Caswell County Board of Education Election 1949

 School Politics Hot: School Spanking: William Claire Taylor Rejected

History teaches administration of Caswell County schools frequently has been politically charged. The Superintendent position often has been precarious. Some lasted only weeks, while others had a long tenure in office. Some resigned. Others were fired. The year 1949 saw intense political confrontation. At issue was School Superintendent Holland McSwain (1903-1988).

For some reasons, not all of which are clear, certain factions in the county took a strong dislike to McSwain, who had been in the position since 1935 and generally was well liked and respected. The battle lines apparantly were somewhat geographic, with the Semora group leading the anti-McSwain charge, and the Yanceyville group among the staunchest McSwain supporters.

As constituted, the three-member Board of Education (which hired the superintendent) would not remove McSwain. So Caswell County's representative to the NC Legislature, William Claire Taylor, "packed" the Board. He had passed legislation expanding the Board to five members, with the extra two specified in his bill. With the additional members, the Board voted 3:2 to remove McSwain.

However, one Taylor-picked Board member (Julius Spencer Watlington) then resigned amid the furor, and the Legislature stepped in requiring a special Board of Education election. This was held in May 1949. While races in some districts were close, those in support of McSwain prevailed in all districts and his contract was extended for two years (until June 30, 1951).

Thus, McSwain spanked Taylor.

Photograph: Holland McSwain

_____

The next year, 1950, Holland McSwain announced his resignation as superintendent of Caswell County schools to accept a position as public relations and business manager of Flora MacDonald College in Reg Springs, N.C. He left with head held high after defeating the somewhat devious actions by William Claire Taylor.

Caswell County School Board Politics: 1949

In 1949 Caswell County's representative to the North Carolina House of Representatives, William Claire Taylor (1901-1988), successfully sponsored a bill increasing from to five the membership of the Caswell County School Board (Board of Education). This precipitated a special election that year.

Caswell County Superintendent of Education at the time, Holland McSwain (1903-1988), who had occupied the position for 14 years, accused Taylor of increasing the number of School Board members in an effort to oust McSwain from his job.

The resulting election contest was reported as "bitter." Those running:

Incumbents Running: David Wilson Wright (Ruffin); Clyde Newman Barker (Semora); Daniel Benjamin (Bennie) Boone (Anderson); and Voss McDaniel Stephens (Leasburg).

Seven Additional Candidates:

District One: Yanceyville: William Richard (Dick) Grey, Jr. v. Thomas Edward (TE) Steed

District Two (Dan River and Milton): John Andy Woods v. Clyde Newman Barker (incumbent)

District Three (Pelham and Locust Hill): Martin George Daniel v. David Wilson Wright (incumbent)

District Four (Stoney Creek and Anderson): Drewey Allen Byrd and James E. Brown v. Daniel Benjamin (Bennie) Boone (incumbent)

District Five (Hightowers and Leasburg): Exie Emmons Carver v. Voss McDaniel Stephens (incumbent)

_____

11 Candidates In School Race In Caswell Co. -- Two Full Slates And Negro File

"James E. Brown, negro farmer and Veterans Administration employee who holds a Master of Laws and several other degrees, appeared before the Board of County Commissioners at their regular meeting recently to request that the location of Caswell County Training School for Negroes at Yanceyville be moved on account of crowding. He was referred to the County Board of Education as it has the authority to locate schools. On Friday of last week, Brown filed as a candidate for the Board of Education.

"A number of Negroes have qualified and registered with the several registrats of the five [school] districts. The total number of colored voters is not estimated at from 800 to 1,000.

"Special election of board members is necessitated by the action of Caswell's representative, W. C. Taylor, who sponsored a bill creating a five-member board. . . .

"County Superintendent Holland V. MacSwain [sic] has stated that Taylor's legislative action was designated to oust him from office as superintendent and a bitter contest has arisen over the issue."

The Bee (Danville, VA), Thursday, 12 May 1949.

_____

The law creating a five-board member was highly controversial in Caswell County. Some accused Representative William Clair Taylor of misleading voters as he did not disclose his intention to support removal of the generally popular School Superintendent Holland McSwain.

J. S. Watlington [possibly Julius Spencer Watlington], one of the newly created five-member Board of Education, resigned, apparently so the Caswell County Democratic Executive Committee could select a replacement. Taylor told the press: "In my opinion, my opponents are trying to get appointees to resign so they can fill the places."

Watlington was one of the two members of the board added by the recent legislative action expanding the board to five members. At the April 4 meeting of the Board, it went on record as voting for a measure unfavorable to the retention of Holland McSwain, who had been the county school head administrator for 14 years.

Board member Voss McDaniel Stephens of Leasburg, who voted for McSwain at the meeting, said he cast his vote in light of what he believed were the wishes of the majority of the people of the county, and claimed that J. S. Watlington admitted to him that the majority of his friends in Yanceyville are pro-McSwain.

Stephens said the first notice he or David Wilson Wright of Ruffin, the other member who voted for McSwain, had of the appointmet of the two extra members was when they saw it in the newspapers. He said that Representative Taylor had given neithe the Board nor the voters an inkling of his intention to change the Board's composition prior to his election to the Legislature. It was Stephens's opinion that Taylor would not have been elected had he proposed such a change before the election.

Stephens added he thought the only way the matter could properly be settled was by a vote of the people. He is heartily in accord with the opinion that the selection of board of education members should be in the hands of the voters instead of being a political football.

E. F. Upchurch, attorney for the Board, expressed regret that he was unable to be present throughout the Board meeting April 4 when the motion vacating the office of county superintendent of schools was presented by Clyde Newman Barker of Semora. That day, Upchurch said he had been in court all morning serving as County prosecutor in Recorder's Court.

Upchurch said he was consulted as to the wording of the motion, and that at that time he advised, that instead of saing "that we do not re-hire Holland McSwain and declare the office vacant," the wording be changed to "that we do not employ a superintendent at this time."

Upchurch said he realized the term of county school head is fixed by statute, and that McSwain's term did not expire until June 30. However, Clyde Newman Baker did not accept his suggestion.

McSwain has continued to attend to routine office duties despite the board's action. No formal applications are on file with McSwain, secretary of the board, although board members admit several people have been to see them about the position.

Upchurch said that in his opinion 90% of the patrons of District 1, which includes Yanceyville, are in favor of retaining McSwain. He further stated that since Taylor's bill appointing two additional members, a number of supporters has been rallied to the McSwain cause.

McSwain said today that he had received expressions of support from 100% of his school principals and nearly all the teachers in the county.

County Democratic Executive Committee Chairman Joseph H. Warren of Prospect Hill said tonight that he had no public statement to make at this time.

Source: "New Board of Education for Caswell to Be Southt: Bill Expected to be Offered in Assembly Calling for Election on Committee May 21." Durham Morning Herald (Durham, NC), 14 April 1949.

__________

Voted to Remove Holland McSwain: Clyde Newman Barker (Semora); J. S. Watlington (Yanceyville); Daniel Benjamin (Bennie) Boone (Anderson)

Voted to Retain Holland McSwain: David Wilson Wright (Ruffin); and Voss McDaniel Stephens (Leasburg)

Watlington and Boone became Board of Education members as a result of legislation the responsibility of William Claire Taylor, in an apparent effort to "pack" the board and remove Superintendent Holland McSwain. Watlington was elected the new Chairman but soon resigned, leaving only four members of the Board.

Why were Representative William Claire Taylor and those he supported on the Board so opposed to Superintendent Holland McSwain? At the Board of Education meeting in April 1949 to determine his future, McSwain appeared:

"McSwain appeared before the board early in the meeting and reviewed improvements made in the schools during his tenure. In discussing opposition to his continuance, McSwain said later a part of it grew out of the fact that neither he nor the board, as constituted at the time, would violate state regulations to change bus routes sought in some instances."

Following the meeting, which declared the superintendent position vacant, "it was said action by the board does not preclude McSwain from applying for the position, along with any others."

When the bill introduced by Caswell Representative W. Claire Taylor of Blanch was before the legislature, McSwain issued a statement saying that the purpose of Taylor's action was to outst him as school superintendent. He charged that the movement was political in origin, and agreed that if the bill were withdrawn, he would decline to seek reappointment.

Source: The Bee (Danville, VA), 5 April 1949 

__________

Consider First Things

The Daily News notes with keen interest the outcome of Saturday's Caswell County school board election and the manner in which the pro-McSwain forces won out in every district, although by an exceedingly narrow margin. The margin of victory obviusly was not sufficient to make an outsider believe that the issue has in any wise been settled.

In fact, the Associated Press dispatch from yanceyville relates that "the immediate reaction to the result was that it was an armed truce and that the winners will face a strong opposition bloc in the primary next May in the event they seek to succeed themselves."

Greensboro Daily News (Greensboro, NC), 25 May 1949.

__________

Those supporting Superintendent Holland McSwain won the election and retained McSwain in his position:

William Richard (Dick) Grey, Jr.: Yanceyville

John Andy Woods: Semora and Dan River

David Wilson Wright: Pelham and Locust Hill

Drewey Allen Byrd: Anderson and Stoney Creek

Voss McDaniel Stephens: Prospect Hill and Leasburg

Note: Nine townships comprise Caswell County, all of which are listed above.

_____

Holland McSwain Resigns Office For New Position

Yanceyville, N.C., July 20 [1950] -- Holland McSwain has announced he is resigning as superintendent of Caswell County schools to accept a position as public relations and business manager of Flora MacDonald College in Reg Springs, N.C. It is expected tha the board will appoint an acting superintendent at the next meeting to complete the unexpired term of McSwain which does not terminate until June 30, 1951

Last Year McSwain was the center of a controversy between two factions which split over his re-election to the post of superintendent. McSwain, wih is a native of Shelby, has been with the Caswell school system for the past 22 years, starting as a teacher in the schools at Milton. He was appointed to the superintendent's post in 1935, succeeding Vance C. Swift.

The Bee (Danville, VA), 20 July 1950.