Evening star., 1957-08-29

BroeS IN the PUBIC SCHOOL SyS-
teln). desegregation is pro-
crossing gradually but salts
factorily," said DR.. David Zim-
norman, assistant State super
intendent of schools.
At the start Of the 1856
school year. 1894 Negro stu
dents were attending previously
all-white schools - 11,903 Of
them in Baltimore City and 991
In the counties.
Last September, 20,936 Ne
gro students were enrolled in
mixed schools-l9,209 in Bal.
timore and l.727 in the coun-
ties.
win Exceed $4,000
Starting next week, when the
i957-58 school year begins in
most areas, estimated enroll
ments show more than $4,000
Negro students viii be attend
ing classes with white students
-2.305 Of them in II counties
and the indefinite balance In
Baltimore City. The $4,000 rep
resents about 10 per cent of
Maryland's Negro school chill
dren, and Is about 1904 more
Negroes than had been inte-
grated at the close Of school
last June.
Although eight counties have
not admitted Negroes to classes
with whites, Calvert County,
where Negroes make up 51.8
per cent Of the total school en-
rollment. remains the lone
county without an announced
plan for beginning integration.
Every other county. Garrett
still excepted, now has q plan
for integration. including Caro-
line. which at this time last
year was q holdout.
The biggest strides toward
complete integration have been
taken in Montgomery, Balti-
more and Allegany Counties.
Montgomery Leads
Among the larger county
school populations. and tn
cluding Baltimore City, Mont
gomery leads the way. Its de-
segregation program which be-
gan two years ago involved
about one-third Of its 100
schools and was confined to
the lower, urban half of the
county, particularly in the
suburbs Of Washington.
This year. the program en-
braces 81 schools and 31.9 per
cent Of the county's 3.017 Negro
students and extends as far
north as Burtonsville. Sandy
Spring. Laytonsville and DAM
ascus. It means that 963 Negro
children will be integrated n
81 schools at all grade levels
this year-651 in elementary
schools and 312 in secondary
compared to $50 in 40 schools
last school year.
Notices were sent to parents
Of 432 Negro students notifying
them their children had been
recommended for transfer to
integrated schools nearer their
homes.
Notices were not returned
from 81 Of these Negro families.
Ninety.four others did not want
to leave all-Negro schools.
OF the 264 desiring transfer,
all but 28 were approved. An
additional 28 were transferred
at the request Of their parents
and % more Negroes enrolled
in kindergarten of schools
nearest their homes.
Baltimore County, with 3S5
Negroes integrated in about so
Of its 80 schools last year, will
extend its desegregation pro-
gram to all but seven schools. It
expects to have 633 Negroes in
mixed classes. or about 2e.7 per
cent Of the 4,062 Negroes in an
estimated total enrolment of
1880.
Allegany, with only 270 Ne
groes in q total estimated school
enrolment Of 1880 for Sep
tember. Is more than halfway
down the road to complete de-
segregation with ITO, or 50 per
cent, Of its Negroes enrolled In
mixed schools.
Prince Georges, with 155
Negroes attending II mixed
schools last year, expects about
230 in 20 schools this fall. The
county has about 1000 Negroes
out Of q total estimated enroll.
ment Of $1,000.
But with the exception Of
Cecil County at the northern
tip Of the Eastern Shore, and
Talbot - an island amid the
Shores still segregated seven
integration has not gained even
q toehold east Of Chesapeake
Bay.
Kent. Queen Annes, Caroline,
Dorchester, Wicomico, Worces-
ter and Somerset Counties all
have said they will consider
Negro applications for trans
fers to white schools. This is
the second year for such a
policy in all but Caroline.
But with one exception, all
say they have received no ap-
plications.
The lone exception is Wico-
mico County which for the
second year received one appli-
cation before the July 81 dead
line from an elementary grade
Negro. The same student was
denied transfer to a white
school last year. and school
authorities are expected TO re-
ject 1t again this year.
Caroline has announced no
plan. The school board there
has made mo statement as to
color line" according to County
Superintendent Wilbur s. Hoop
engardner.