The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1962-05-22

If Roy Wilkins had not known the fore
gong toots, he certainly would have un-
derstood the cotton of the petitioners. They
organized privote corporation and NoIun-
torily provided funds for operating
school system for the ensuing year. But
the County wos kept in court by NAACP
petitions and litigation.
If Roy Wilkins will remember petition
OF approximately 1850 signers, affirming
the policy set by the people and the board
wos presented in March, 1855 He will re-
member also that appropriations we're
mode for school purposes on month-to-
month bosis in 1856. 1857, 1853, while
the NAACP legal stoff continued the case
against this county in federal courts.
Roy Wilkins will remember also that in
1852, no funds we're included in the bud
get tor the coming year, and the people Of
Prince tdword put into operation system
OF schools for their Children The project
wos successfully launched and is now in its
third year.
Roy Wilkins will remember that in De-
een1ber OF 1859, sincere group Of Prince
Edword citizens formed corporation and
offered q similar educational system for
those children then not in school, If he
can remember, it was he who now COM
plains Of wicked and cruel white peopIe')
who appeared at the "NAACP Christmas
Porty" for the Neeros, advised and objured
them not to accept assistance from the
white people and implied thot the NAACP
would force opening Of public schools.
Roy Wilkins might not know, but in
1850, this some group Of white people Of
tered to establish schools for those chill
dren then out Of school, with some person.
to-person success, only to be souttIed in q
bi-rocol conference. That is true
In 1850, the County Of Prince Edward
included in its budget q scholarship fund
for every child Of school oge in the county,
without regard to roce, to supplement Stote
scholarship funds for children attending O
privote school in the county or q public
school outside the county, Under attack
Of the NAACP, q temporary Injunction was
ordered in August, 1851, preventing the
payment Of scholarships by the Stote or
County.
Roy Wilkins should remember that q
"crosh program" for education Of Negro
children was conducted in the summer Of
1851, and the school board offered focii-
ties, which offer wos declined
Ni0 uiiS IeSpOnSiOie OTTCtOI or me
NAACP hos the unmitigoted goII to refer
to the people Of Prince Edward in uncom-
plimentory terms, when in fact the NAACP
and its legal stoff must assume the burden
Of creating situations by which education
has been impossible for children Of their
roce. These children are used as powns in
the hands of those whose interest is not
education but racial migration. He
domns himself with his own words.
The people of Prince Edward, white and
Negro, know who is responsible for loss
Of education in Prince Edward. They know
thot education could have continued, ex-
cept for the actions Of the NAACP. They
know thot all citizens Of Prince Edward
are interested in providing education
Words and implications, such as those
used by Roy Wilkins, do not contribute to
solution, which is being sought by all re-
sponsible citizens. The county Officials are
still in court for O determination Of the is
sues involved Until these have been odiu-
dicoted little can be accomplished toward
permanent solution.
1wooI 0+oo11c 49,.