Evening star., 1954-06-06
Dixie Governors
Meet Thursday
On School Issue
Segregation Problem
To Be Discussed
In Richmond
BY shs As,eeio,ed Pres,


BY ihs Asseeiotsd Press
RICHMOND, Va, June 5.-A
delegation of Southern gover-
norS and their representatives
will meet here next Thursday
to swap ideas on the possibili-
ties for keeping white and Negro
pupils separated in Dixie schools.
The conference was suggested
by Virginia's Gov. Stanley. os-
tensibly, "for the exchange of
information and views" on the
Supreme Court decision of May
IL outlawing segregation in the
public schools.
But the underlying theme goes
much deeper for most Of the gov
ernors. who are hoping ways and
means may be found to skirt
the courts ruling and continue
the segregated policy that has
prevailed in the South since the
inception Of the public school
system.
BY latest count, seven govef-
nors plan to attend the one-day
session that will take place in
Richmond hotel suite. Those
who will join host Gov. Stanley
are William c. Marland of West
Virginia, William B. Umstead of
North Carolina, James F. Byrnes
Of South Carolina. Terman Tai
madge Of Georgia, Gordon Per-
sons Of Alabama and Hugh White
Of Mississippi.
Delaware Won't Attend.
Gov. Johnston Murray of
Oklahoma has indicated he may
be on hand-if not. he'll send a
representative. The governors
Of Maryland. Louisiana, Florida,
Arkansas. Tennessee, Kentucky
and Texas have disclosed they'll
send representatives. Delaware,
the Is State invited, will not
be represented.
In at least five cases, the gov
ernors will be accompanied by
their top educational aides or
legal advisors. The prospect
thus is for a conference in which
some 80 will take part.
Gov. Stanley, q furniture man
yifacturer who was chosen COVER
nor Of Virginia last November,
has said he doesn't expect the
session to produce any earth
shaking declarations Of policy on
the part Of the Southern chief
executives.
But there is the possibility
the governors may lay down a
bit Of basic strategy in dealing
with the court decision. And
there has been speculation they
may join in a united appeal to
the court for plenty OF time in
which to effect gradual inte-
grafton Of the races. q
However, three Of the Gov
ernors-Talmadge, Byrnes and
White have made it clear
they'll make an all-out attempt
to- keep the races apart.
Seek Circumvention.
And officials of Louisiana,
Tennessee. North Carolina. Ala
bama, Florida and Virginia have
indicated they would like to find
some method whereby the courts
ruling may be circumvented.
In general. two plans have
been mentioned most frequently
in circumvention speculation.
One would mean abandonment
of the public school system as
such, with the states doing out
funds to parents to send their
children to private schools. The
other method would be for school
boards to assign students to vari-
Gus schoolS-on @ segregated
basis-in the "best interests" of
the child and education in gen.
eral.
But the mechanics of these
proposals must be worked out
and even so, there remains seri-
GUS doubt in the minds of some
legal experts they would stand
up under court scrutiny.
Some sources have suggested
a voluntary segregation policy
as an out. That is, schools would
be set aside for white and Negro
with the pupils of each race
voluntarily" going to the school
to which he was assigned.
Any such voluntary arrange
ment would run the risk of dis
approval from the National AS
sociation for the Advancement
of Colored People, which has
served notice it wants the States
to begin desegregating as soon
as possible-even before the Su-
preme Court hands down its
final DEGREES directing how in
ategration shall be effected.
Three States and ID. C. Act.
A survey shows that in only
three States and the District of
Columbia are any plans afoot
to try integration this fall. The
Washington Board of Education
has ordered School Supt. Hobart
M. Corning to prepare a step
by-step timetable for full-scale
desegregation in the District of
Columbia by September, 1855.
In West Virginia, Supt. w. w.
Trent says it may be possible to
mix the races in several areas
where the Negro population is
relatively small. In those sectors
where the Negro ratio is large,
considerable time" may be re-
quired, he adds.
In Arkansas, nine Negroes viii
enter white schools at Fayette-
vile. Previously, these children
have had to 90 rs miles tn Fort