Evening star., 1954-06-03

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to the school serving the area in
which they live, and (2) the pro-
vision that in addition to the
changes recommended for ac-
complishment by September. all
other changes necessary to COM
plete the integratiQn of the
schools will be completed by
September. 1855. The purpose
of this statement is to further
develop and justify these two
provisions in the superintend-
ent's plan.
/. CHOICE TO REMAIN IN
PRESENT SCHOOL UNTIL
COMPLETION OF THAT LEVEL.
The plan proposed by the
superintendent would grant the
option to all presently enrolled
pupils to Q) remain in their
present schools until completion
of that level elementary. junior
high school, or senior high
SCHOOL, or (2) to transfer to the
school which under the new
boundaries will serve areas in
which they reside.
It is important to bear in mind
that this choice obtains only un-
til a child finishes the school in
which he is presently enrolled
and that all pupils new to a
school by reason of promotion
change of residence. or transfer
from another school must attend
the school serving this residence
area.
It is the firm belief of the
superintendent that this plan
is educationally sound. that it IS
essential to the educational de-
velopment of children, and that
it will be less disrupting to the
entire school system and to this
community.
Basic COuSlucTdtlOlS.
The advocacy, of this plan is
based upon the following consid-
erations:
/. The option to remain in
present schools until graduation
applies to pupils in both division
l and division 2 schools.
2. These same children have
equal opportunity to transfer to
the new schools that will, serve
their places of residence under
newly established boundaries. In
deed, all such transfers will have
first priority over those of any
children previously attending the
school but living beyond the new
boundaries.
8. There will, therefore, be no
delay in the enrolment of any
pupil who wishes to attend the
school serving his residence area
under the new boundaries.
4. BY this plan there is posi-
tive assurance that in all schools
serving areas with mixed popula-
ton, through the exercise of the
options there will be at the out
set an admixture of the races.
S. Since, then, every child has
the right to attend the school
in his home area if he chooses. it
is difficult to find convincing ar
guments for arbitrarily transfer
ring those children who may
wish to remain in the school
previously attended and who can
be accommodated there.
6. The transition to an inte-
grated school system should be
accomplished with a minimum
of disruption to the educational
program of children.
Z. Transfer of children from
one school to another can result
in losses to the child in the fol-
lowing ways:
a. Interruption of the conti-
nuity of instruction.
b. The replacement of well
established relationships with
teachers and pupils by new as
SociationS.
c. The loss to the pupil of the
teacher who knows him as a per-
son and who is acquainted with
his educational background and
needs.
d. Loss or at least interruption
of the advantages of prestige
and leadership which he. has
established.
e. Since in the secondary
schools the course offerings are
not identical, but are determined
in large part by the require
ments and demands of students,
the superintendent feels the
need in the interim period to
make sure that after all trans
fers are settled as few pupils as
possible will be interrupted in
their present planned curricu-
lums, since courses can be or