Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-21
VHqinio Schools

lated for publishing the series
of articles explaining the or
igin and purposes of the Gray
Commission recommendations.
Virginians have a decision 10
make on January 9 that will
chart the course of public edu-
cation in the State for an in
definite period. They should
know the facts.
I hope that these articles
will dwell on the Statewide
aspects Of the plan so that
local readers can understand
that they will be affected by
more than the outcome as it
affects the Northern Virginia
area. Virginia schools are far
below the national average in
many areas Of the State on
such criteria as expenditures
per pupil. teacher salaries, re-
tention power Of the schools.
local financial effort. and so
forth. Lifting educational
standards in these areas is a
State responsibility that will
be difficult enough to accom-
plish under public school
system. Under system Of
private school tuition grants
to be borne largely by the
taxpayers throughout the
State. the problem becomes
magnifled several times both
In terms Of accomplishment
and cost.
II the choice is made to fol-
low the obviously legal solu-
ton set forth by the Gray re-
port, the only sure result is
that free public education will
suffer while taxes will rise.
All else is conjecture. What
price prejudice?
J. F. Hughes.
=
In the December IS issue Of
The Star there was an article
by Mary Lou Werner under the
caption Area Indignation Sur
vey Shows Effects on Schools"
This article emphasized how
few colored students would be
enrolled In white schools If
integration were put into
effect. No mention was made
Of how many white children
would be forced to attend Me-
gro schools with Negro teach
ers.
Being a long time subscriber
to The Star. and having conf
dence that The Star would
print the whole truth and not
half the truth. and thinking
that the article by Mary Lou
Werner was the first Of a series
you had publicized, looked in
the December IA issue of The
Star for the second article OF
the series. Instead, I found the
first article Of a series by Alex
r. Preston. Mary Lou Werner
and The Star apparently
thought it Of no interest to the
people Of Arlington County.
Alexandria. Falls Church and
Fairfax County that white
children might be forced to at
tend Negro schools with Negro
teachers. Possibly only a few
white children would be so as
signed. but all the sadder for
those few because of their
small number. Neither did she
mention the proba bility of
block busting" in white neigh
borhoods as a direct result OF
Negroes being permitted to at
tend the nearest schools.
After reading your editorial
Explaining the GRAY Pro-
gram" 1t is obvious you feel
that the white people of Vir-
ginia should submit without
resistance to forced integra-
ton. I seem to remember a
Star editorial Immediately
after the Supreme Court deci-
sion. in which The Star was
rather unhappy about the
courts decision and ques-
toned the justification for 1t.
Among other things. readers
were told that the same Con-
gress that initiated the Four
teenth Amendment also passed
legislation providing for segre-
cation in the schools of the
District of Columbia. There
are many Virginians who are
still unhappy about the courts
decision. They consider it an
invasion Of State sovereignty
and a violation Of the Tenth
Amendment to the Constitu-
ton. There are many citizens.
Virginians and others. who feel
that 1t is high time some con-
sideration be given to the will
Of the majority as well as that
of a minority.
Lest our confidence in The
Star be lessened. please have
Mary Lou Werner write an ar
ticle informing us whether or
not Indignation will force small
white minorities into Negro
schools.
Lloyd 4. Kelly.
Editors Note: Miss Wer-
ner's article pointed out that