Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-10
Board TAKING
Pupils Requests
For Transfers
Initial Move for
Deseeregotion Made
In Prince Georges

OF EoucaClon To-Day was ready II
tackle the problems of startins
racial desegregation in public
schools this fall.
The first step under a policy
resolution adopted yesterday, will
be to accept applications fol
pupil transfer to schools of theil
choice.
The applicationS-to be made
by parents-were to be received
starting today and continuing
through August 26. The schoo
board. however, reserved thu
right to disapprove such applica.
ltionS.
Those approved will be enrolled
on September l, in preparation
for the start of classes in Sep.
TENDER 6. The county's expected
enrolment for the coming veal
is some $4,000 pupils, of whom
$500 are colored. Most of these
attend schools in their own all.
colored communities. For thi.
reason, school officials said, il
is difficult to determine now how
many pupils will ask for trans.
fers.
Move Amended
Yesterdays resolution was the
same as the draft announced
last week, except for one minol
change. That dealt with the
problem of pupil transportation
Action on the resolution
which sets up the policy for thu
coming school year, was ap.
proved unanimously by the five
School Board members present
at the Upper Marlboro session
Two members, J. Frank Dent
the boards vice president, anc
Raymond Steele. were absent.
1t came despite an exchange
of arguments for and against
Indignation in the schools earlier
in the meeting by a group Of
county residents. One of those
involved, John H. Pearce. of Ed.
monston, handed a petition tt
the board, which he said bore
more than 1000 signatures o.
county residents who opposed
the end of racial segregation il
public schools.
Mr.. Pearce, whose statement!
were backed by two other mer
during the meeting, H. T
Pearce, his father. and H. S
willis. said his petition had ap.
Iproval of the Maryland Petition
Committee. with headquarters a
JesSups, Md. The committee
Mr.. Pearce said, is Statewide
group Of citizens who do no
want Indignation"
Private Schools Asked
The petition asked the State
of Maryland Ito make provi.
sion for the establishment Of
a system of private schools fol-
ANY group or groups which may
wish to protect the continued
existence of its own race; anc
make provision that any either
who subscribes to the support oil
such a school shall be entitled
to and, in fact. shall receive
Ia rebatement of. or a freedom
from all taxes collected or tc
be collected from him, hence
forth for all purposes of public
instruction"
Mr.. Pearce's remarks, espe-
Icially those aimed at the Ma
Itional Association of the Ad-
ivancement of Colored People
drew immediate response from
several colored women present
Mrs Cora L. Pinkey OF
Clinton, president of the Prince
Georges County Council of PTAS
Inc, said: I'VE are still people
coming from God. We could not
say God has set a pattern be-
cause of race or color. We are
people of America. We are sup
posed to set a pattern for other
peoples of the world"
Mrs. Hester B. King, of Relts-
vile. president of the county
chapter of the NAACP, said the
NAACP will do everything in
its power to bring about inte-
grafton"
Mrs. Irene Gross. representing
the Beltsville Heights Civic AS
Isociation, said: I'VE nope inte-
grafton will come about. Our
county will be better. Our State
and Nation will go forward"
The resolution. in part. said
mo child will be denied the
privilege of attending any school
he wants to attend unless It is
administratively not practical to
admit the child because of over
crowded conditions. or other
valid reasons"
On the secondary level, the res
olution stated, "it will not be pos
sible to give unlimited choice OF
schools because of already badly
overcrnwded conditions. How
ever, cases of admission will be
decided on their individual
merit"
School Supt. William S
Schmidt explained later there
may be exceptions to the merit
selections.
Plan Not Yet Drafted
The resolution declared: while
the board has no intentions OF
compelling a pupil to attend a
specific school or deny him the
privilege of transferring to an
other school, the board reserves
the right. during the period of
transition. to delay or deny the
admission of a pupil to any
school if it deems such action
wise and necessary. All reasons
for delay or denial of the request
will be made known to the ap-
plicant."
just how the indignation prob
lem will be supplemented remains
to be worked out Mr. Schmidt