Evening star., 1949-02-04
Angeavdided
In Gloucester
School Dispute
Whites and Negroes
Blame Northerners
For RoeioI Dispute
fSecond of a Series.J
fSecond of q Series.)
By Alex R. Preston
Stor SfoH Correspondent

0ASSSlS GkN, v d., 4 Gu = llCI
Is practically no i'll will between tn,
white and Negro people of Glou
cester even though this county
the locale of an approaching china,
to one of Virginia's most Difficult
racial problems.
Members of the School Board ane
their superintendent-all white
have been adjudged in contempt Of
a Federal Court as result of q
suit brought by Negroes sin thi.
county seeking equal educationa'
facilities. The officials are to face
the judge in April for imposition
of penalties.
The white people know-almost
as well as the colored people-that
the Botetourt High School here i.
better than the Gloucester County
Training School for Negroes. State
law requires segregation of the two
races. -.
Calls Relations Amiable. >
"The colored people are not glad
to see the white people punished,
said j. D. Cooper, colored, principa
OF the training school. The white
and Negro citizens in this county
are very amiable;; in fact, I don't
think you can find relations any
better anywhere in Virginia"
An elderly Negro. driving wagor
down the road, was asked what
he thought of the fact that possible
fines and Jail sentences face the
public school authorities.
Il don't want no trouble with the
white folks said he. You people
from the North just ought to lei
us be-"
A hasty explanation of the pur-
pose of the question was of nc
use, however. The old man refused
to give his name or be drawn into
discussion on the matter.
Blame Northerners.
Most of the white residents say
the whole problem has beer
created" by people from the North
They most frequently blame the
National Association for the Ad.
vancement of Colored People.
In fact, most of the white people
probably will continue to blame
outside influences even If the,
should vote down proposed bono
issue in a referendum which i.
designed to correct acknowledged
inequalities.
George DeHardit, former Com
monwealth's attorney and counse
for the school officials, is among
those who believe that the contro.
versy has been stirred up by the
NAACP. On the other hand he will
admit that the Negroes of Glouces-
ter County have not been receiving
the same educational advantages
as have the whites.
"No Tax-Levying Body"
But we have been correcting the
situation all along" he said. I'VE
will correct it completely If given
the time. We can't do it all al
once. The School Board is not a
tax-levying body and if the people
do not vote for bond issue, there is
little we can do"
Circulation of petitions to bring
about the bond issue is complete
The names of signers are being
screened to determine whether they
are those of qualified voters, as pre-.
cribed by State law.
Few people were any buster cir.
culating the petitions than Wer,
members of the School Board. Fed
eral Judge Sterling Hutcheson hac
orally classified them for havinl
been too leisurely" in their effort
to rectify conditions.
So anxious are School Boar,
members to comply with the court
order that they found it necessary
to circulate the petitions which art
addressed to themselves.
Names Being Screened.
I'VE didn't think we had to origi.
nate petitions" said Board Chair.
man Stanley T. Gray, Gloucester
druggist. I'VE thought We wer'
supposed to be petitioned by tn,
people, but after the courts deci'
sion all OF us were passing then
out.
Il got 100 signatures myself last
week"
There is no disposition on tn,
part of the board members to resigr
in an attempt to escape their liza.
bllity. AS matter of fact, theil
legal counsel, Mr.. Hardit, concede.
that they could not take this way
out.
Two of the three board members
assumed their duties. after cour
action was started by the Negroes
The original suit was instituted in
February, 1947. Both Mr.. Hoggt
and Mr.. Gray accepted appoint
ments last year to fill Offices mad'
vacant by designations.
The white residents of this count,
admit there has been one possible
exception TO record of good racia
relations in the county.
Story in Each Case.
Those questioned here would pre-
fix their accounts with such asser
tions as, Il wasn't there but thi
is what happened The accoun
in each case was substantially a
follows:
When 20 Negro children wer
nenied admittance to the Botetour
High School on September 8, wor,
got around that their attorney
would return the next day with tn
same or another group and again
seek admission.
The next day, a motorcade o
autos arrived. They were fillet
with "Guineamen," described local.,
as being oystermen and fishermen
from the southern end of the coun
ty, near Achilles. Shotguns, rifle
and pistols were prominently show
ing from the sides of the cars
which were driven to the schoo
and parked for awhile around tn.
grounds. The men then drove of
without incident.
Nearest to Incident"
Martin A. Martin, colored attor
rey, said it was the neares
thing to a racial incident" that h,
had heard of. He said he does no
regard it so much as a threat t.
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