New Plan to Place Negro Students In Greater Boston Private Schools

A six-man Boston group, including Peter K. Gunness '57, assistant director of admissions is setting up an organization, to place Negro students in Greater Boston private schools. The organization, which will begin operating this month will be called the Boston Area School Placement Program (BASPP).

The program will locate vacancies in private schools and bring qualified Negro students to the schools' attention. It will include an "Educational Action Center" which will advise and screen applicants, and publicize the vacancies. BASPP hopes to place 75 to 100 students in private schools, on a partial or full scholarship basis by next fall.

According to Gunness, publicity directed toward both the schools and possible applicants for the program will be conducted mainly through "feelers into the community and by word of mouth through public and private agencies." He mentioned settlement houses, social workers, and guidance counselors as primary sources through which to find applicants.

Charles Merrill, headmaster of Commonwealth School and a member of the planning group, said each interested private school would give a description of its program, to form part of a brochure which will be sent to potential sources of candidates.

Merrill said that private schools have been setting aside funds for scholarships such as these for several years but have complained that few qualified Negro students apply. He sees the BASPP as a means to bring people from the private and public schools together to solve this problem.

Melvin King of South End House, who is active in setting up the Educational Action Center, said the program reflects "concern of the private schools in offering opportunities to inner city youngsters and recognizing the benefits such a program would bring to their own students."