Evening star., 1955-11-14
Mixed Schools Seen
In Nearby Virginia
Officials Predict
County Approval
OF Gray Plan

N0uHty APPIONu
OF Gray Plan
The local option feature Of
the Gray Commission report be.
gan to gather support in .North-
ern Virginia today as it became
clear that the area could make
its own choice about integration
in public schools.
While there was mixed reac-
tion to other phases Of the study,
the local option feature drew
favorable comment.
The 32-member Gray Commits
sion. appointed IA months ago
by Gov. Stanley. released its re-
port yesterday recommending
that local school boards be al
lowed to adjust their school sys-
TENS as they saw fit, and also
proposing that State and local
funds be provided for tuition
grants to children who do not
want to attend inteGrated
schools or for children living
in areas where public schools
might be abolished.
IntegratiOn Predicted
Two area officials promptly
predicted that Arlington and
Fairfax County - with small
Negro populations would choose
to integrate their school sys-
TENS rather than do anything to
weaken public schools. Both
lspokeSmen felt this could be-
done, without compelling either
white or colored children to at
tend integrated schools If they
did not want to.
Robert F. Davis, chairman Of
the Fairfax County School
Board, said he was confident q
large majority Of the residents
lin his county did not want to
abolish or weaken the public
schools.
He said he believed most chii.
Idren- colored and white-would
choose to stay In their own
schools If the enforced racial
barrier is removed. If there are
Ichildren-white or colored- who
lido not want to attend an inte-
grated school, they could be as.
isigned to an a1l-white or all
Icolored school in Fairfax County
without too much dificulty. said
Mr.. Davis.
Ralph Kaul. newly elected
member Of the Arlington County
Board who takes Office next
January /. declared that the re-
lport seems to give our school
board plenty Of latitude in work.
ing out the problem in Arling-
ton"
4 OfflciaIs Comment
/ Mrs. Leone Buchholz, member
'tof the Arlington County Board,
said she felt the proposals Of the
report could be made to work
satisfactorily for all parties con-
lcerned."
/ Harrison Mann, member Of
1.-THE House of Delegates from Ar
Ilington. said that while the re-.
iIport leaves something to be de-
lsired, It goes a long way toward
accomplishing the twofold OBJ
ljectives OF maintaining the pub
llic school system and at the
same time preserving the GUS
toms Of our people to the great
lest possible extent"
I'm glad they provided for 4
considerable amount of local OBJ.
tion." said Mrs. Kathryn Stone.
member of the House of Dele.
lgates from Arlington.
Calls Approach Moderate
William L. Winston, delegate
ELECT from Arlington, said "the
report takes a moderate approach
and In that respect II is hearten-
ing"
David Krupsaw. Arlington
County Board member -elect, said
he was troubled by the thought
that public education in Vir-
ginia is in jeopardy"
State Senator John A. K. Dom
ovan of Fairfax County Falls
Church. questioned the consti.
nationality of one recommends
tion In the report which would
allow school boards to assign
children to different schools for
various reasons, other than race.
ALSO, I doubt that I would
be for grants-in-aid in particu-
lar cases." said Mr.. Donovan.
This would diminish the
strength of the school system
|. +. I don't think this report
represents q step forward. am
not prepared to support it at
this time"
Omer Hirst, member Of the
House of Delegates from Fairfax-
Falls Church. said he thought
the proposals 'endanger free
public education in Virginia. /"
Mr.. Hirst declared that he
realized the problem that con-
fronted the State, "but I do not
believe we should abolish a free
education system anywhere In
Virginia" '
James M. Thomson, Delegates
elect from Alexandria, said the
report would have his support
"if the free public school system
can be worked out"
Harley M. Williams, president
Of the ardent pro-segregation
Virginia Citizens Committee for
Better Schools, said his group
supported the plan for the tui-
tion allowances.
Assailed by NAACP
E. B. Henderson of Falls
Church, president of the vir-
ginia conference Of the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People. said passage