Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-31
.Groy Plan Debate


proposals. Little attention has
been given to what the 100000
Negro citizens Of Virginia
think.
This entire controversy
might never have arisen had
not such shoddy treatment
been meted out by the poIiti-
clans since the beginning Of
this century. The constitu-
tional convention Of 1901
1902 was called to deprive
Negroes Of the franchise. When
asked if the requirement of a
poll tax was not an attempt
at fraud, deceit and discrim-
nation, the late Senator Car
ter Glass replied. 'Discrimina-
ton! that, is precisely
what we propose; that. exactly.
is what this convention was
elected for-to discriminate to
the very extremity of per-
MISSILE action under the limi-
tations of the Federal Con-
stitution, with a view to the
elimination of every Negro
voter who can be gotten rid of,
legally, without materially i'm
pairing the numerical strength
of the white electorate" Fur
ther in regard to schools he
said. g.. the white people of
the black sections of Virginia
should be permitted to tax
themselves. and after a GER
tain point has been passed,
which safeguards the poorer
classes Of those communities,
divert that fund to the exclu-
sive use Of white children.
Dabney S. Lancaster. the
aged ex-State school board
president, now leader of the
proponents for the Gray Com
mission recommendations, was
State superintendent during
the period OF shameful treat
ment of Negroes in education.
In the volume written by the
late Fred M. Alexander twhite)
entitled. Education for the
Needs of Negroes in Virginia"
he reported:
"Of the SO counties which
have Negro schools, approx
mately "a per cent operated
their Negro schools on an ex-
penditure Of less than $25 per
pupil in average daily attend
ance. This means that in 81
per cent Of Virginia counties,
the daily cost involved in in
structing one Negro pupil was
less than IA cents.
THE law of Virginia makes
no mention Of any racial group
in providing for the ALLEGATION
of these funds. The
amount of State money re-
ceived by local divisions, how
ever. is determined by the
number of teaching units
based on the average daily at
tendance Of Negro as well as
white pupils.
"Of the SO counties with Ne
gro school systems, 81 ex-
pended less on Negro instruc-
ton than they received from
the State by virtue of the
Negro children in attendance"
Thus "a counties in Virginia
not only expended no local
money for Negro instruction
but also profited from State
funds received on account of
the number Of Negro pupils
in average daily attendance.
Some Of these counties now
threatening to close down pub
lie schools If threatened with
Indignation not only expended
no local money for Negro in
struction, but diverted money
received from the State for
Negro instruction to white
schools.
What do Negroes think of
the Gray proposals? For years
State officials have willfully
and knowingly violated the
State constitution to prevent
Negro college students from
seeking admission to State
schools providing the educa-
ton they sought. These stu
dents are now eligible and
should apply to State
supported universities. The
State would save hundreds Of
thous lands Of taxpayers
dollars,
Senator Fenwick and Others
are deploring the loss Of edu-
cation to those children Of
the State whose parents would
withdraw them from an inte-
grated school. He and they
bring in the old cliche about
poor people paying less taxes.
Not directly. perhaps, but Me-
groes pay taxes on gasoline.
property. consumer goods and
help employers pay their taxes.
Richer white people and tax
/ payers without families pay
more taxes than do poor white
people. Senator Fenwick and
others bleed for the children
l. L, i