Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-02
Southern States Move Slowly
Toward Ending Segregation
BY Benz Price
Assoeioisd Press ssoff Correspondent

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By Benz Price
Assoeiotsd Press stoff Correspondent
The South. by and large. is
sitting on its hands in dealing
with racial segregation in public
schools.
The United States Supreme
Court ruled last May II that
segregation in public schools was
unconstitutional, but delayed is
suance of an order to end the
practice, deeply rooted in South
ern life and custom.
In its decision the court asked
that the II States and the Dis
trict of Columbia, which have
segregation laws, appear volun-
tarily in October and offer advice
on how best to end the discrimi-
nation.
Nearly all of the Southern
States have indicated they will
do nothing about ending segre-
CATION until a clear-cut order
is handed down by the court.
Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi,
South Carolina, Louisiana, Ten
nessee. Kentucky, Virginia,
Texas, Arkansas. North Carolina.
Oklahoma and Florida will con-
tinue public school segregation
this year and until the Supreme
Court hands down its mandate.
However, all of these States,
with the exception of Alabama.
Mississippi. South Carolina. Flor
ida and Georgia. have admitted
Negro students to the graduate
and professional levels In State
colleges and universities.
Bars Drop In Fringe States. "a
School segregation barriers.
however, have dropped in some
of the States fringing the 13-
State area generally referred to
as the South.
Partial indignation will take
place this September in the Dis
trict Of Columbia, some sections
of Maryland, Missouri, West Vir-
ginia and Delaware.
Only four of the remaining
States have indicated violent OPP
position to whatever mandate
the Supreme Court will hand
down-South Carolina, Georgia,
Mississippi and Louisiana. All
four are seeking ways and means
to evade the observation-disclosures
and Mississippi by invoking
State police powers to maintain
the good health and morals" of
their citizenry; South Carolina
and Georgia are talking Of plans
to give away the public school
system to private operators.
With the exception of Ala
bama, which has said nothing,
the other States have indicated
they will abide by whatever
mandate is handed down by the
court.
Most Southern race relations
experts believe the court will per-
NIT the problem to be worked
out on the local level and will
set time limit for compliance;
that nothing will be done to
force immediate indignation.
Three Cities Act.
Among the major cities in the
17-State region, Washington, st.
Louis and Baltimore are moving
this year to end racial segrega-
ton and plan completely inte-
grated school systems in 1855.
While the court decision deals
with cases arising out Of public
schools there are in the region
already "a State colleges or uni
versities which admit Negroes on
the graduate or professional
level; Is State and municipal
schools which admit them on
the undergraduate level and IS
private colleges. mostly denom-
national, which have Negro
students.
In the District of Columbia,
29. 800 public school students will
attend mixed classes this year
out Of q total of 57,716 Negro
students and 43.100 white. BY
1855 all vestiges of school segre-
CATION in the District will be
removed. Most Of the transfers
this fall will be Negroes from
overcrowded schools to previously
alleviate schools.
While Maryland had no State
wide plans for school integration
before the Supreme Court order,
Baltimore. which has an indie
pendent school system, is plan
ming to desegregate this fall.
How many pupils will be attend
ing mixed classes will not be
known. however, until registfa-
ton Is completed.
Catholics Integrate.
The Catholic parochial school
system in Baltimore will be in
tegrated this fall. It consists of
sc elementary schools, nine high
schools, IL commercial and one
special school in the city and a
elementary and is high schools
in the county. Total enrolment
is $4,000. College level Catholic
schools already were integrated.
The University Of Maryland
has voted 10 admit Negroes 70 all
college activities.
The West Virginia state Board
lot Education opened nine state