Evening star., 1952-06-01
The Cause


The Cause
For as long as there has been
Negro education In the District, 1t
has been carried on on q segregated
basis. Before 1862 Negroes were
considered chattels. They were not
afforded any educational oppor-
tunities. A few semi-public schools
had been set up for the children of
freedmen, but these hardly were
worthy of the name school. Their
graduates could say, with Huckle-
berry Finn, II had learned the
multiplication tables up to seven
times six is 35." But they could
hardly claim to be educated.
With the advent of the Civil War,
and a changed attitude toward Me-
groes, Congress passed law estab-
fishing schools for colored. That
these schools were to be separate
from the white facilities was not
surprising; 1t was the pattern of
the day. Even Massachusetts, oper-
ated segregated schools at that
time.
Over a decade or so, additional
laws were passed. Each took cog
nizance Of segregation; each, in a
way strengthened it, These laws
were revised, but remained sub
stantially unchanged, in the 1870s,
and were codified early in this CEN
tury. They remain the basic school
law Of the District of Columbia.
Their validity stands unshaken by
numerous court tests; their force as
directive and not merely advisory
statutes has been reaffirmed many
times.
Atocks in the Courts
The Negro community Of Wash
ington has been attacking the seq
regation statutes in recent years.
The reason behind these suits has
always been one of principle: The
Negro almost unanimously hates
segregation, feeling that it brands
him a second class citizen. But
principles are not grounds for law
suits. So each suit brought by or
for a Negro has cited some wrong
done, some inequality allegedly re-
sulting solely from the plaintiffs
race.
At present, one case is up for
Supreme Court attention. It deals
with the refusal Of Sousa Junior
High School authorities to admit a
colored girl because of her race. It
is not yet known whether the Su-
preme Court will act on the case.
The Court of Appeals has not yet
acted on the suit, and is currently
re-examining a technical point
raised by the Supreme Court.
Outside the courts another bat
tie is being fought-the battle of
public opinion. Negroes universally
want "integration" of the school
system-which is the reverse Of
segregation. Many whites 60 along
with the idea as a matter of equity.
Judge Henry w. Edgerton, in his
dissent in another segregation case,
assailed the constitutionalty of
segregation, as well as its moral
aspects. He said fatty that Ne
groes here are denied better
schooling and given worse because
of their color" He added that "ob-
jective equality cannot be attained
without abolishing segregation"
The White View
Many whites feel as strongly-on
the other side of the fence-as
Negroes do. To this segment Of the
population, segregation Is q neces-
sity. They frequently argue that an
end to segregation would turn
Washington into - Negro city" and
weak havoc with property values.
There seems to be no conclusive
proof one way or another about the
validity Of these arguments. But
the fact that the pro-segregation
group in Washington is both large
and powerful lends credence to the
often-heard statement that "the
community is not ready for inte-
grafton"
The law and public opinion are
two of. the causes of Washington's
present crisis. But the greatest
single cause is the growth and
change of the Districts population.
In the Metropolitan Area as 4 whole
which includes the District.
Alexandria and Falls Church cities,
Arlington, Fairfax, Montgomery