Evening star., 1948-09-25
z School Boards
On Race Issue
Virginia Counties
To Explain Actions
On Equal Facilities
BY the Assoeioted Press

e
BY the Asseeiotsd Prsss
RICHMOND, Sept. as. The
school boards and school superin-
tendents of King George and
Gloucester Counties have been or
dered to appear in Federal Court
here on October 20 to show cause
why they should not be punished
for contempt.
This action came yesterday in the
form of an order from Federal Judge
Sterling Hutcheson. The Judge en-
tered the show cause rules on
petitions presented to him Thursday
by attorneys for Negro school chill
dren in the two counties.
The Show-cause order marks the
first legal move on the part of the
Negro plaintiffs since the issuance
in July of permanent injunctions
against the counties-injunctions
which ordered them to equalize
Negro and white school facilities.
Both, cases were reinstated in
the courts docket yesterday for
good caues shown" by the plain
tiffs.
Petition Is Submitted.
Evidence of good cause shown"
in the King George case was a copy
of a petition which the plaintiffs
say is being widely circulated in
King George County by defendants
and their agents" The petition,
they claim demanded that Negro
citizens of the county, including
the plaintiffs, repudiate and annul
all Affiliations with the National AS
sociation for the Advancement OF
Colored People and renounce and
repudiate the plaintiffs attorneys
before the defendants will request
the judge of the Circuit Court of
the country to call for an election
for bond issue in order to secure
money to build Negro schools"
Plaintiffs in the school case have
termed circulation, of the, petition
further evidence of the defendants
malicious and contumacious conduct
and attitude"
A copy of the petition which the
plaintiffs charge is being circulated
was offered to the court as an ex-
hibit
Introduction of Petition.
1t contained the following intro
duction
I'VE the undersigned colored peo-
pie of King George County. Va. in
order to form more perfect un-
derstanding with our friends, the
white people of King George Coun-
ty, and to set an example for the
people of all races in the United
States and throughout the world do
ordain and establish this compact
for ourselves and our posterity."
Five articles followed the In
production. Article l denounced
communism as being contrary to
the fundamental teachings of
Christianity and proclaimed 1t the
curse of all people, regardless Of
race or color. Article II asked
the signers to repudiate and annul
affiliations with the NAACP because
1T has led us into a position Of ex-
treme embarrassment which could
imperil our future and retard the
honest progress which our race
hopes to achieve" Article III asked
signers to repudiate Martin r. Mar
tin, one of the plaintiffs attorneys.
The plaintiffs In the school suit
said the petition added that the
signers would not prejudice the
rights guaranteed them under the
E1eHero1 it,Hoe'S inipnctinoe
The fifth article of the petition
asked signers to approve segre-
gated school system. although with
equal facilities for both races. be-
cause through this policy both the
white and colored races will live
more harmonious and progressive
lives"
Referendum Proposed.
The last article contained q petit
ton to the School Board of the county
asking that the board request the
judge Of the Fifteenth Judicial Court
of Virginia to call a county referen-
dunn on S150,000 bond issue for the
construction of a modern school in
the county for colored children. The
petition also asked that the school
be substantially equal to the one
used by the white children.
Although this petition was pre-
sented in evidence, neither the
names of the originators, nor those
of the signers, if any, were listed.
/ Other evidence offered to show
continued discrimination charged by
the plaintiffs seemed to be based
on visits made by attorneys to the
schools shorty after they opened
this month Five instances were
cited of alleged discrimination as
found by the attorneys. Most OF
these charges of discrimination had
to do with the furnishing of equip
ment and facilities.
An instance of alleged discrim-
ination also was what the plaintiffs
called 'the malicious uemotion" OF
the Negro principal of the King
George Training School, the CONNER
cial science teacher, and the voca-
tional science teacher, making them
assistants to their white counter
parts in the King George Tigh
School.
The petition asking for show
cause" rule on Gloucester County
was of somewhat different tone
than the King George petition.
1t listed severaI improvements
made to buildings and equipment.
but charged, nevertheless. that the
county's school officials have made
no serious effort to comply" with
the courts order.