The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1962-11-30

raised IN regard to the position OF Prince
Edward County in the ten-year-old
school litigation. The questions and sug-
gestions are of interest, so we will pass
them to our readers with comments Of
our own in order to bring the matter
suggested in focus.
QUESTION: MY main position now is that
the present situation is SO serious that we
must find way out and that the more
reasonable elements among the Negroes who
in the majority apparently must
how be reached and persuaded not to follow
the intransigeant NAACP members. may be
TOO optimistic though am moderately So"
Comment: The reasonable elements
among the Negroes forfeited their con-
troll in the school situation when they
were persuaded by the NAACP to enter
the suit for integrated schools in 1851.
Since that time "the tune" has been call
ed from NAACP headquarters in New
York.
There have been times when the 'rea-
sonable elements" might have saved
education in the county, but they failed
to act Several efforts, to our knowledge,
were made in biracial conferences to
find solution.
AS early as 1858 representative
group of white and Negro citizens dis
cussed the impending situation without
success. The NAACP leaders took the
position that the time had come for
Indignation of the races and that inte-
grafton in the public schools was the
immediate first step.
Again in 1855, conference of white
and Negro citizens was infiltrated by
unlimited NAACP members who insist
ed on discussing petty grievances only,
such as parking violations etc. This con-
ference came to naught.
In 1885, when it became apparent
that the Negro children would lose
schooling for that year, group of
sincere white citizens took the leader
ship and formed a corporation, South
side Schools, Inc, with the purpose of
establishing private schools for the Ne
gro children, which was possible at that
time. This group was greatly disap-
pointed that the effort failed. Only one
Negro parent indicated interest. The
reasons for this failure are best known
to the Negro parents themselves.
Failing in December 1859, this same
group made contacts personally with
Negro friends in July of 1860. Progress
was made on a man-to-man basis, so
much so that private biracial con-
= ference was held in Prince Edward
Courthouse in August, 1860. This meet
ing adjourned without success. The in
dividual opinions did not stand up in
the interracial meeting. The Negro
themselves know best why this effort
failed
These are but few efforts known
to us which have been made. There were
others, each of which bore no fruit be-
cause Of the adamant position of the
NAACP leaders.
If there are Negro citizens who will
take an objective approach to the situa-
ton and will not follow 'the intransi-
geant NAACP membership, some pro-
gress in the future might be made in the
interest Of education. Such could have
been the case during the long period, at
several times
The white leadership, and the in
dividual white citizens have been more
concerned about the loss of public edu-
cation than have the Negro citizens,
who by their actions forced the situa-
ton
In our opinion no progress can be
made now under present conditions due
to unsettled legal questions now be-
fore the federal courts.
STATEMENT: II have heard ON fairly GOOD
authority that Judge Lewis hopes We will omen
the public schools and that the Academy will
consanse 70 provide for the white pupils since
there VIII Be voluntary Segregation. Of
course. dA kp0v- hat Al,.ss ,>... p~.,