Evening star., 1955-09-18
BY 8. L. LATINdER, Jf.
Editor, Columbia State

Editor. Columbia state
COLUMBIA. 9. C.-South Caro-
lina's public schools have opened
for the 1856 session without q
single break In segregation. and
with ever-stii1ening opposition TO
integration at any date In the fore
seeabie future.
Leaders generally hope the day
will never come when the State viii
abandon ito system Of public
schools, but It is entirely possible
that this drastic step would be re-
sorted to II efforts were made TO
force the mixing Of pupils. At least
that seems to be the case ut pres
ent.
There has been no violence Of any
sort In this State-no f1aring OF
tempers; but q firm. resolute oppo-
sition to the Supreme Courts de-
cree Of May II. 1854. can definitely
be sensed, with increasing evidence
Of its presence. There Is no indi-
cation that the trustees Of Q single
public school In the State have any
plans for eventual integration now
or in years to come.
There n no eoncealment Of ON
cial efforts TO maintain separate
schools within the circumference of
the decision. A special committee.
appointed by legislative authority.
has been ct work some months to
devise ways Of accomplishing this
end.
The Weapons
Here are some examples Of the
techniques to be used. A new law
denies all tax funds to any school
accepting q pupil by court order.
and denies funds to the school from
which the pupil was transferred:
school trustees have been given au-
thority to assign pupils to any
school they wish "in the cause Of
education and for the public good"
and contracts with teachers no
longer are renewed automatically
from year to year.
Earlier. In anticipation of the
courts decision. South Carolina
amended its constitution so as to
eliminate q section making 1t
mandatory to maintain O public
school system. So far, however.
this has had no effect.
Organizations known sometimes
as Citizens Councilss are being
formed. One Of these groups deii-
nitely announced that economic
pressure would be used on Negroes
who signed desegration petition.
The State Methodist conference
promptly passed q resolution de-
ploring and oondeming any move
to deprive people Of their hveli-
hood because they signed q pc
tdtion.
Segregation Petitions
A statewide group of citizens, 54
in number, drew UP resolutions at
tacking the Supreme Court, and
urging the State legislature to zee
that those wanting to attend segre-
gated schools always have the op-
portunity TO do 10. This resolution
was later thrown open for general
signatures. and thousands have af-
fixed their names.
A new edition Of the Ku Klux
Khan. a product Of Georgia, has
held several meetings. The press
had denounced its revival. Judge
Ashton H. Williams Of the Federal
District court, Charleston. recently
blasted the activities of both the
xxx and the National Association
for the Advancement Of Colored
People. saying that they are him
derances to O solution of the segre-
cation problem and accusing the
NAACP of coercing individuals TO
assert their rights under the Court
ruling.
The Judge said he had heard Of
cases Of intimidation and that In
any matter coming before him he
would 'scrutinize the facts. and. II
he found undue infausnss had been