Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-18

l6aQ W I1OTG COtuP4lCht1Ot4C eiIdA
its approval.
For example, this is how Stats
Senator Garland Gray Of Sus.
sex County-in Eastern Virgins
summed up the situation al
the recent General Assembly:
There are more than Is coun'
ties and one or two cities where
the white school population II
less than one-half. Faced witt
possible indignation. this pre-
sents US in this section Of Wiz.
ginia with an insurmountablt
problem.
May say to you with all the
sincerity that I possess thai
enforced indignation in Eastern
Virginia will drive US to the ex.
tremity of closing many of oui
public schools. Make no mistake
about this"
Cites Local Autonomy
The Gray Commission report
unanimously agreed to by its 81
members from all sections Of
Virginia. says:
I'm some localities where
there are few Negroes, the prob.
lem Of adjustment Is not 81
serious as it is in localities with
large Negro populations. In the
latter it is believed that the
people will abandon publit
schools rather than accept any
Indignation.
"Our school properties. rep.
resenting an investment Of
nearly half-a-billion dollars. are
owned by the localities. and the
money for their operation d
raised in great part from local
taxes. Obviously, the schools can
not continue without the sup
port of the people. and we must
leave a large measure Of auton-
omy to the localities. ever
though that may result in the
closing of public schools.
One-Third Might Close
Members Of the Gray Com.
mission have said that public
schools in as many as ons-thirc
Iof the States 90 counties might
close II indignation Is forcee
upon them.
Boards of Supervisors In abod
Ia dozen counties have indicates
they are ready to make schoo
appropriations on Q month-to
month basis. This would plac'
them in o position to close dowl
Immediately II q court order
Indignation.
Four counties-Prince Edward
Nottoway, Sussex and Surry-
actually approved the month to
month budget procedures. Late
they provided funds for the en-
tire year when the State Boare
of Education and Gov. Stanle,
said it would be the policy t
open schools on the CUSTOMARY
SEGREGATED basis last fall.
Delegate Samuel E. Pope o.
Southampton went before hi
board of supervisors and tolc
members they need not carry on
their announced intention O.
budgeting month-to-month. Tit
then issued q state
ment saying they would nevel
appropriate public funds for al
integrated school.
There were about IL countie
in Southside and Eastern Viz
Iginia that expressed simila
views" Mr.. Pope says.
Would Cut Teacher Supply
II only a portion Of the schoo
systems shut down even for a
long as two years, the supply o
teachers would be disrupted ant
many other adverse effects woul'
be felt-including, Of course, tn
fact that the Negro children pre-
sumably would suffer much NOR
than the white children.
That Is because other countie
presumably would follow the ex
ample Of Prince Edward. Their
white parents have raise,
through pledges and donation
100000 for a private schoc
system if public schools ar
closed
Says Senator Gray: ut woul
be well for the people Of Virgins
to be mindful that not only
the most vital portion Of tn
commissions program befor
them for judgment, but
should be thoroughly understoo
that the Supreme Court Of Vir
Iginia has stricken down thos
disbursements now being mad
for public grants to war orphan.
for teachers scholarships, 70
the rehabilitation Of handicappe
persons and for graduate al
funds for Negroes as being Il
violation OF Section 14l of ou
State Constitution"
IL Points in Proposal
The referendum on January
viii determine whether voter
will authorize limited constitu
tional convention. The conven
ton would change Section IA
which now bans use Of publ
funds in private schools.
The first part Of the commits
sion program. which Chairma
Gray calls 1.-The most importar
one" is based on approval Of tn
referendum.
The rest Of the 12-point plal
including assignment of pupi
to particular schools and rev
sion Of the compulsory attend
ance law. rests with the ne
General Assembly that will b
sworn in January IL.
THE feeling on the commits
lsion is that the plan is a packae
deal. One part depends upon til
Other"
I That statement comes froI
one of the 80 members Of tn
&c o m m ission, State Senate