Evening star., 1960-01-10

time draws nearer when a hard
choice may be faced Accept
integration or close the public
schools.
Determination to resist as
long as possible and yield only
under overwhelming pressure
is widespread.
That's the picture unfolded
on a fact finding trip through
the South in the sixth school
term after the 1854 Supreme
Court ruling outlawing public
school integration.
Only Islands of Mixing
While islands of integration
have arisen in all other South
ern States, Alabama, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi and
South Carolina still have no
racially mixed classes in their
public school systems.
One Georgia officials said
recently that the emerging pat
tern would be this: Where Ne
groeS push hard for integra-
ton, there vii be the utmost
legal resistance, followed by
Federal court orders for inte-
grafton. then school closings-
and ultimately. re-opening IN
compliance with the court
order in response to public
preSsureS. ..
That has been the way it
has gone in Little Rock and
parts of Virginia. except that
in the latter State, Prince Ed
ward County closed its public
schools and is successfully op-
Grating private classes for white
pupils.
Like Virginia, Georgia has
laws requiring closing of in
tegrated schools and providing
for private schools. 1t may be
the next State to face a show
down on massive resistance.
The Atlanta City School
Board, under Federal court or
der, has filed a pupil placement
deSegregation plan which con-
f1lctS with State law. Unless
the 1860 legislature changes
the act. Atlanta faces at least
some closed schools next fall.
Gov. Ernest Vandiver cam
paigned on a promise to uphold
separate schools. He says his
position is unchanged.
II allowed to decide for it.
self, Atlanta might accept in
tegration to the extent neces-
sary. Atlanta leaders have
threatened that if the city's
schools are forced to close by
loss Of State funds, a suit will
be filed to prohibit grants of
State funds to separate schools
as we'll. 1
NAACP Keeps Extreme Course
Surveying the situation. Roy
wilkins, executive secretary of
the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored
People, says the NAACP is far
from satisfied with the present
rate Of deSegregation."
We are not satisfied with
token deSegregation," he adds,
we shall continue to press for
full compliance at an accel-
Grated pace q. we shall utilize
every legal. political and per-
SuaSive tool at our command"
The Deep South States, Mr..
wilkins says, have not made
beginning, yet still are asking
for more time. The Negro has
been more than patient"
South Cardinals Clarendon
County. one of the school sys-
TENS involved in the 1854 Su-
preme Court decision, has made
no move to comply. The State
generally remains convinced
that no successful integration
effort is probable for many
years. South Carolina also has
laws for cutting off substantial
State aid and closing any inte-
grated schools.
Alabama abolished its school
segregation laws and adopted
a placement plan which has
Wlthstood a Federal court test.
Several integration attempts by
Negro students have been re-
jected, and recent polls have
disclosed strong sentiment to
close schools rather than inte-
crate.
Nothing Likely in Mississippi
Mississippi has just elected
a new Governor pledged to
abolish public schools if neces-
sary to preserve racial safe
guards. Persons familiar with
the State say no integration is
likely there for many years.
The process of integration
has been very similar in most
OF the States which have ac-
cepted it. Generally, it has been
ordered by courts, has not been
very substantial, and has been |
confined to bigger population
centers or areas with relatively
few Negroes. The push for in
te2ration has been somewhat |
slower in rural areas with large
Negro populations.
In Arkansas, eight school
systems in the western part of
the State have integrated-
some before Little Rock. They
were in areas where there were
few Negroes. The only contro-
Versy now pending involves the
Dollarway school district in
Southeast Arkansas, with a
heavy Negro population.
Memphis Situation Quiet
About 100 Of Texas / ,646 dis
trlcts have mixed classes. State
law now prohibits integration
without a favorable ballot by
district voters. In recent cleo
tlons, two districts have ap-