Tureaud v. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ETC.

116 F. Supp. 248, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2205
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedSeptember 11, 1953
DocketCiv. A. 1238
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 116 F. Supp. 248 (Tureaud v. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ETC.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tureaud v. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ETC., 116 F. Supp. 248, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2205 (E.D. La. 1953).

Opinion

WRIGHT, District Judge.

The purpose of this class action is to ■obtain an injunction requiring the defendants to admit to the combined six year arts and sciences and law course at Louisiana State University the plaintiff and other Negro citizens similarly situated. It is the admitted policy of Louisiana State University to deny admission to Negroes and this court has on three ■occasions issued injunctions against Louisiana State University authorities .requiring them to admit Negroes to the ■School of Law, the School of Medicine and the Graduate School. Wilson v. Board of Supervisors, D.C., 92 F.Supp. 986, affirmed 340 U.S. 909, 71 S.Ct. 294, 95 L.Ed. 657; Foister v. Board of Supervisors, No. 937 Civil Action; Payne v. Board of Supervisors, No. 894 Civil Action.

Plaintiff asserts that the combined arts and sciences and law course offered at ■Southern University, a college exclusively for Negroes maintained by the State of Louisiana, is not equal to the combined arts and sciences and law course offered by Louisiana State University. The defendants, on the other hand, suggest that the plaintiff and others similarly situated may go to Southern University to obtain the arts and sciences part of the combined course and then-transfer to Louisiana State University ■School of Law if they are not' satisfied with the School of Law offered at Southern.

The plaintiff’s answer to this suggestion is that the arts and sciences part of the combined course offered at Southern is not substantially equal to the arts and sciences part of the combined course offered at Louisiana State University and that in any event a Negro obtaining his arts and sciences credits at Southern University would not be given an arts and sciences degree by Louisiana State University after the successful completion of his first year in law as would a student who took his arts and sciences as well as law at Louisiana State University. Defendants admit that this is so but show that a Negro who obtains his arts and sciences work at Southern University and successfully completes one year of law at Louisiana State University may then go back to Southern and obtain his arts and sciences degree.

Plaintiff’s application for an interlocutory injunction was heard on September 8, 1953 on pleadings, affidavits and depositions. On the same day the defendants filed a motion to dismiss plaintiff’s action insofar as it purports to be a class action and the argument on the motion was likewise heard. Whereupon the court took time to consider and now being advised sets forth the findings of fact and conclusions of law which constitute the grounds of its decision.

Findings of Fact

1. The State of Louisiana has established, maintains and operates an institution known as the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College. The University has a Junior Division, which is really the freshman or first year college class, a College of Arts and Sciences and a School of Law. The University operates as part of the educational system of the State of Louisiana and is maintained by appropriations from public funds which are raised by. taxation upon the citizens and taxpayers -of said state.

2. The defendant Board of Supervisors. of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College pursuant to the constitution and laws of the State of Louisiana exercises over-all authority with reference to the regulation of the institution, including the admission of students. Students of all ethnic groups, except Negroes, are admitted to the University.

3. The State of Louisiana has established and as a state function maintains. *250 and operates an institution known as Southern University. Admission to Southern University is limited to Negroes. Southern University is primarily a College of Arts and Sciences. There has been, however, a Department of Law at this University since 1947.

4. Plaintiff, Alexander P. Tureaud, Jr., is a Negro resident and citizen of Louisiana, who possesses all the qualifications for admission to the Junior Division of Louisiana State University for the purpose of obtaining through the combined arts and sciences and law curriculum an arts and sciences degree as well as a degree in law.

5. During the period when defendants were receiving applications for admission as students in the Junior Division of the Louisiana State University for the school year 1953-54 and after complying with all the rules and regulations governing the admission of students to said Junior Division, plaintiff applied for admission as a student.

6. On August 8, 1953 the plaintiff was advised by letter from the defendant, John A. Hunter, Registrar of Louisiana State University, that his “application for admission to Louisiana State University as a freshman (Junior Division) desiring to pursue the liberal arts curriculum in the College of Arts and Sciences has been rejected in line with our policy not admitting Negro students to that area.” Plaintiff’s purpose in applying for admission to Louisiana State University was in order that he might pursue the combined arts and sciences and law course leading to a degree in arts and sciences in four years and to a degree in law in six years.

7. Louisiana State University was established in 1859 and has been in continuous operation since that time save for a short period during the Civil War when it was closed because of hostilities. The present value of its plant is $34,724,-654.84. Louisiana State University is a full University accredited by every recognized accrediting agency in the country. It has twelve colleges and several divisions within these colleges and offers not only undergraduate degrees but provides professional degrees, masters degrees and doctorates.

8. Southern University was established in 1880 and its plant is valued at about two and one-half million dollars. Southern University is not a member of the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools but it enjoys the highest rating given by the Association.

9. Louisiana State University operates on an annual budget of twelve million dollars. It has 6400 students with a per capita operating cost of $1,875. Southern University operates on an annual budget of less than two million dollars. There are approximately 2900 students enrolled making a per capita operating cost of $689.65.

10. Although there appears no question but that the State of Louisiana has made a bona fide effort to maintain and operate an adequate institution at the arts and sciences level in Southern University, the fact is, as shown by the analysis which is attached to these findings as an appendix, that the three year arts and sciences part of the combination arts and sciences and law curriculum offered by Southern University is not substantially equal to the three year arts and sciences part of the combined arts and sciences and law curriculum offered by Louisiana State University. In addition, under the exclusion policy as now enforced by Louisiana State University, a Negro desiring to pursue the combined arts and sciences and law curriculum would be required to go to Southern University for his arts and sciences work, transfer to Louisiana State University School of Law, if he were not satisfied with the School of Law at Southern, and then after one year of law receive his arts and sciences degree from Southern University.

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116 F. Supp. 248, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2205, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tureaud-v-board-of-supervisors-etc-laed-1953.