Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-04
Move Would
Shield Boards
From Suits
BY ALEX r.. PRESTON
star StaG Correspondent

RICHMOND, Sept. A bin
placing responsibility for segre-
eating white and Negro public
school children squarely on the
shoulders of the Governor was
ready for introduction in the
General Assembly today. -
If anybody went to jail. pre-
sumably it would be the Chief
Executive.
The measure is designed to
shield local School Boards from
Federal Court suits.
AS the Legislature resumed its
special school segregation" ses-
sion this afternoon. after a recess
since Wednesday. it prepared to
hold public hearings on the II
bills introduced last week dealing
with the subject. A number Of
other approaches to the problem
were expected to be Offered
today.
Sponsors Of Newest Bill
Sponsors of the newest legisla.
ton are Delegates James M.
Thomson of Alexandria, BOY
Smith of Petersburg and Stuart
Wheatley of Danville. The bill
is understood to have received
Gov. Stanley's consent at con-
ference in his Office last week.
Among those at the meeting
were Mr.. Thomson, Mr.. Smith.
Representative Smith of the 9Th
District, E. Blackburn Moore.
Speaker of the House Of Dele
gates and State Senator Gar
land Gray, chairman OF the
Governors Commission on Pub
lie Education. !
Under language Of the bill,
the Governor would be charged
with the responsibility Of plac-
ing every child in the school
which he formerly attended, The
pupil would remain in that
school until he finishes the
highest grade offered there.
II don't think they'll threw
Tom in jail unless they have
to-" was the only way one law
maker looked at the bill.
If a child's parents desired .
transfer to another school, the
Governor, through his designated
agents, could hold a hearing and
decide whether the switch should
be allowed.
Others Could Intervene
Parents of other children in
an affected school would be given
the opportunity to intervene and
appeal to State courts. If neces-
sary.
For instance, parents of white
children could intervene If q
Negro child sought admission to
Ia school.
Delegate Smith said. "This is q
stop-gap measure. Nothing we
do in the Assembly this time will
be a permanent solution. But
this measure will be a partial
solution that will
dovetail with the Governors
program to withhold funds"
Gov. Stanley has asked for
legislation to deny State money
to any locality's primary or sec.
|ondary school system where in-
tegration occurs.
Martin Joins Foes Of Plan
This proposal was vigorously
opposed in statements issued over
the week end by former Gov.
Colgate w. Darden. president Of
the University OF Virginia: DR..
Dabney S. Lancaster, chairman
of the State Council of Higher
Education, and DR.. Charles K.
Martin. president Of Radford
College.
Dr. Martin voiced sympathy
for the legislators who must
make the decisions for handling
the school situation, but added.
THE public schools must be pre-.
served at all cost"
DR.. Martin, like Mr.. Darden
and DR.. Lancaster, supported the
original Gray Commission rec 1,
concentrations for dealing with
the school issue. And he agreed
with them that the Gray pro-
gram still offers "the best solu.
ton proposed so far for this
0OhipieA proOiei
Stanley Ranks Hold Firm
. What effect this barrage Of Cd.
pOSlLlon 10 tne Governors pro-
gram would have on the General
Assembly, or on the administra-
ton, could not be Immediately
determined. Gov. Stanley could
not be reached for comment. But
the ranks Of supporters Of his
plan appeared to be holding firm.
Gov. stanley's hackers were in
clined to discount the influence
Of the educators in the fight. II
think people individually will
make UP their minds and won't
be governed too much by any
one else's opinions" said Repre-
sentative Smith Of the 9th dis
trict.
Better Schools Group
W.u kAnAa e. E.H