Evening star., 1954-10-03
By Froncis P. Douglas
S,or St~ff corrasrondant

MILFORD. DEL. Oct. 2.-This
community, which has gone
through a dangerous period OF
dissension as the result OF colored
pupils being admitted to the
high school, was psychologically
unprepared for the first steps
doing away with segregation.
It was not known until almost
at the reopening of the schools
that colored pupils would apply
for and be granted admission TO
the hig school. .
Whether it would have made
a difference if the people had
had the whole summer to become
accustomed to the idea is ques-
ton. Some here say yes, others
doubt it.
Now the colored pupils, IL In
number, have been denied the
right to return to classes in the
Lakeview Drive High School. ls
is expected that they will go to
the Negro High School in Dover,
IS miles away, which other coll
ored high school pupils from this
district attend.
Court Action Filed.
The National Association for
the Advancement of Colored
People initiated a court action at
Georgetown for an injunction
against the transferring of Negro
children from the Milford school.
A hearing was scheduled for
Oct. II.
1t is expected the court will
sustain the application that, ac-
cording to the authorities here,
will go far to convince the peo-
pie that integration has to be
carried out. Also, it is felt, a
court order will mean the invok-
ing of adequate authority to en-
force it.
The situation here brought
these unfortunate results:
/. A dispute spanked by those
opposing integration which some
feared for a while might get out
of hand.
2. The prospect that what the
community should have done for
itself will now have to be done by
the courts.
3. The community has become
the battle ground between the
NAACP and the recently formed
National Association for the Ad-
vancement of White People and
has given the latter organiza-
ton a big boost.
Ill Feeling Stirred Up.
III feeling has been stirred UP
which many fear will leave scars
for a long time to come. DR.
Raymond c. Cobbs, superintend-
ent of Schools for Lakeview Dis
trict, said that it had not been
expected until August that pu-
pills who graduated last June
from the all-colored Bannekel
School would apply for admis-
sion to Lakeview.
He said guidance people from
the State Department of Pub
lie Instruction had interviewed
all the graduates at Banneker
and it was the concensus that
all would go to the all-colored
William Henry High School at
Dover. Y
The people in the district ap-
parently felt that nothing would
be done until after the United
States Supreme Court hears from
interested States their ideas or
how the courts decree banning
school segregation shall be put
into effect.
The court is scheduled to hear
statements December 6.
In the meantime. DR.. Cobbs
said that during the summer
he told service clubs here that
if colored pupils applied for
admission he did not see how
it could be legally denied.
IL Apply for Admission.
On August IS, DR.. Cobbs said
notice was received from the
NAACP bearing the names o1
the parents of the IL children
that they would apply for ad'
mission to the high school.
The board held special meet
! ing August go. After consulting
| its attorney, it decided there
was no legal means to REFUSE
the colored pupils admission
The board also decided, DR.
Cobbs said. it would be bette
to do it voluntarily rather thar
become involved in a legal dis
pute.
| w. Dean Kimmel, who wa
president of that board, ex
planned today how it attempted
to advise with communit.
leaders. A letter was sent to al