Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-11
Replies to Lawrence

grafton Analysed" which cast
considerable shadow on an al
ready confused subject.
Mr.. Lawrence stated that
since desegregation was insti-
tuted tests conducted in
Washington schools" showed
the educational level has
dropped below the national
average. He mentioned the
fact that before desegregation.
white pupils generally attained
that average. What he failed
to mention was that Negro
children consistently failed to
reach the national norm. The
fact is that the situation has
not been affected materially by
desegregation, as yet.
All that has really happened
is that the veil Of silence that
used to envelop Negro chill
dren In their segregated schools
has been torn. In 1949 the
Strayer Survey showed that
Negro children did not meet
achievement levels OF white
children. It also pointed out
that the latter had more good
school plants. fewer over
crowded classes. much less
part-time instruction. more
supplies and equipment and
more supplementary teaching
services - which could well
have accounted for the differ
ence. Very little attention was
paid to these findings, The
school administration, in the
face of similar results in sub
seouent tests. did not even
bother to institute uniform
tests until the l954-55 school
year. Now that there is a sin
gle school system, we know for
the first time what the situa-
ton is and what must be done
about it. Furthermore, we
know that white children can
no longer have adequate ia
cilities and services at the ex-
pense Of Negro children, and
that whatever is done must be
done for all.
Mr.. Lawrence also consid-
cred the possibility that de-
segregation deprived white
children of educational OPP
portunities by requiring them
to attend the same schools as
Negro children who suffered
an educational lag. I think he
would have a difficult time
supporting any such conten-
ton. 1t may very well be that
some children will get less as
sistance than they need be-
cause Of the presence in q
class-not a school--of a child
with an educational lag. But
the solution to that problem
does not lie in q return to seq
regated schools. It lies in the
provision Of supplemental serv-
ices and facilities in an inte-
grated school to accelerate the
progress Of the tagging child.
1t is possible that the Supreme
Court could determine the
good faith Of school board
by observing whether the rem
edy used is establishment
Of segregated schools. estab-
lishment OF segregated classes
or segregation Of individuals
by achievement levels without
regard to race. 1t will not re-
quire any separate organiza-
ton or system Of measurement
to apply this rule of thumb"
Your columnist expressed the
fear that if segregated classes
developed because of efforts to
counterfeit educational lags.
there might be a recurrence Of
the feeling of inferiority which
the Supreme Court sought to
dissipate. AS long as these
classes were remedial in nature
and aimed at preparing the
children for legitimate inclu-
sion in regular classes. regard
less of race. there would be
little complaint. Dissatisfaction
would arise only If parents
could observe that their chill
dren were being assigned to
separate classes because of
their color and were receiving
inferior services and facilities
and being kept at a disadvan-
tage. .
But the most outlandish sug-
gestion offered by Mr.. Law
renee was that "the parents OF
white children may be petition
ing the Federal courts with
the argument that the 'psy-
Geological effects upon their
children are adverse" If by
psychological effects" Mr..
Lawrence meant merely educa-
tional development. he had
better recall that the Con-
stitution gives no child-white
or Negro-a right to a good
education. All that 1t grants