Evening star., 1954-05-26
Dr.. Corning's Integrotion Policy

It is improbable that the Board of Educa-
tion will support DR.. Corning's plan for inte-
grating the school system by unanimous vote,
as desirable as unanimity on the board might
be. Some members may conclude that it goes
too fast; others that it goes too slow.
There are two matters of fact, however,
which the board should seek to establish at the
outset. For if these two facts are established
beyond reasonable doubt, the policy announced
by Dr. Corning can be examined with greater
objectivty with at least some points of con-
troverSy eliminated.
Fact No. l: How much time will be required
to draw up new school boundaries, governing
future assignment of pupils to schools?
DR.. Corning does not feel that it is physically
possible to draw up such boundaries and an
nounce them with all new school assignments
before the opening of school next September
There are others who feel that this can be done
and announced we'll in advance of September
What is the fact? If it is possible to an
nounce the boundaries by mid-July, that should
be done. Parents have every right to this in
formation, as soon as it can be made available
Fact No. 2: Is it desirable or undesirable
(from an educational standpoint) to transfer
pupils from one school to another if the only
purpose to be served by such transfer is to bring
about more rapid and complete integration?
DR.. Corning'S policy is based on the theory
that the less shuffling of school population, the
better it will be from the standpoint of the
child's education. Therefore, with the excep-
ton Of transfers made necessary by overcrowd-
ing, children may continue to attend the schools
to which they are presently assigned until they
graduate, regardless of the new boundaries. The
child who lives within newly established
school boundary, however, has priority over a
child living 1dor dod
there is not school room for both of them
There may be those who will contend that
DR.. Corning's policy in this respect is one of
compromise, savoring of "gradualism,' and that
wholesale shuff1ing of pupils from one school
to another in arbitrary conformance with new
boundaries, should be made as soon as the
boundaries are announced.
What is the fact? Does DR.. Corning's poll
icy mean an unnecessary delay in total inte-
grafton, or is it legitimate method of avoiding
unnecessary shifts, regarded as undesirable
from the educational point of view?
These are questions, it seems to The Star,
that the board must answer in deciding on the
administrative policy to be followed in integra-
tion. The answers should be based on ascer-
tainabe facts.
The debate over the principle of segregated
schools has been ended by the Supreme Court
decision. The schools must be integrate0 under
the supreme law of the land. The only real
question now is the best way to bring that about
with minimum of confusion, There are those
who may feel that immediate and complete in
tegration is an objective which takes precedence
over everything else. fair Interpretation of
DR.. Corning's recommended policy is that in
tegration must be effected without delay, but
that avoidance of unnecessary transfers Of
pupils already enrolled in schools which can
accommodate them, does not represent delay"