Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-30
Placement Act
Governs Pupils.
In Arlington
Schools to Rely
On Virginia Board
For Class Rulings
By TOM BURKE

ATllLls VOH CldSSrOOm assign
ments will continue to be made
by the Virginia Pupil Placement
oBard, the Arlington School
Board announced last night.
The school board, under Fed
eral court order to desegregate
county schools this fall, said its
decision was based on advise
of its attorney, James H. SIM
monds, and State Attorney Gen.
eral j. Lindsay Almond, jr.
The board issued this state
ment after a closed door con-
ference with Mr.. Simmonds
last night:
Mr.. Simmonds, after con-
Sultation with the attorney
general, ]. Lindsay Almond,
has advised the Arlington
School Board that all applica-
tons for assignment to schools
should continue to be trans
mitted to the Virginia Pupil
Placement Board. This is the
procedure now being followed
for all pupils, white and Negro,
who expect to attend a differ
emit school this fall from that
which they were attending last
spring"
At the same time, Mr.. Sim
mondS issued this statement:
Judge Bryan denied the
plaintiffs motion to bypass the
State Pupil Placement Act in
making applications for admis-
sion to schools. Under this act
the authority and responsibility
for passing upon such applica-
tionS rests in the State Pupil
Placement Board, not the local
school board or superintendent.
Administrative and judicial APP
peals are provided in the place.
ment act for those aggrieved by
assignments made by the
placement board. Unless and
until such assignments are
changed, administratively or
through court action. the local
officials have no choice but to
follow them. In transmitting
applicants for admission to the
pupil placement board, the
Arlington School Board and the
superintendent will be in &C.
cord with the terms of Judge
Bryans decision and decree,
and also with the applicable
State statutes"
Must Rely on Act
Alexandria Federal Court
Judge Albert v. Bryan on Sat-
urday refused to stay his order
Of July 81. 1856. ordering school
deSegregation this fall in Ar
lington. At the same time, he
rejected a request by attorneys
for the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored
People that the desegregation
order be amended to specify
that Arlington students need
not use the States pupil place.
ment law.
The boards decision puts it
in the position of relying upon
the pupil placement act as an
adequate administrative rem
edy for Negroes who may seek
admission to white schools
since Judge Bryan's memoran-
dunn opinion on Saturday de-
clared in part:
with propriety, however, we
can observe that quite obyi-
ously the July 81, 1856. decree
recognizes only an adequate
administrative remedy - one
that is efflcacious and expedi-
tious. even apart from any
questions Of its constitution
atty. Pursuit of an unreason-
able or unavailing form OF re:
dress is not exacted by the de-
cree"
Neither Mr.. Simmonds nor
school board members would
speculate on the events that
will follow in the wake of the
course charted last night. Board
members said they were unanle
to predict what actions the
three-member State placement
board would take in assigning
pupils in Arlington schools.
An attorney for the NAACP,
Edwin c. Brown. declared that
at least is or 20 Negro children
will seek admittance TO white
schools in Arlington this tail