Evening star., 1955-06-24
Dual Schools
To Be Virginia
PoIicyin' $3.50
Stanley and Newton
Give Official View for
Next Academic Yeur


RICHMOND. June "a P.-i
Virginia's official policy for the
coming school year will be the
operation of segregated public
schools.
This formal declaration of
policy was announced jointly
yesterday after a three-hourI
conference by Gov. Stanley
and Blake T. Newton. president
of the State Board of Education.
At q press conference. Mr..
Newton said the statement was
adopted unanimously by the
board-which also attended the
conference.
But other sources. who de-
clined to be identified, indicated
the Governor played major
role as a peacemaker between
two schools of thought-.~those
who approved the policy and
those who wanted it made
stronger.
Follows Commission Proposal
The announced policy was in
Zine with a recommendation of
the State Commission on Public
Education, hailed by Gov. Stan
ley as a practical and reason
able approach" to the problems
created by the May 81 order of
the United States Supreme
Court calling for school interga-
tion with all deliberate speed. u
The policy statement said
f'Flocal school authorities are
faced with the necessity of
completing the formulation of
plans for the coming school ses-
sion -" 1t went on:
"The Governor and the board
hereby declare and adopt as the
policy of this Commonwealth
that the State Board of Educa-
tion will continue to administer
its functions, in cooperation
with the local school authorities,
to the end that the public schools
of Virginia open and operate
through the coming session as
heretofore"
Won't Comment on Counties
In a press conference after the
statement was made public, both
Gov. Stanley and Mr.. Newton
declined comment on what effect,
if any, the policy might have on
the. operation of schools in Prince
Edward, Nottoway and Sussex
Counties - three counties in
which the supervisors have de-
clined to appropriate funds for
schools because they were not
certain the schools could be seq
lregated.
| One of the five suits in which
the Supreme Court last year
struck down segregation as un-
constitutional originate d in
Prince Edward.
Sources said yesterdays state
ment began, at a Wednesday
might conference of several hours
among State Supt. of Public In
lstruction Dowell ]. Howard, As
Isistant Supt. Ray E. Reid and
Ia four-member committee of the
Education Board.
The board committee-which
included Thomas C. Boushall,
Mrs. Gladys v. Morton, Mrs.
John Galleher and Mr.. Newton
drafted a statement which said
the board suggests to local
school divisions that they pro-
coed with plans for the coming
session on the same basis as
heretofore" !"
| Stronger Statement Urged
This draft was taken into yes
lkerday's meeting as the boards
proposal, but stronger state
Iment was urged by Attorney
General j. Lindsay Almond, jr.,
and Archibald G. Robertson,
counsel for the Prince Edward
County School Board.
MIR. Almond and Mr.. Robert
son suggested adding a sentence
saying "the Governor and the
State Board of Education urge
all local authorities to proceed
with school plans in conformity
with this policy"
To this, however, the Governor
disagreed and his view pre-
vailed. Gov. Stanley took the
general position that any urging
of compliance with the policy
might discourage the efforts of
white parents in Prince Edward.
who are trying to raise money
for a private school system
rather than operate under the
Supreme Court order.
i Mr.. Almond, Mr.. Robertson.
IMr. Howard and Gov. Stanley
first conferred yesterday for half
an hour. Then with David J..
Mays, counsel for the Education
Commission, they Joined the ed
ucation board for what was a
I2la-hour closed-door session that
ended with the policy announce
!ment.