Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-14

The question to be settled
parents object to indignation n
in private pon-sectarian schools
This involves amendment of
tuition, the No. l recommends
ton of the Gray Commission.
What is the background of the
Gray Commission?
When the Supreme Court
handed down its deSegregation
decision on May II, 1854, Vir-
ginia had no plans to meet the
new problems created by the
courts ruling.
In the State Constitution were
two pertinent sections:
Section 140: White and coll
Iored children shall not be taught
in the same school"
Section 1923: THE General As
Isembly shall establish and MAIN
tain an efficient system of public
free schools throughout the
State
Waited 3 Months
Three and half months were
to pass between the date the
Supreme Court delivered its edict
and the time that Virginia
started charting her course.
That course eventually was to be
mapped by the Governors Com
mission on Public Education,
headed by State Senator Gar
land Gray of Waverly.
But prior to the Gray Com
missions appointment, events
occurred that had a direct bear
ing on the policy the State now
finds itself pursuing.
Both Gov. Stanley and Attor-
ney General J. Lindsay Almond.
jr., had assumed an attitude
that they should not anticipate
an adverse" opinion by the Su-
preme Court prior to May II in
the case involving Prince Ed
ward County, Va. prince Ed
ward was one of the five cases
involved in the Supreme Courts
decision.)
. But when the decision came.
Gov. Stanley Immediately issued
a plea to Virginians to maintain
cool heads. calm study and
sound judgment"
He also said the Old Dominion
would work out a plan accept
able to our citizens and in keep
ing with the edict of the court"
Claim No Defiance
Dowell j. Howard. State super
intendent Of public instruction,
said that as far as he was con-
cerned. there would be no de-
fiance of the court. &
We are trying to teach school
children this law of the land and
we will abide by it" Mr.. Howard
said.
Senator Byrd commented that
the decision was a most serious
blow to States rights but eau
toned against hasty action.
Attorney General Almond said
he felt "a satisfactory solution
may be reached which would
not necessarily mean the aban-
.donment of separate but equal
schools"
/ A week after the decision.
iOliyer w. Hill, counsel for the
National Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People
and three other leaders of that
group conferred with the Gov
ernor. Mr.. Hill told reporters
later he had asked Gov. Stanley
to take the lead among South
ern States in moving toward in
tegration.
Segregation Continues
Gov. Stanley said. I'VE shall
have time to give full and care
full consideration to means OF
arriving at an acceptable Solu-
ton" The schools. he said,
would open. segregated as usual,
in the fall.
On Virginia's northern bor-
ders, Maryland. West Virginia
and Kentucky moved to iIlte-
crate. Sister States in the deep
South moved in the opposite di-
rection. Georgia and Mississippi
adopted amendments to their
constitutions authorizing out
right abolition of public schools.
Gov. Stanley invited Southern
Governors to meet at Richmond
June 10. Nine Governors and
ira,Hraeooto tiUoe NJ civ others met