Evening star., 1955-11-28

Since then the process Of de-
segregation has been quietly In.
corporated into the day-hy-day
operation Of the school system.
What's happened? Is thu
transition taking place smooth.
"? What does the experience
portend for the thousands Of
Negro pupils IN both countie.
who still attend segregated
schools?
The Star interviewed school:
oficials, principals, parents
teachers and pupils and sent OBJ.
servers to the classrooms. play.
grounds and gymnasiums Of in
tegrated schools in Montgomery
and Prince Georges Counties.
What Was Found
The survey found these con.
ditions:
At the classroom level, inte.
grafton Is working wen. From
the start, white pupils accepted
the newcomers in friendly fash
ion. Negro leaders say they havt
no complaints Of ill-feelinf
toward their children by fellow
pupils and point to such rela.
tions as evidence Of support fol
further de-segregation ol
schools.
Principals and teachers give q
$50 far, so good report on pro-
gress Of the transition to date
but some particularly in Mont
gomery County--express concern
that special teaching programs
may be required before large.
scale integration Is put into ef.
feet.
Parents are taking an attitude
Of watchful waiting toward tht
changeover. In only q few
instances have they taken Z
strong stand on any integratior
matter, and then only in the fielc
Of social activities.
Side by side
Within the schools, the survey
showed that the fewest diff.
culties arise on the elementar,
level. In both counties, ths
young pupils work and play, sids
by side, with no tension apparent
to the visitor.
Where more than one Negro
pupil is enrolled in a class, M
Efforts are made to cluster or Sc.
gregate them.
Hardly q ripple" is the way
one principal described the intro.
duction Of the Negro pupils.
Teachers say the changeoyel
to integrated classes has caused
no changes in their routine. OBJ.
servation in classrooms tended
to verify this. Negro children
seemed to accept instruction ol
raise questions in about the same
manner as the white children
displaying no signs they were Il
at ease. Their acceptance bJ
white classmates was illustrates
In several Montgomery COUNTY
schools, where Negroes won elec.
ton to class ofhces in sixth-grade
elections.
In Montgomery County a mum.
Der Of teachers and principals
said the educational or achieve
ment levels Of Negro pupils
Jagged slightly behind the cias.
average, especially in the lower
grades where the Negro children
have not had the advantage Of
kindergarten training.
Attributed to Education
They said they could cope Will
such q condition when it Is foune
In small numbers and cited sew.
eral cases Of pupils Catching VI
fast" with q little extra atten,
ton.
Another facet Of the integra.
ton situation that Is being close.
~ watched Is the future Of Negro
teachers. Prince Georges Count,
shifted no Negro teachers to IN,
tegrated schools this fall; Mont.
gomery has six Negro teachers ii
four schools.
School officials expressed sat
isfaction with the teachers work
though concedfng that the place.
ment Of Negro teachers in inte.
grated schools aroused louder
protests from parents than tht
transfer Of the Negro pupils.
Reaction died down after ths
opening Of school. and in one
case where four parents protest.