Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-16
Prince Edward
School Group
ToPusn Project

The trustees of the Prince
Edward Free School Associa-
ton got down to work today
to speed the return of formal
education to Negroes of the
Southside county who have
been without classrooms for
four years.
Former Gov. Colgate w. Dar-
den, named chairman by the
group, predicted prior to the
meeting that the group would
have schools in operation dur
ing September.
Gov. Harrison told the OPEN
ing session of the biracial board
its task was to provide free
education for the children of
Prince Edward.
"As you know, your part isn't
related to segregation, integra-
ton, litigation or tuition grants.
1t is just to provide educa-
tion," said the Governor.
"You start off with the good
will of the people of Virginia
and, I believe, the people of the
United States of America"
Ribblc Chosen
Immediately after the Gov
ernor thanked the group for
accepting the assignment and
wished them Godspeed in their
work, Mr.. Darden was named
chairman on recommendation
of DR.. Thomas Henderson, pres
ident of Virginia Union Uni
verSity.
A former University of Vir-
ginia Law School dean, F. D. G.
Ribble, was made secretary.
Mr.. Darden assigned to him
the task of getting a charter
for the association from the
State Corporation Commission
and clearing the association
with Mortimer Caplin, Internal
Revenue Service director, as
non-profit organization. This
would allow tax deductions for
contributions to the privately
financed association.
Mr.. Caplin taught tax law at
the University of Virginia when
DR.. Darden was president and
Mr.. Ribble was dean of law.
Sitting in with the trustees
was William J. Vanden Heuvel.
special assistant to Attorney
General Robert F. Kennedy and
a key figure in bringing white
and Negro groups in Prince
Edward to an agreement on the
establishment of a private free
school.
Battle Is Counsel
John S. Battle, ir., sun Ct
the former Virginia Governor.
has been named counsel to the
board. He was represented to-
DAY by a member of his law
firm, Robert L. Burrus, jr.,
who handed Mr.. Ribble a sam
pie charter he said had been
approved by the Department
of Justice.
The Prince Edward Free
School Associations chief pur-
pose is to educate LOO Negro
children who have had little or
no formal education since the
county closed public schools
four years ago to avoid court
ordered racial indignation.
White children have attended
private schools operated by the
Prince Edward Educational
Foundation.
The new organization will
use three public school build
ingS. Arrange m ents were
worked out by Federal, State
and county governments with
white and Negro leaders.
Negro leaders will continue
their attempts to get a court
order forcing reopening of
public schools on an integrated
basis.
Praised by Women
At a meeting in Arlington,
the State board of the League
of Women Voters in Virginia,
issued this statement:
THE League of Women Vot-
erS of Virginia is relieved to
hear that the Negro children
of Prince Edward County are
at last to have some school,
ing, having been totally de-
prived of any for the last four
years through no fault Of their
own.
Gov. Harrison is to be COM
mended that a compromise has
been reached at last.
However, this is a far cry
from the free public education
which all children in the State
have a right to expect under
the Constitution and laws of
Virginia. They have lost per-
manently much of the normal
preparation for life and for
decent employment. The chari-
table stopgap, generous though
it is, does not ease the county
or the State of their utter
failure of responsibility toward
these neglected children"