The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1956-01-13
Area Counties Back Convention
To Amend Constitution s to /,
Aroused Voters Top Records
Fourth District
Produces Biggest
For" Bulge

Voters in the Herald area coun-
ties of Amelia. Buckingham.
Charlotte. Cumberland. Powha-
an and Prince Edward favor
to a. plan to arm the Legisla-
.ure with the legal means Of
preventing forced indignation in
the public schools.
That was the ratio of for" votes
over against" votes in Mondays
referendum in which they were
asked to express their wish on
calling a constitutional conven-
ton to amend Section l4l.
In the six counties. ll.444 per-
sons voted in favor of the conven-
ton. only 1861 against. In the
Fourth Congressional District.
which embraces Souehside Vir-
GINA and has 20 counties with
the states heaviest Negro popu-
lation. the "for" vote was slight
ly less emphatic. but nevertheless
preponderant. at 5 to /.
4th District Vote
In the Fourth District. which
stretches from Buckingh a IN
and Cumberland south and east
to Nansemond. Southampton.
Brunswick and the North Caro-
lima line. the voters favored the
calling of an amending conven-
ton 1899 to 9.0l6.
Even the statewide result. at
2 to !, favoring the convention,
was considered an emphatic ex-
preston of the will of the people
Of Virginia against enforced Seq
regation in the public schools. The
Virginia total showed 300,242 for
and l43.636 against.
For Virginia. it was the second
largest turnout of voters on rec
ord, exceeded only by the $4,000
who participated in the 1852
presidential election when Essen
hover scored a Virginia land
slide.
Only Tenth Against
Virginia has 10 Congressional
districts and everyone but the
Tenth. gave a majority for the
convention. Even in the Tenth.
thought of before the election as
an anti stronghold. there were
10,l83 voting for" although
here they we're outvoted by &c.
1854 against amending Section 141
Against" majorities were reg
istered in only six of the States
81 cities and seven of the SO
counties.
Governor Stanley hailed the
result as an act of tremendous
assistance TO the Legislature in
dealing with the school problem.
The results will be most helpful
to all who are concerned with
safeguarding our public schools
land at the same time protecting
our children against forced mix
ing of the races in the class
rooms" Governor Stanley said.
U. S. Senator Harry Byrd saw
the Unexpectedly large majority
simply as the opposition Of the
people to indignation"
Voting Orderly
In local counties. the voting
was orderly without incidents
whatever to disturb the quiet
working Of the public will. In
Prince Edward, Charlotte and at
numerous precincts elsewhere. the
voters turned out in record num-
bers.
Everywhere. voters entered In.
20 tie balloting. which concluded
one of the most spirited public
debates in memory. anxiously,
even eagerly. to join in the ex-
preston Of the common will. At
Farmville. where the record vote
of 1885 set in last July's pri-
mary election fell. many of the
3.l85 voters setting the new rec
ord. waited cheerfully in line,
some as long as an hour before
reaching the voting booths.
Almost as by special dispense
ton. the first drops OF ram fell at
5:57 p. m. just three minutes be-
fore the polls closed. From =. m.
when the polls opened until then
the day was cold and somewhat
overcast, but not disagreeable.
Good weather was an important
part Of the plans and hopes OF
pro" amendment forces every
where.
Continued on Page s.