Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-03-18
VA, COLOR PREJUDICE
KILLS COMPULSORY
EDUCATIONAL BILL
House Stands Up For It's Amendment.
Allowing L0cai Authorities to Set
Time When Compulsory Attendance
Is Observation-Disclosures Called.


The House OF Delegates. by vote
of % to 6S, yesterday upheld the pleas
Of Delegates from the ''black belt" and
declined to concur In the Senate
amendment to tho compulsory educa-
tion BILL the Senate cutting out the
ting local school authorities to decide
the time when compulsory education
should 60 into effect in the various
counties.
The Senate declined to recede from
its amendments and each branch NAM
ed a committee on conference which
committees had tho matter under dis
cussion yesterday evening.
Delegate Franklin Williams, patron
Of the House bill moved that the House
adopt the Senate amendments.
Opposition to adoption Of the amend
mcnte was made by Delegate A. $. L..
Adams, Of Halifax who said that his
experience for fifteen years as school
trustee convinced him that the meas
ura as reported by the Senate would
bankrupt Halifax County.
Delegate Marvin Smithey. OF Bruins
wick said the bill with the Semitic
amendments was revolutionary, pater-
nal'stic and socialistic in the extreme
Pointing out that Speaker Brewer
In his address at tho opening Of the
session Ind urged that the members
go slow on compulsory education laws
Delegate Thomas w. Ozlin, OF Lunen
burg. appealed to the members of tho
House not to infl!ct the law upon the
counties IN the "black belt" He said 1t
was serious matter and not q theory
with the people in the counties having
large Negro population.
compulsory education means free
schoolbooks," said Delegate J. M. Hurt
Of Nottoway who said If man was
forced to send his child or children to
school and didn't have the money to do
so. that the State would have to furn.
ish the books. Mr.. Hurt urged that the
bill be made local option, and closed
with the words. II pray you If you
have any appreciation for the people %
our section, to vote down these amend
ments ;"
If we pass the bill with the Senate
amendments 1t will be one OF the great
| est disgraces to the State" said Dele
gate Parke p. Deane Of Isle Of Wight
County, who said he wanted the Negro
to get an education, but he wanted
each county to have the authority to
say whether the county was financial
~ able to enforce the law.
AGAINST SENATE AMENDMENTS
Delegates Turner, of Bedford; JEFF
frcys OF Mecklenburg; Gordon Of
Louise and Keezell, of Rockingham,
spoke against the Senate amendments.
In support Of the bill Delegate
Charles r. Warren of PittSylvania.
said the House had devoted greater
part of this session to moral legisla-
tion and held that the greatest moral
legislation is bhat Which not only talk
| es away things man should not have.
nut gives to the subjects Of the State
the things they should have. He said:
4 consider this an opportunity for
this House to correct the mistake
which | will die thinking you made by
your vote on this bill a few days ago"
lie urged the importance of education
and said that the children of Virginia
are mounting the mother State which
is dry.
Patron Williams said the bill was
Safcguarded; that the Senate bill OK
cluded private and parochal schools
fro mhts provisions and THAI the Sen
ate amendments took care Of the Kec
eel amendment and provides that chill
dlen may be excused from enrolment
ana school attendance. He said there
were 100000 white children and so, 600
coiored children OF school age in Viz
glnla not in schools and that it, was
an eternal shame to forever penalize
the lO0.0OO white children because 4
Tow colored children would he benefit
ca. He said that the people of the
State had voted by 100000 majority fer
compulsory education and he urged
mat the Senate amendments be adoot-
ell.
me roll called developed 6S in oppo
s't'on to the amendments and the bill
went to conference.
(fimes-Dispatch, March 10, 1929