Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-19


cities to substitute mrivatl
schools.
Silence on the part Of thos,
who want schools to stay opeI
does not mean they are uncon'
cerped. They are concerned
We have people here from al
parts of the country, many whit
are accustomed to integrateC
schools. But to get in thii
battle publicly takes a lot o.
time-it is very controversial
and right now it does not lool
like anything can be done
When schools start closing
you'll get some reaction al
right. That is something Nor.
folk has not faced UP to.
No Cheering Needed
IF anything can account fol
silence from our side, it is be.
cause the school board appears
to be doing all it can to keer
schools open. They don't seen
to need a cheering section"
A spokesman for the loca.
chapter of the National Asso-
citation for the Advancement
of Colored People also ex-
pressed doubt that Norfolk
residents - white OF Negro -
would be satisfied to see schools
closed. He predicted that
closed schools could be re.
opened by court order, and be-
Ilieved indignation would fol-
low without difficulty.
Robert D. Robertson, who
heads a meat cutters union, is
president of the local NAACP
Attorney for a number of Negro
children involved in the inte-
grafton attempt is Victor j
Ashe. a graduate of Villanova
University in Pennsylvania.
The Negro applications effect
all seven of the city's white
secondary schools, and three
elementary schools.
Across Hampton Roads in
Newport News, the school issue
has been dormant for several
months because of uncertainty
about the status of a desegre-
cation decree Judge Hoffman
issued against that city stimuli
taneously with Norfolk.
Newport News, with $4,000
residents in four square miles,
merged on July l with Warwick,
with $4,000 residents in 70
square miles. That was after
Judge Hoffman had ordered the
original city of Newport News
to desegregate, come this fall.
At a recent hearing. Judge Hoff :
man indicated the merger might
have some effect on his order
Race Was Issue
The race issue figured in the
move to merge. The Negro pop
ulation had been increasing
steadily for years in the old city
of Newport News. White resi-
dents figured Negroes soon
would have enough voting
strength to elect local officials,
or even send a representative
to the General Assembly. Other
reasons were advanced for the
merger, which voters approved.
but the race question was a
prime factor.
School enrolment in the
original portion Of Newport
News was around 5000, which
was about go per cent Negro.
When schools open this fall
for the enlarged city, an en-
rollment of $4,000 is expected,
of which IS per cent will be
Negroes.
Because of the clouded legal
situation brought about by the
merger. little attention has
been paid the Newport News
case until recent weeks. Now
the city has received eight APP
plications from Negro students
to attend the white Walter
Reed Elementary School in the
old part of the city. where
Judge Hoffman has implied his
desegregation edict still applies.
But the city officials seem to
believe there is hardly enough
time left before school opens
September 4 to settle the legal
technicalities brought about by
the merger, and do not expect
to be pushed to the wall like
Norfolk-at least, for several
months.
Tomorrow: Woren County.