Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-27

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for elementary grades.
He said as far as he was co
is o prime factor in determining
which school a child should
attend. Unless the school
board advances some other rea-
son for refusing to enroll Negro
students in the white Venable
School which is near their
homes, he said they would be
entitled to 60 there.
Achievement tests and new
district boundaries are key fea-
lures OF the local assignment
plan adopted by the Charlottes-
vile School Board to screen
Negro applicants seeking to en-
ter white schools when the fall
term begins Tuesday. Char
lottesville is under Federal
court order to desegregate this
fall.
Judge Paul said he thought
the attitude of the Norfolk case
was erroneous" regarding use
Of achievement standards.
Tests Applicants
In Norfolk, Federal Judge
Walter Hoffman on Monday
advised school board members
they could deny Negro transfer
applications because of made
quate achievement. Norfolk.
like Charlottesville, has adopted
q local assignment plan which
calls for the testing of Negro
applicants.
Judge Paul observed that
some Negro students tested in
Norfolk were two and three
years behind their proper
grade levels.
1T seems to me, then, the
thing to do is assign them to
the grade where they show the
aptitude" said Judge Paul.
Don't discriminate against
them because of race"
Attorney John S. Battle, jr.,
counsel for the school board,
said it would be better to let
q child remain with others his
own age than put him back
a number of years in another
school.
isn't that, in effect, consign-
ing the child to an inferior edu-
cation?" asked Judge Paul. Il
am frank to say I think the
attitude in the Norfolk case is
erroneous. I think the proper
course is to put him in the
grade where he belongs"
Boundaries Rejected
Judge Paul's comments on
student achievement came I'M
expectedly during a hearing on
q petition by the school board
for court approval of new ele-
mentary school district bound
aries, which he denied. The
Charlottesville plan does not
include any high school dis
tricts.
There was no ruling on the
achievement question, since it
was not directly involved in the
hearing. But it is certain to
arise later after the school
board acts on the pending 80
Negro applications. The appli-
cations are for three white ele-
mentary schools and the city's
only white high school.
Mr.. Battle said a school board
meeting would be held later
this week and results of tests
and interviews given the appli-
cantS will be presented to Judge
Paul on Friday. Judge Paul
previously indicated he pre-
sumably would have to take
over the job of making assign
mentS if the school board failed
to fulfill its obligation.
Judge Paul questioned Supt.
Fendall r. Ellis closely about
operation of the Charlottesville
plan. He asked If a Negro child
living in a white school district
would be enrolled in the white
school if he measured up to the
proper achievement level.
Assured on Admission
"If a child we're at grade level
for his age, there would be no
question of his admission" said
Mr.. Ellis. Enrolment Of a Negro
student in a white school auto
matlcally closes that school
under Virginia law. Until the
court hearing, Charlottesville
officials had not fatty stated a
Negro might be enrolled in a
white school.
Judge Paul'S refusal to sp-
prove the new school districts