The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1959-07-14
Action Of Board
Should Have Come
As No Surprise
Rotary Club Hears
First Hand Report
School Foundation

The action of the Prince Edward
County Board of Supervisors should
have come as no surprise Vernon
c. Womack told the Rotary Club
Thursday night at their regular din
ner meeting Womack said the
board Of supervisors declared its in
tention not to levy taxes for inte-
grated schools as far back as 1856.
The board had stated repeat
eddy that it felt that to comply with
such an order for desegregation
would mean the end Of public edu
cation in Prince Edward as We
have known it in the past. and that
it did not believe the majority of
either race wanted to see such
change made Womack told the
Rotary club. las you will recall. a
declaration by citizens of his
county endorsing this stand was
submitted to the board on May 3.
1856. along with an Affirmation
signed by some 4.4O0 white adult
citizens of the county
Resolution in 1856
Reading from a resolution unani
mOuSly adopted by the board on
May 3. 1856. Womack quoted as
follows:
I'VE THE board of supervisors
do hereby express to the people of
Prince Edward County our graft
tude that they have made known to
this Board so clearly their views
upon the grave problems with which
we are confronted with respect to
our schools. The support of our
people makes the burden of our re-
sponsibilities lighter and the course
Of our future action clearer ''
BE 1T RESOLVED that the
board hereby declares it to be
the policy and intention of said
board in accordance with the will
of the people of said County that no
tax levy shall be made upon the
said people nor public revenue de-
rived from local taxes shall be APP
propriated for the operation and
maintenance Of public schools in
said County wherein white and col
ored children are taught together
under any plan or arrangement
whatsoever
The resolution further states: \
BE 1T RESOLVED by the board
of supervisors of Prince Edward
County that the Governor be and
he is hereby respectfully requested
not to call a special session Of the
Legislature of Virginia for the pur-
pose Of presenting any legislative
plan which would require, permit
or authorize under the laws OF Viz
ginia, the teaching of white and
Negro children together in the pub
lie schools of Prince Edward
County"
Womack used this resolution that
was sent to top officials in the
state and cited other statements by
county officials to explain why no
funds were appropriated for educa
ton in Prince Edward County for
1880.
Womack said that all hope Of
operating another year" was lost
following a series of events eli
NAKED by the abrupt reversal Of
Judge Hutcheson' ruling by the
Circuit Court of Appeals on May 5,
1859.
The court order directed Judge
Hutchinson to order indignation IN
Prince Edward high schools begin
ming September /.
Since that time the refusal of the
Appeals Court and the refusal of
the Supreme Court to grant stay
Of that order. completely burst the I
hopeful bubble Of lone more year
Hamburg Talks
After Womack outlined the legal
steps that led to the action of the
board of supervisors. B. Blanton j,
Hamburg. president of the Prince
Edward School Foundation, was
asked to bring the Club members
up to date on the activities Of the
Foundation.
lone of the most difficult things
for all of us to realize is that We
are out of the public school bust
ness. Hamburg said I'VE must
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