Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-31
Stockurd Asks
For Decision
In Two Weeks
BY JOHN BARRON
Star staff Writer

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gro high school.
This is the most important
desegregation decision which
has confronted the county since
1859 when it decided to accept
some indignation rather than
close its schools.
Should the Hoffman-Boston
High School be eliminated, its
teachers and pupils probably
would be transferred to the
three predominantly white high
schools.
Such a move would make Arl-
ington the first community in
Virginia to permit Negroes to
instruct white students.
Indignation Of students from
Hoffman Boston, whose current
enrolment is 227, would cause
considerable Encouragement Of
all high school attendance dis
tricts in Arlington.
Many white as well as Negro
pupils therefore would be as
signed to a school other than
the one they had anticipated
attending.
StOckard FavOrs Closing
School Board chairman James
G. Stockard, one Of the most
influential advocates Of abol-
ishing Hoffman-Boston, yes
terday disclosed that he will
present the issue at a meeting
tomorrow night.
I'VE should decide within
the next two weeks when we
are going to do this" he said.
There may be reasons which
would preclude our doing it
this fall, but 1 can conceive Of
none which would prevent our
doing it a year from this fall.
1 thing we very quickly must
establish a definite timetable
for action"
Mr.. Stockard suggested that
a majority Of his colleagues
agree with him.
l There are many reasons
! why Arlington should do away
i with Hoffman Boston as a
, high school, and race is a very
E minor one" he said.
1.-THE overriding reason Is
S that we should give equal OPP
J portunity to all our children.
| The Hoffman-Boston site is in
! adequate, the auditorium no
: good. the gym no good, the Ii
, brary inadequate and the cur
!, riculum inferior because 1t Just
isn't economically feasible to
provide the needed diversity of
courses for such a small en-
rollment.
"Hoffman-Boston is the only
school in the county in which
we combine junior and senior
high pupils. Every educator in
the Nation knows that you
should segregate junior high
from senior high children dur
ing the time when they are
making special physical and
emotional adjustments"
Arguments Against Closing
Two prima airy arguments
against abolishing the high
school, at least during the next
few years, have been advanced.
The first is that because Of
high postwar birth rates. the
other three high schools for
several more years will be
crowded beyond their capacity
, and simply have no space for
, the Hoffman-Boston students.
The second is that as q ma
|, jority Of Arlington Negro fami-
/, lies live in the southern section
of the county served by Wake
: field High School, most Hoff-
man. Boston children logically
would be assigned to that
, school and could not be alb
! sorbed without addition Of
classrooms.
To these contentious, Mr..
Stockard replies that enroll
ments at the three high schools
can be equalized through
changing Of attendance areas.
This could mean a disloca-
ton Of children at the high
school level for several years.
But we have had that prob
lem with us before and 1t has
: not seemed TO jeopardize the
quality Of education" he said.
! Shift Negro Teachers
J Concerning the shifting Of
Negro teachers. Mr.. Stockard
? will recommend that they be
z reassigned TO available posi-
!, tons for which they are quail
flied without regard TO race.
Arlington is governed by q
\ Virginia pupil placement law
which requires that each stu
e dent be advised Of his school
! assignment for the forthcoming
e year not later than April IS.
II seems unlikely that all the
! changes which elimination Of
y the high school would entail
e could be planned before the
Z deadline this year.
However. Mr.. Stockard indi-
, Gates he will insist upon q
l. prompt decision. even II II can
: not be put into effect until
4 next year.
I Should the school board
s agree that Hoffman Boston
be eliminated as a high school
T what would become Of II u
: unclear. There have been sug-
gestlons that the building woulc
: be retained and modernizec
: as a junior high school. bui
! whether both colored and whit,
: pupils would be assigned 10 Il
5 evidently has not been deter.
mined