Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-02

Certainly no thoughtful per-
son can fail to appreciate the
responsibility resting
upon the Governor. nor is there
anyone in Virginia who does not
wish to help him in the strenu-
Gus and earnest efforts which he
is making to cope with the diff
ficultieS which confront us.
He does not err in his assess
ment of the gravity of the sit
uation. And he is right about
the people of Virginia desiring
schools for the two
races.
I wish I were as certain the
proposals made would enable us
to continue a dual school sys-
TEN. fear the results of the
legislation. if the present bills
are enacted. will be quite differ
ent from that expected and that
we shall end by inflicting deer
injury upon the public Schoo
system.
Question of Legality
The proposals appear to give
insufficient consideration to tht
wishes and the needs of the
localities and to the very great
differences existing between the
localities within the Common
wealth. The denial of their owr
funds to localities is so drastic
as to invite considerable diff
Guilty. After all, the State has nc
money other than that collected
from its citizens and it hardly
seems fair to deny to those citi.
zens who have paid. their taxes
the grants necessary for the OPP.
Grafton of so vital a community
undertaking as public schools.
Then, too, there is consider.
able question as to whether such
withholding will be sustained BY
the courts Of Virginia where il
is sure to be tested. There are
competent lawyers who believe il
will not. Moreover, by the action
suggested we strike at the very
roots of local administration
The plan tends to discourage
rather than to encourage Local
self-government and that,
think. is not good.
The withholding of State
funds falls with varying de-
grees of harshness on the To-
calities themselves The cities
and some of the counties could
and probably would, absorb the
shock and continue their schools
even though they bitterly re-
sented the treatment accorded
them. They would integrate to
whatever extent they chose OF
were forced by Federal order
Many other counties, and in
terestingly enough among them
some of the counties with the
smallest Negro population and
consequently the smallest in
tegration problem, rely so heav-
lily on State support that Their
schools would be forced to close
If State funds are denied them
1t is here especially that the
plan seems so harsh.
Sees State in Retreat
The plan does nothing to help
localities that are hard pressed
by integration problems. D.. The
State says simply that if the
OF, the Federal court
is obeyed, all help from the State
is to stop. Just when help ano
support are needed most, the
State retreats to the sidelines.
There is a vast difference be.
tween the school Situation-saN
in the western counties, anc
that which exists in Southsidt
Virginia where l grew up. 1t i.
so different as to require diff,
ferent treatment in each area
No one who knows Southsidt
Virginia believes that there tn,
races can be thrown together Il
common schools. at least not il
the lifetime of those of us WHIT
are attempting to deal with thu
situation. But nothing is to b,
gained by adopting a plan tina
would paralyze public education
throughout most of the State il
an attempt to aid this sorel,
pressed area. AS a matter o.
fact, the cause of Southside Vir.
GINA is apt to be injured rather
than helped by such action be.
cause the closing of schools ovel
the objection of the local citi.
zens is going to be followed b,
bitter animosity and there viii
be less sympathy in the Stat,
as a whole for Southside Vir.
ginia than would be the cas-,
otherwise.
An attempt to resolve the di.
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