APRIL 14, 1972
Dunbar Exchange Student Remarks on Maine West
Before going into the purpose, I'd like to represent Dunbar's exchange students by exclaiming our reactions to the visit to Maine West. From the moment we arrived, we could feel the warmth and acceptance of the entire student body and faculty, which started our uncertain day off well. Many waves, smiles, and chats later, we realized we were in the midst of an almost peculiarly friendly mass, which by the way it carried itself, showed us that there is much promise in pursuing the goal of the new program (never has Dunbar partaken in such an activity until now).
By the endeavors of a handful of students from Maine Township West and Dunbar Vocation-al, a predominantly black high school in Chicago, the new program sponsored by the top brass of the two schools was able to get something unfamiliar, yet challenging and exciting, underway.
The program deals with getting youngsters together as far as their individual outlooks are concerned, because we realize that
The program must and does prove every time we meet that a plane can be established where we can lay down our arms and communicate as one human to another - tearing down the barrier of the so-called "black and white."
So out of the experimental program should come not necessarily inter-marriage or interracial love (though this would help), but a racial intermorality where an evaluation of true character is not limited by our finite and biased awareness of each other. It is a coming together of morals in dealing and communicating with one another which would not only grant one insight into the other's personality, culture, and experience in today's world, but to give us indirectly a better understanding of ourselves and our personal tasks in helping each man...our brother.