Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-05
Keep State Schools,
"a Legislators Say
Favor Grants
On Thot Busis,
Poll Reveals

4WCAIb3-A Ou1 otdbC 1CS4o1dOUIb
were on record today as believ-
ing the issuance Of proposed
State tuition grants for private
education should be made con-
tingent on maintenance Of pub
lie schools.
They agreed to support legis-
Ilation whereby the grants would
be issued to children in a given
locality only when the locality
promised to maintain some form
Iof public schools.
The legislators backing Of
such a stipulation came as the
showdown date neared for the
January 8 referendum In which
Virginians will decide whether
ia convention shall be held To
consider an amendment to the
State constitution.
Polled by Paper
The amendment would pave
the way for the grants to be
allotted by the State for the
Education Of children in private
schools as a means Of avoiding
compulsory indignation Of Negro
and white pupils.
The "a lawmakers were among
$50 who participated in a poll
conducted by the Roanoke Times
on questions relating to main
Itenance of public schools. The
survey found SO members who
either supported the contingency
stipulation, agreed with the
principle involved or pledged full
Iflllment of the section of the
constitution requiring Statewide
maintenance of public schools.
Meanwhile, former Gov. COL
gate Darden said anew it would
be "a fearful mistake" if public
schools were abandoned any
where in Virginia-even in those
areas which propose to set up
private schools to keep the races
apart.
In the Times poll, Delegate
Robert Whitehead of Nelson
County. had this to say about
allotting the tuition grants:
"If such grants are made
available. their use in any county
or city should be made contin-
gent on its providing a reason
able local contribution to the
maintenance of an efficient pub
lie free school system therein"
Boothe Leads Opposition
State Sen. Armistead Boothe
of Alexandria, the opponents
leader. said he would gladly
support" legislation to require
maintenance of public schools
as a condition for receiving tut
ton grants.
This condition should have
been incorporated in the pro-
posed constitutional amend
ment." he said.
Delegate elect James M.
Thomson of Alexandria. replied
he would not favor contingent
Legislation. "At this time" he
said. sit is apparent to me that
in some areas of Virginia there
will be 100 per cent withdrawal
|of students from the public
schools Il indignation is at
tempted.
I'm such a case the State and
locality would be in the ridicu-
lous position of maintaining.
stating and operating a school
building for no students.
Time Element Debated
Gov. Stanley told his press
conference yesterday it would be
reasonable to assume the con-
vention to amend the constitu-
ton would be held within two
months if an affirmative vote is
cast. He said he had received
encouraging reports indicat-
ing the pro-amendment forces
would win.
Some pro-amendment forces
repeatedly hold the belief it
might be wise to ease UP on
segregation legislation and hold
the convention in the spring
after the legislature has adj
journed.
If the convention is held with
in the two-month period, the
date would come while the
General Assembly is in session.
If the convention approved the
amendment. the Assembly might
then proceed to enact corollary
laws to implement the tuition
grant plan.
But another line of thinking
holds that action on the tuition
grants should be withheld while
the Legislature enacts a student
assignment plan. This would
permit the retention of predomi-
nantly segregated schools by
assigning pupils to schools on
grounds other than race.
Ministers Air Views
Elsewhere on the referendum
front:
/. The Ministerial Association
of the Eastern Virginia Confer
ence of Congregational Churches
went on record in opposition to
the amendment.
2. The Pulaski County Minis
terial Association took a stand
against. saying there had been
no guarantee that public schools
will continue unimpaired."
8. DR.. A. P. Williams, Meth
odist minister in Martinsville.
announced support of the
amendment as q start toward "a
solution of all our school prob
lens"
4. DR.. Charles K. Martin, jr.,
president Of Radford College,
said he would vote for the
hit Twill continue IN