Evening star., 1955-11-28

70 pupils entered formerly all-I
County.
The school doesn't mix races
in teaching dancing and so far
none Of the Negro students has.
attended evening dances. There
the matter stands.
On the high school level, inte-I
grafton brought about one switch
in school policy at Montgomery
Blair and Bethesda Chevy Chase
High Schools, both Of which en-
rolled Negro pupils for the first
time this year.
No Stag Dances
Stag dances have been elimi-
mated.
High school students in sub
urban Montgomery County took
readily to integration because so
many students have lived over
seas and take a liberal view Of
the race issue. one principal
explained.
At Chevy Chase. the Student
Council has voted for several
years to urge the inclusion Of
Negro councils in the county.
wide organization Of student
councils. This was banned by
school autoritieS until this year
At Montgomery Blair, mem
bers of the school band elected a
Negro student one Of its two
drum majors. His fancy twirling
display was a highlight of the
half time show at the recent
Montgomery Blair-B.C.c. foot
ball game.
On the parent-teacher level,
segregation Is withering. The
County Council Of Parent
Teacher Associations and the
Montgomery County Education
Association both embrace Negro
membership.
While few Negro parents Of
pupils in integrated schools have
become active In PTA work. their
numbers are increasing. Several
take regular StintS at cafeteria
volunteer work.
Decisions In Ofang
The policy makers two
Boards Of Education--are mark
ing time on the next step to-
ward complete integration. Soon.
however, decisions must be made.
for serious work usually begins
In December on the schools budg-
cts effective six months later.
Integration affects both the
number and types of BUILDINGS
that viii be needed. as well as
the number Of regular and spe-
cialized teachers.
DR.. Forbes H Norris, Mont
gomery County superintendent of
schools, while satisfied with the
results Of the integratioll expert
rnent Of the current school year.
takes a cautious approach to-
ward the adoption Of rigid time.
tables for completing the process
of ending the color line In county
schools.
He has directed Fred c. Dunn.
"a special assistant on personnel,
to compile 4 comprehensive re-
port on the lessons learned in
the % schools.
From these should grow recon-
mendations indicating how soon
the 2.7o0 Negro pupils still In
segregated schools win be as
signed tor given an option
Iof attending schools nearest
their homes.
While the School Board an
nounced last spring that its
policy would be based on the
"nearest-to-home" theory, this
school year saw only the shift
of $50 Negroes from four SUBJ
standard down-county elemen-
tary schools into Is former all
white schools. Another 100
junior high and high school
Negro students entered down.
county schools under an option
arrangement.
Option setup
Prince Georges County based
its 1866 "break-in-t the dixie"
program on an option setup, per-
mitting any pupil TO apply for a
transfer to the school closest to
his home. The Board Of Educa-
ton got about 100 applications
approved SO Of them. Five
Negro applicants never appeared
on opening day at the white
schools.
Mrs. Hester v. King Of Belts
vile. president Of the Prince
Georges chapter Of the National
Association for the Advancement
|of Colored People. says that If
the voluntary admission system
lis in effect next year, that many
more applications will be made
than this year.
She said, however, that she
hopes the board win drop its
present policy and redistrict
school enrollments on an inte-
grated basis.
Asked II her chapter intends
to make any legal challenge Of
the present policy. she replied:
mo: we feel the board is try
ing to meet the problem, 90 we
are waiting and hoping"
This sentiment was echoed by
a leader Of the Montgomery
County chapter Of the NAACP.
the Rev. ]. B. Manning Of Lay
louisville. who said his group will
work for full integration but
we're not interested in lawsuits. I"