The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1959-09-04
Editoriol From
lynehburs News. Sept. 2
Why It Won't Work

| Consider this. if you will, a re.
sponsev to the editorial bowl Of musll
served up last week by the illustri.
Gus Richmond News Leader. Re.
/ printed elsewhere on today's page
that editorial solemnly recites crusty
fables. takes stiff jaos at popular
whipping boys. Time magazine and
! liberals" and to the tune of care
fully metered prose proudly raises
the Confederate flag.
AS much as one would like to in
dulge in flights into southern
fairyland. the time has come for
Virginians to face. squarely. the
facts at hand. While one may wish
so very strongly for segregated
classes to succeed. one must peel
the patina of wish from the statue
of hard reality.
Written in the angry tones of a
Captain Queeg facing mutiny. the
News Leader editorial states that
private schools set up in certain
areas OF Virginia to avoid public
school migration are quite work
able. contrary to the findings Of
thorough study prepared by two
professors at Emory University for
the Southern Regional Council.
Among other interesting facts re-
ported by Professors Donald Ross
Green and Warren E. Gauerke in
their study. facts conspicuously alb
sent from the News Leader editorial
was the comparative cost Of pri-
vate and public education A sur
vey Of the Atlanta area disclosed
that the average per pupil cost of
a years schooling in public facili
ties was $265. While the average for
private facilities was whopping
S625. It was the contention Of the
professors that cost alone would ulti-
mately prohibit the bulk of southern
white students from avoiding inte-
grafton by attending private classes.
Like it or nOt-and this news
paper does not like it any more
than the Richmond News Leader
it is reasonable contention. More
over. its soundness can be demon
strated right here in Virginia where
both Prince Edward and Warren
counties are having trouble raising
money for their private school ef-
forts. Warren County has postponed
a decision on operating private
classes to determine whether a
needed $4,000 can be collected.
Prince Edward County admits that
it will take 5000. 900 to operate pri-
vate classes for white students this
year. but those in charge OF the
private school foundation funds will
not say exactly how much has been
collected
These figures Of funds needed to
operate private schools are not
hazy myths rooted in an era long
ago. They are, quite simply mat
ters Of definite fact. Yet in speak
ing Of Professors Green and Gauerke
the News Leader called them two
theorists twho' have no comprehen-
sion Of certain realities"
What reality could be more GER
tain than Prince Edwards private
school budget Of $500 900 Or War
rem County's goal Of $4,000?
Further. what reality could be
more certain than the pictures on
this page? Here arc the private
schools that Prince Edwards white
citizens will operate this year Here
arc the public facilities they will
abandon. Below is the dark interior
Of an old blacksmith shop that
will be used as a classroom.
How theoretical. VIC would ask the
News Leader. is all thiso
Let us raise some further ques-
tions:
For how long will the white citi-
zens Of Prince Edward County be
willing to force these sacrifices on
their children?
For how long will they be able
to raise enough money to keep these
make shift private classes open?
For how long will the courts and
the Federal government permit the
county TO deny educational oppor-
tunities to Negro children?
Forever?
This is not time chauvinistically
to shout States Rights slogans, but
rather time to shake off fables
and wipe the stardust Of hopeless
dreams from our eyes. 1t is time
to face facts. Let us hope that this
excursion into folly will be a short
one for Prince Edward County and
that its cost in time. money and
education Of children will be held
to minimum. Then. let us hope
the County reopens its pub c
schools and turns. realistically, to
ways to limit the integration that
will come.