Evening star., 1955-07-19
Ruling Allows Virginia
To Put off Deseqreqotion

tustment to be made in time for
the said September. 1855 school
term Is not inconsistent with the
public interest or with the de-
cision Of the Supreme Court"
Warned by Attorneys
Whether the decree went far
enough to- satisfy Prince Edward
officials seemed uncertain. The
Prince Edward Board Of County
Supervisors already has refused
to appropriate enough money to
operate the county schools this
year. and white residents are
collecting funds for education of
their children.
Attorneys T. Justin Moore, ST..
and Archibald Robertson. rep-
|resenting Prince Edward, wanted
the decree to contain distinct
permission to operate segregated
schools for the full 1856 term.
They advised the court how the
public had reacted in the county
which hes In southside Virginia
in the heart ofsthe States colored
belt-and warned that it was
segregated schools or no schools
at all in that county during
1866.
SpottSwood w. Robinson III,
NAACP attorney, argued that
the State and Prince Edward
County had done nothing so far
to indicate that they had any
Intention Of complying with the
Supreme Court decision.
Judge Dobie, who also sat in
the South Carolina case. asked
MIR. Robinson if he realized no
time was mentioned in that
decree.
Explains Stand
II am aware of that" replied
Mr.. Robinson, "but I'm not ask
ing the court for integration in
the sense of compelling mixing
OF white and colored children
I am asking for desegregation in
the sense that they would remove
compulsory segregation. permit
ting pupils to attend schools
voluntarily without racial bars"
Another NAACP attorney, Oil
yer w. Hill, protested that the
Gray commission study was no
indication Virginia was doing
anything about complying with
the Supreme Court decision. He
said Gov. Stanley, who appoint
ed the commission, had stated
publicly that separate schools
were in the best interest Of the
people Of Virginia.
do you think by September
Is they could desegregate?"
asked Judge Dobie.
"If they wanted to they could
do it." replied Mr.. Hill.
1.-THE Board OF Supervisors are
the ones who levy taxes, and
they are not parties here. What
can the school board do if the
supervisors fail to appropriate
money!" asked Judge Hutcheson.
Mr.. Hill replied that NAACP
attorneys had considered that
problem, but did not want to
disclose what action they con-
templated.
Attorney General Almond told
the court that Prince Edward
was powerless to change its
method of operating schools un-
til the State acts.
He said he was not at liberty
to disclose what the Gray COM
mission expected to recommend.
but declared that it would be
necessary to change a number of
State statutes.
say, IN eHecC, that what the
NAACP has been doing is in de-
fiance of the South Carolina
decree-they defy the policy of
Virginia in its efforts in good
faith to hold together and oper-
ate public schools while en-
deavoring to bring about an
adjustment" stormed Mr.. Al
mond. "They are drunk with
power - hell bent to produce
chaos-they place their own con-
struction on the term deliberate
speed"
The decree did not completely
end the case. The court re-
tanned Jurisdiction "for further
consideration and action from
time to time, if the necessity
shall occur, in respect to any
issue pertinent to, or arising
from, a said Injunction"