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

CUSSGS WUot WVuto uuPPSu tu'
voters turn down the constitutions
amendment.
Charles r. Fenwick Of Airing.
ton.
1.-THE commission did not con-
slider any alternate plan without
amendment Of Section l41." Mr.
Fenwick says. 1T is anybody's
guess what would happen II the
amendment is defeated"
II it wishes, the General AS
Isembly could carry out the legis-
lative portions of the program
except those dealing with privats
school tuition grants, if thu
amendment is defeated. Whether
lit would, is another matter.
Pupil Assignment an Alternative
Delegate Armistead L. Boothe
of Alexandria. who moves to the
State Senate next year. was one
of the five House members al
the recent special session to OPP
pose the amendment referendum
IF the amendment is defeat
ed" Mr.. Boothe says. 'the next
step would be to enact the pupil
plan which, in itself
would be SUFFICIENT to meet the
problem.
THAT would keep the brakes
on the situation. Indignation
will come eventually. but pupil
assignment would take care OF
the situation in those parts Of
the State where integration car
not take place at the present
time"
A number Of other lawmakers
including a few proponents Of
the private tuition grants, fee
the assignment plan alone may
he sufficient.
Under this proposal. the pres
ent law prohibiting the teach.
ing Of whites and Negroes ir
the same school would be re-
jpealed. Instead. provision woule
he made for assignment by such
,criteria as aptitude. health. wei.
fare, availability Of facilities arlt
transportation. %
Feels Plan Effective
Delegate Robert Whitehead.
possible differentiation Dem
Iocratic candidate for Governor
In 1857, voted at the recent spe.
|cial session to submit the amend.
'ment question to the voters.
81 feel" he told the House
"and I have repeatedly stated
that an effective assignment
program will substantially take
care of the situation in all area'
in which there are assignment
problems.
Those equally devoted to thu
public schools. disagree.
IF the bill tfor the referen-
dunn Is defeated. it is possible
that may jeopardize the pupil
assignment program advanced
by the commission. II the latter
is defeated. the result may be
that Virginia will have no pro-
gram, or one that will deny tc
school boards some area Of dis.
cretion as to pupil admissions"
Delegate Omer l.. Hirst Of
Fairfax, feels the Legislature moi
only would be free to proceed
with enactment Of the Legislative
portion Of the Gray plan not de-
pendant on private tuition
grants, but 1t would be inclined
to do so If the referendum fails
LAS far as I'm concerned" Mr.
Hirst says, II believe the Legis.
lature should proceed immedi.
ately to implement a sound pupi
assignment program. The Gray
report contains some valuable
suggestions"
Mr.. Hirst voted against tn,
referendum recently.
| II would assume" he says
"that If the people Of Virgins
denied calling of a constitutions
convention, the Legislature, rec.
ognizing the problems, would b
inclined to carry out other por'
tons of the Gray program"
Attendance Rule Cited
1 Another controversial legisla'
tive recommendation is modifi'
cation Of the compulsory at
tendance law SO that no chilli
would be required to attend al
Iintegrated school.
Section 1873 of the Constitu
ton reads: 1.-THE General AS
sembly may, In Its discretion
provide for the compulsory edu
cation of children Of school age.
i Mr.. Hirst says, There's moth
ing there to prevent the Lcgis
Ilature from repeating or modify
ing the law, regardless OF tn
outcome of the referendum"
i Delegate Kathryn Stone Of Ar
/ lington. another opponent Of tn
referendum question. is unabl
to say what the Legislature
would do If tuition grants ar
denied.
! II believe" she says, "w
would proceed to pass the pupi
assignment plan. ! would be will
ing to compromise with those O
opposite views and adopt al
aspects OF the pupil assignment
plan recommended in the Ora,
Commission"
Delegate John Webb Of Fair
fax. took the leading role at tn
recent Assembly in opposing tn
January 9 referendum.
In his view, the next Legisla
ture would proceed to enac
most OF the remaining portion
of the Gray plan except the pro
posals for tuition grants.
my guess is" he says, "the
(other legislators) will enact tn
! taarhpr and nsiy,il oceiuupnpt1