Evening star., 1954-11-14
Set !
For Tomorrow
On Segregation
Little Help Offered
Richmond Session BY
District Areu Groups

District Areu Groups
A special commission studying
public school segregation In Vir-
ginia viii begin public hearings
at Richmond tomorrow with
prospects Of little help In the way
Of suggestions from nearby areas.
simultaneously, the State will
file q new brief with the United
States Supreme Court which
rendered a decision May II de-
claring forced separation OF
white and Negro children in pub
lie schools unconstitutional.
Virginia, along with the Dis
trict of Columbia and three other
States was specifically singled
OFT In the decision.
Members Offer Idea.
Individual members Of the
Fairfax County School Board
came closer than anyone else
from the Washington suburban
area to Offering q specific plan
for Virginia to follow. Informally
they have suggested that the
separate operation of white and
Negro schools be continued but
that members of the other race
be admitted when they apply.
For the most part, however,
the local governing bodies and
school authorities In the suburbs
are maintaining either a hands
off or watchful attitude toward
the proceedings before the Com
mission on Public Education. In
contrast to some Southside Vir-
ginia counties, where the Negro
population far exceeds the white,
colored school enrolment in
nearby Virginia does not exceed
13 per cent.
Local governing bodies and
school boards In outlying reaches
of Northern Virginia already
have taken a stand against inte-
grafton and so intend to express
themselves.
Status of District Suburbs.
Following is a summary of the
suburbs position after the COM
mission invited an expression
on the question, What course
should Virginia follow in the
light Of the decision of the Su-
preme Court in the school segre-
CATION cases?"
Arlington-County Manager
A. T. Lnudberg will attend as
an observer only; members Of
the County Board do not intend
to go. Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell.
School Board chairman, will pre-
sent a formal statement ap-
proved by her group and its ad-
visory Integration Committee.
Negro enrolment is nearly 6 per
cent.
Alexandria - Neither City
Council nor School Board has
voiced an opinion. School Supt.
T. c. Williams will go as an OBJ
server and individual board
members may attend. Negro en-
rollment is nearly 13 per cent.
Fairfax-School Board Chair
man Richard Shands and men,
bers Robert F. Davis and Fred
w. Robinson will attend as in
dividuals and plan to outline
their suggestion for basic main
tenance of separate schools.
Board of Supervisors, having
backed down from a "local op-
ton" proposal after receiving
protest petitions of nearly 5000
names. does not Intend to ap-
pear. Negro enrolment is less
than z per cent in Fairfax.
Falls Church-Invitation from
commission for expression Of
views not received by City Coun-
Gil or School Board. No one plans
to attend. Negro enrolment is
about is per cent.
D0wnState Units to be Large.
In contrast, some Southside
Virginia Counties. like Sussex.
<have indicated that as many as
500 persons will attend from a
single county. Sussex. according
to the 1850 census, had a pop
ulation of 12,785, of which 8.387
were Negroes.
Because of expected large dele
cations, the meeting place for
tomorrow's hearing was moved
from the hall Of the House Of
Delegates to the Mosque audi
torium and the time advanced q
half-hour to 10 am.
| State Senator Garland Gray
of Waverly, chairman Of the
commission, has indicated the
hearings may continue through
Tuesday.
| Shortly after the Supreme
Court decision. Gov. Stanley
called for a calm. cool" ap-
proach to the problem and in
dicated he would appoint a BIZ
racial study group. Later, how
lever. he pledged to use "every
legal means" to preserve seq
regated schools and named the
commission consisting Of 90
members Of the General As
sembly.
! More than 140 requests have
been filed by individuals and
groups desiring to testify, al
though Mr.. Gray. refused to dis.
close their names In advance.
He said several" Negro spokes-
men have asked for time. The
National Association for the Ad-
vancement Of Colored People is
expected to have one or more
spokesmen on hand. the Asso-
ciated Press reported.
i Attorney General j. Lindsay
| Almond. jr., who will file the
brief with the Supreme Court
here tomorrow. has been In the
van Of those assailing the de-
segregation opinion.