Evening star., 1949-09-10
Ar|ingtonSc School
Trial Recessed
Until October 18
Supt. Early Testifies
Any Discrimination Is
Against White Pupils

A Federal Court decision on the
question of whether Arlington
County discriminates against Ne
groes in public schools has been
deferred at least until next month.
Judge Albert v. Bryan late yes
terday recessed the hearing IN
Federal Court in Alexandria until
October 18. The delay is neces-
sary because of conflicting COM
mitments by Judge Bryan and
other principals in the case.
The recess followed testimony
by Division School Supt. William
A. Early to the effect that, if any
educational discrimination exists
in Arlington, it is against white
pupils rather than Negroes.
Colored School Not Crowded.
Mr.. Early insisted, both on di-
rect examination and cross-exam-
ination, that substantially equal
educational opportunities are af-
forded colored and white students
with respect to courses of study
and physical facilities. He de-
clared pupils at the colored Hoff-
man-Boston High School enjoy
distinct advantages over pupils at
the white Washington-Lee High
School because the latter is badly
overcroWded and the colored
school is not.
He said also colored pupils are
taught only in modern, well
equipped, sanitary buildings. while
some white pupils attend "anti-
quated," inadequately equipped
schools. He said Hoffman-Boston
students are safer from traffic
dangers.
Supt. Early's testimony was a
highlight of Arlington's defense
of charges brought in the name of
Constance Carter, II. a colored
pupil at Hoffman-Boston who
formerly attended Dunbar School
in the District. The suit, filed by
her mother, Mrs. Eleanor Taylor,
is being pressed with the backing
of the Arlington Branch, National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People and the Vir-
ginia State Conference lawyers.
Class Subjects Cited.
The plaintiff contends school
opportunities are unequal and at
tributes this to a policy of racial
discrimination. Leon A. Ransome
of Washington and three colored
attorneys from Richmond have
presented witnesses to show nu-
merous subjects are taught at
Washington-Lee that are not Of
fered at Hoffman-Boston.
Mr.. Early reiterated what sew
eral defense witnesses said previ-
ously-that the School Board Of
fers Negro pupils every course
available to whites, either at Hoff-
man Boston or in a Washington
school or the Negro Regional
Training School at Manassas. The
Manassas school has depart
ment of vocational instruction,
which is limited at Hoffman-Bos-
ton.
Expansion Cited.
Mr.. Ranscme and his associate
lawyers, Spottswood Robinson,
Martin A. Martin and Oliver w.
Hill, repeatedly pointed to the lack
of a gymnasium at Hoffman-Bos-
ton and the lack of such courses
as driver-training, automobile me-
chanics and printing. Washing
ton-Lee has all of these.
Mr.. Early said Arlington will
guarantee to give colored pupils
this instruction. either at Ma
nassas or at Hoffman-Boston,
when a $475,0O0 building program
is completed next year. The COL
ored school adjoins the golf course
of the Army Navy Country Club
on Shirley highway.
When the hearing is resumed
the defense will present at least
one witness. He is DR.. Howard A.
Dawson, director of rural service
for the National Education Asso-
citation, who compiled a report
showing that. on a per capita
basis, Arlington spends more
money educating Negro pupils
than it does on whites. The plain
tiffs also may offer some rebuttal