The Herald

Two Youths Refused Admittance In Daffin Park
By Alphonso S.McLean

Two Negro teenage youths, Benjamin West and Fred Williams, were refused admittance in Daffin Park's swimming pool, Monday afternoon after the pair learned that Tompkins pool on Ogeechee Road was closed because of needed repairs.
Early Monday afternoon West and Williams wanted to combat the hot, humid weather in Savannah by taking a cool relaxing swim in one of Savannah's tax supported swimming pools.
The two left the empty Tompkins pool on Ogeechee Road and Crossed town to Daffin Park's pool which was open to young swimmers. When the youths arrived at the pay window just like the other persons in line, the cashier
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TWO YOUTHS REFUSED
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refused to accept their money before contacting the reportedly head life guard in charge. He came up to the cashiers' booth and told the waiting Negro teenagers that the pool was full and they could not enter. Despite the life guard's remarks the two awaited in line with hopes that some of the swimmers inside would leave soon thus providing room for them to swim.

By this time local law officers arrived on the scene and ordered the entire pool to close immediately. The head life guard rejected the order because there were too many swimmers inside the pool he related to them.

West and Williams remained in line for about an hour until the police officers ordered them to leave and informed that the pool would open again at 6 p.m. that afternoon.

Mr. W. W. Law, local and state president of the N.A.A.C.P. commenting on the incident said, "No American youth living in Chatham County should be denied the opportunity to recreate in a public swimming pool on a hot day like yesterday or today. The right to play is as important as any other right granted Americans, especially if that American is a child," declared Law. "Perhaps those two American Negro teenagers who were not allowed to swim could well one day be important members of an American Olympic Swim Team competing with Australia for international medals."