The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1960-04-29
To the People of Prince Ed
ward County, Virginia;


have been the targets for much
criticism in recent months. We
do not expect all the actions OF
the Board to be completely ac-
ceptable to all our citizens. We
do feel that many who have
criticized our actions have done
so because they did not fully or
accurately know many Of the
facts which were available to
the Board and on which our de-
cisions were based. We fear also
that some of our critics have
not fully considered the many
problems which we feel must be
resolved by any new system of
education that takes over the
job done by the public schools
throughout the 80 years that they
have operated in our State We
may insert one example right
here. We see as a serious prob
lem the matter of financing any
new system in a manner that
will assure an education for the
children of those who cannot af-
ford large yearly payments, as
well as those who can. CONVEX
sations with many interested
citizens have convinced us that
either the facts have not been
known or the problems have not
been fully considered.
We make this report to our
people without any intention to
blame anyone. This is report
to the citizens of Prince Edward
County-nothirg more.
We desire to start with a brief
summary of the events that
have taken place. Surely it must
be we'll known in Prince Edward
County that the School Board for
nearly ten years has used every
legal means to avoid Indignation
CT our schools. All the way
through the lower courts up to
the Supreme Court three times
the School Board has taken the
fight to resist indignation in our
schools. In this fight we have
been assisted by one of the
ablest legal firms in Virginia.
I'll fact, at least four members
of this firm have been personally
dedicated to the work of irving
to help lis win our battle. We
also have been tremendously
aided by competent local coun-
sci. incidentally, early in this
lorg legal battle we were ad-
vjsed by our lawyers to say as
lieue as possible about what we
were doing or planned to do. It
was felt that any statement
might be turned against us in
court. We make this explanation
simply to answer any Of our citi-
2ens who may feel that members
of the School Board should have
been more outspoken.
We fought this legal battle be-
cause we believed and continue
to believe that education can
best be provided in this County
for the children of both races in
segregated schools. Moreover,
we fought this battle because we
believe in public schools and that
every possible effort should be
made to operate them in a man
ner acceptable to our people. As
members of the School Board
we are your trustees. In this ca
paclty YOU gave us a moral obi
cation to provide education FOL
your children through a system
Of public education SO long as
is possible SO to do.
Relationships with the Boar,
of Supervisors
1t is well known by now tina
the School Board can operat
schools only if the Board of Sup
ervisors appropriates the neces
sary money. 1t has always bee
necessary for the School Boar
to go before the Supervisor
each year with a budget and pre-
sent its requests for funds wit
which to operate schools. Recog
nizing this point, the Board @
Supervisors decided in 1855 t
appropriate money to the Schoo
Board only one month at a time
We gave our Whole-hearted sup
port and fullest cooperation t
the Board of Supervisors in thi
method of financing. We do no
know of any seriously unsatis
factory results of this procedure
Moreover, we know that tn
same system is now being fol
lowed in several other Virgin;
counties.
Then in June 1859, the Boar,
of Supervisors refused to ap
propriate any money for tn
operation of schools. for admin
istration or for maintenance ant
insurance of buildings. Thi
action was taken in spite of thu
successful operation of schools OF
a month-to-month basis; in spite
of an appeal pending in thu
courts which had not been fin
ally settled: and in spite OF thu
fact, known by the Supervisors
that there was not a single ap
plication before the School Boart
fn,. tho occiUnroonf af Naprf