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NEWS RELEASE AND STATEMENT CORRECTING RUMOR

ABOUT CONVERTING BOWIE STATE COLLEGE

TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE

April 1, 1968

Governor Agnew emphatically denied tonight rumors that State
officials are planning to convert Bowie State College into a white
community college.

"These reports apparently are being circulated by outside agitators
in an attempt to inflame student opinion, " the Governor said. "They
are completely groundless. I have reaffirmed through the Board of
Trustees of State Colleges that no such plans have even been con-
sidered by the Board.

"The vastly increased funds approved for the College in the past
two budgets, and its rapid growth in enrollment, assure that it is
being considered for an increasingly important role in the State's
four-year college system.

"The responsible students of Bowie, who have genuine interest in
the College's future, will do well to channel their grievances through
the administration and the Trustees.

"We cannot and will not tolerate any repetition of last week's ir-
responsible actions. "

SPECIAL NEWS CONFERENCE ON CLOSING
BOWIE STATE COLLEGE

April 4, 1968

OPENING STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNOR

This afternoon I had to make a very hard decision. As hard as the
decision was, the need to make it was crystal clear. Very simply, the
issue was whether or not to excuse and thereby condone a deliberate
flouting and defiance of law, and the decision was hard because it in-
volved nearly 300 young people and their arrest. Young people who
confused provocation with principle — who were deliberately in-
flamed by outside influences, influences which all too often thrive on
chaos and disrespect of the law.