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

Roy Wilkins, executive secretorv Of the
National Association for the Advancement
Of Colored People must have had "tonoue
in cheek" Friday when he spoke to the 9th
annual celebration of the 1854 u. S. ST.
preme Court decision in Richmond.
He is quoted as Spying: 81 have met
lot Of wicked, cruel white people the
kind who shoot first and toIk Ioter. But
have never met any organized into oov-
eminent that will kick the children out of
school, Well fight this cose to the end"
He wos speaking Of the case the NAACP
brought against the people Of Prince Ed
word County in 1851, and has kept the
County in stote and federal courts since
thot time. The Iotest hearing in federoI
court took ploce Friday morning PRECEDING
this vocal outburst by the Executive Sec,
retory. His ongy words come close to be-
ing contempt of the federal court. when
one Of the litigonts costgotes unfoirN the
defendants.
Roy Wilkins knows the details Of the
Prince Edward County situation. He hos
appeared before meetings and mass meet
Ings OF the IoooI and stote NAACP here on
several occasions. He knows that the posi-
ton Of the people Of Prince Edward has
been stoted and restoted He knows thot
Prince Edward people have never equvo-
ooted, nor changed their position.
Prince Edword School Boord was attack
ed and horossed from 1851 until the 1854
Supreme Court decision, in spite Of which
the county provided new modern hiqh
school building, through the cooperation
OF Bottle Funds from the Stote and q Loan
from the Literary Fund Of 1854, 900. Some
OF the members Of the present Boord of
supervisors authorized the loan for this
b purpose. The 1907, 847 school was COM
Pleted and occupied by Negro students in
1853.
Roy Wilkins knows thot the Boord Of
I supervisors expressed the position Of the
people Of Prince Edward in july, 1854, BY
resolution STATING
.. such decision MAY II, 1854 is to the
detriment of public education in Virginia and
an invasion of the rights OF the citizens of the
commonwealth that it is not only i'm
practical but it will be impossible to operate
nonsegregated school system that the said
= board intends to use its power, authority and
: efforts to insure the continuation Of a segre-
gated school system"
: IT this resolution failed to make the
= Countys position clear, citizens dele
= COTTON representing each of the moqis-
: terlol districts appeared in April, 1855, Ia
= month prior to the impementotion of the
= 1884 deolsion) and told the Boord of Su-
= pervisors:
I'VE are opposed to any public tax levy if such
FUNDS are TO be used to finance an integrated
system Of public schools
Within hours otter the 1855 implement
lotion, before q jom-pocked courtroom
the Boord Of Supervisors declined to lew
: tax upon the people Of Prince Edward tc
: support integroted public schools Chair
man OF the Boord stated unequivocoIy:
-. believe that if we are left to work this
question Of schools out we will evolve system
acceptable to both races and in the interest
Of all children believe we, of both races
should work for the mutual good Of all -. 4
don't believe that Indignation will serve to
elevate or make better citizens of either race
we shall use every legal and honorable
means to continue the high type Of education
we propose to give the children Of both races
in Prince Edward County,"