, nearly all f white, in the corridor, apparently centering their attention on a speaker or speakers advocating a take-over of the auditorium by students. What was being said was indistinguishable in the din which existed in the corridor. Students were screaming and yelling, no one understanding what was being said and most not understanding what was going on. This "white rebellion," as Krasny called it, apparently was the result of fights which had occurred at the high school yesterday morning. One student called it "white backlash." The students stayed in their close-knit crowd for perhaps ten minutes. And then a scuffle, or perhaps a rumor of a scuffle, occurred at the entrance to the school corridor. The students swept en mass toward the doors as teachers, counselors and other students kept advising, "Return to your classes!" Negro instructor s and Dr. Albert H. Wheeler grabbed for Negro students as they, too, rushed toward the doors, stop-i ping them at times and urging jthem to calm down. Screams f rom near the door Ibrought other students in an unstoppable stream, bumping those who stood firm. One Negro girl was roughed up during the near-hysterical rush toward the doors. She was assisted to a seat at the other end of the - - hall by two fellow students. Pleas of the instructors tol "return to your classes" werel unheard and unheeded. But, minutes later studenta started returning down the hallj way. School had been dismissea for the day. The students mingled in smaller groups íor a few min-l utes and Negro students wenti upstairs for a meeting with Wheeler. When the meeting! broke up half an hour later, the halls were nearly vacant and the Negro students also broke up into small groups and then went home.