Evening star., 1948-09-07
Increased Use
0fConso|idated
.Schoo|sUrged
. Virginia Education
Chief Sees 1t Helping
EquoIize Facilities

Greater use Of consolidated schools
was proposed today as solution to
the problem of equal facilities for
Negro and white pupils in Virginia.
The recommendation was submit
ted by DR.. C. Tyler. Miller, State
superintendent of public instruction,
on the eve Of school reopenings
which may bring new Federal court
action to force improvement in the
facilities for Negro children in sew
eral Eastern Virginia counties.
A decision on further court pro-
ceedings against school authorities
in King George County is expected
tomorrow. Martin A. Martin, colored
Richmond attorney representing a
group of parents and pupils, said
the decision depends on his findings
during a survey of Negro school
buildings tomorrow, first day of the
fall semester
Equal Facilities Ordered.
Federal Judge Sterling Hutcheson
ordered both King George and
Gloucester Counties to equalize their
school facilities in decree entered
late in June. Supt. T. Benton Gayle
said last week that some improve
ments have been made to Negro
schools in King George.
Mr.. Martin said today that if these
improvements are considered made
quate, he will present about 80
Negro pupils for enrolment at white
King George schools Thursday. In
event of their rejection, the attor-
ney said, he will then ask Judge
Hutcheson for a contempt citation
against the school authorities.
DR.. Miller said that while King
George has been trying to improve
the Negro schools, the county "ob-
viously" cannot have equal building
facilities at the term opening. Seq
regation is required by Virginia law.
An Facilities Inadequate.
There is no doubt" DR.. Miller
said, that Negro facilities are un-
equal to those of the whites, par
ticularly In the high schools. But,
as a matter of fact, this depart
ments survey shows that the facil-
tiles for whites also are inadequate.
"It seems to me that the solution
to this problem would be console
dated schools, both in the case of
the whites and the Negroes"
DR.. Miller said Stafford County
now has a contract with Fredericks-
burg under which colored pupils
from the county are taught at the
city's colored school. He said it
would be logical for King George
to try to enter a. similar contract.
The Fredericksburg school may
require enlarging, the State super
! intendent said, but the per-pupil
cost would. be much less than the
cost involved in putting up new
buildings. He pointed out that King
George is q small county. sparsely
populated and without sources of
much additional tax money.
Distance q Factor.
DR.. Miller said since Fredericks-
burg Is preparing to build a new
high school for white children, the
adjoining counties might well reach
agreements with the city for con-
solidated plant which their pupils
could use.
He conceded that in the case of
some children, the distance to Fred
ericksburg would be greater than
preferred, but he said relatively
small number of persons would be
affected and the advantages would
so far outweigh the disadvantages,
that the consolidated school would
be the logical solution.
DR.. Miller said he thought
Gloucester, which Is in a similar po-
sition economically, might work out
an arrangement with adjoining
Mathews County for consolidation.
The school leader said that the
localities probably will have trouble
with equalization for a long time to
come.
I'm fact" he observed, 81 don't
know how we can ever have exact
equalization because the building
constructed most recently is likely
to have the best facilities, whether
for white or colored pupils"
Thus, he said, Fredericksburg's
colored high school is better than
the present building for white stu
dents. This will be changed when
the new high school IS built.