Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-20
Suit
To Open Thursday
Arlington Case
Scheduled in
Federal Court

The Arlington school segre-
cation case has been set for next
Thursday in Alexandria Federal
Court.
Judge Albert Bryan said he
will hear arguments at that
time on all motions pending in
the suit.
The National Association for
the Advancement of Colored
People filed the suit May II in
behalf of IA original plaintiffs,
including three white residents
of the county. Two of them
have since asked to have their
names withdrawn from the ac-
ton, citing a telephone CAM
paign OF harassment against
them.
Dismissal Sought
The School Board has asked
the court to dismiss the suit on
grounds it was premature, and
that the State had not given its
consent to be sued. The NAACP
is asking an end to segregation
in the county's schools.
The arguments Thursday will
be the first desegregation court
action in Virginia since Federal
Judge John Paul ruled in Char.
lottesville against legal argu-
ments similar to those advanced
by attorneys for Arlington
County.
Meanwhile, in the Prince Ed
ward County segregation case. a
conference was to be held today
by Judge Sterling Hutcheson and
attorneys. They were to confer
on a date for hearing of a motion
by NAACP attorneys that Prince
Edward school authorities be re-
quired to make a prompt and
reasonable" start toward deseg.
regation by September, the Asso.
ciated Press reported.
To Attend Conference
Scheduled to attend the con.
ference with Judge Hutcheson
were Prince Edwards's counsel.
t. Justin Moore; Virginia's at
torney general. j. Lindsay Al.
mond, jr., and Oliver w. Hill.
lawyer for the NAACP.
Prince Edward County's school
board and superintendent were
defendants in one of five cases
that resulted in the United
States Supreme Court decision
outlaWing school segregation.
The case came up again In
District Court here July 8. when
NAACP attorneys said the plain.
THIS wanted a start toward de.
segregation this fall and COM
pletion of the process by Sep
TENDER, 1857.
However. a hearing of the case
on its merits was delayed by the
injection of a procedural oues.
tion-whether the special three
Judge tribunal, or only the resi-
dent judge, was needed to hes~
the case. In an opinion handed
down this week. the three-judee
court ruled the case should be
handled by Judge Hutcheson
and the two additional Judges
should retire from the proceed.
ings.
Meanwhile. State Senator
Garland Gray of Waverly has
called a meeting of the execu-
tive committee of the Governor
Commission on Public Education
Tor 10 am. Monday at the State
Capitol. The commission. headed
by Mr.. Gray, has been reviewing
Its program presented to Cow
ernor Stanley last November for
avoiding compulsory mixing Of
the races in the States public
schools.
A date for the committee ses-
sion was announced amid re.
ports OF efforts to persuade
members of the commission -
iorSake the pupil assignment
phase OF the program in favor
OF a stern policy line of no in.
Iteration anywhere in Virginia.
Informed sources say that IL
this fails it is quite possible Mr..
Gray and several other commis-
sioners will resign and indie
pendently seek about State re-
sistance to indignation in the
schools.