Evening star., 1955-06-13
.NAACP 10 Ask
Fast |ntegration
For Virginia
Policy on Schools
Will Indulge Areas
Facing Difficulties

PETERSBURG, Va, June Is
(R.-The National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People has authorized its local
branches in Virginia to petition
local school boards to send segre-
CATION with all deliberate speed"
and confidently" expects some
results on desegregation" by Sep
tember.
| At the same time, the NAACP
proposes to indulge" commu-
mites which face administrative
difficulties in desegregation "for
a reasonable time-but only for
a reasonable time"
This declaration of policy was
handed out here yesterday after
a closed session of NAACAP off,
cials. The chief spokesman for
the officials was Spottswood w.
Robinson, Ill. of Richmond, who
represented Prince Edward Coun-
Ity Negroes in their successful
suit against segregation.
The NAACP made it plain, too.
that not all school boards in the
State would receive desegrega-
ton petitions by this fall. At
torneys said they would wait un-
til they are asked by parents OF
school-age children to file the
desegregation petitions - which
they explained would take some.
time.
1000 Attend /
More than 1000 persons were
present for the mass meeting
| that followed the closed session
of the NAACP officials. Oliver
w. Hill of Richmond, who aided
Mr.. Robinson in the Prince Ed
ward case, told the meeting
court action would be necessary
| if localities can't be persuaded
to integrate schools.
The NAACP adopted no writ
ten resolutions yesterday but in
stead Endorsed a declaration
made by Southern regional rep
resentatives in Atlanta. This
called for petitions for desegre-
cation and court action when
necessary in the opinion Of the
local branch involved. (
/ Mr.. Robinson explained the
May 81 Supreme Court deci-
sion-which ordered school off,
cials to make a prompt and rea.
sonable start toward desegrega-
tion and turned over jurisdic.
ton to local Federal courts-of-
fered administrative difficult
ties" as the only valid reason
for delay.
Attorneys and their clients will
be the judges in determining
whether school boards are act
ing "in good faith" said another
member of the legal staff, S. w.
Tucker of Emporia. He said
some cases may be taken to State
as well as Federal courts and ex-
plained:
There is no reason to assume
that State courts will disregard
the law as laid down by the Su-
preme Court"
+ Silent on Report
Attorneys and other officials
avoided discussion of the recon-
mendatlon of the State Commits
sion of Public Education that the
State continue segregated schools
next year. Mr.. Robinson SAID
only that nothing about the re-
port changes our plans"
| Mr.. Hill, former member of
the Richmond City Council and
candidate this year for the House
OF Delegates, strongly indicated
the education commissions pol
icy didn't meet his idea of a
prompt and reasonable start"
toward desegregation. He de-
clared:
There is no truly complicated
school system in Virginia. AS
matter of fact, there is not
school division in this COM
monwealth which could not, II
lit had the will to do so, deseg-
regate its schools by the opening
OF the next school term"
School integraticn was sched-
'uled to be discussed today at a
closed meeting of the board of
supervisors and the school board
of Chesterfield County. Irwin G.
Horner, chairman of the board
of supervisors, said the session
would not be open to the public.