European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 12, 1962, Darmstadt, Hesse Feature Section one county s school integration dilemma suit Aims to find out if . Constitution requires Public schools Virginia i of Belnac the i me United states that Doe f of system. It m Lac s9. When the supervisors fac Altig & a Federal Edge to tote to abandon Public de schools still exist there empty and padlocked. Sur weeds. Wafting to provide Anfor children who May America can deeper Coo in Prince Watte convinced tint a the Public school to both but and on the other the near that integration can fight Prince Edward was one of the initial defendant in the suit that brought about the 195ft supreme court More than id Yean that have passed Ince the Salt a first filed both race have come to accept the Kin of like the atomic bomb a negro attorney fighting the Case said. The people ten Don t like it but they realize it May be around for a Long time a Wise integration order against Prince m. Edward schools was not unexpected. When it came White citizens quickly be Gan Plant for a private school system. With the help of state and local Legisla Tion they planned and built a $1 million private school. Prince Edward Academy. Under state and local Law. Tuition Grants were made available to parents who sen their children to the Academy. Tax credits were also provided for contributions to the school and with the Public schools dosed Tec bids for both Whites and negroes went Down. The same few assistance for private school contraction was available to neg roes. Many Whit leaders offered to help with the the Leader of the negroes acting on advice of the state and National offices of the National association for the advancement of coloured people a act rejected All the negro children the real losers the result has been an educational void almost three years Long. A few took advantage of state financial help to enrol in other schools some in Virginia some in other states. But most have not instead they either have gone to work or sit at Home waiting to see what the outcome of the continuing litigation will last year negro attorneys challenged the private school s operation on the ground that Public funds made it in effect a Public but still segregated school. Defense counsel led by the school Board s lawyer j. Segar Gravatt and the stat Commonwealth s attorney argued that the same privilege was open to All the Federal Constitution they argued has not yet been interpreted by Federal courts As requiring the operation of Public schools. The Academy they said is private and Public schools can be legally the direction of us. Atty. Gen. Robert Kennedy the Justice department provisional classroom w a Church is on of Many my up by negro teachers in Prince Edward county. Attempted to enter the Case As a joint plaintiff with the negroes. The bid was denied by Federal District judge Oren in the fan of 1961, however. Lewis ruled that operation of Prince Edwar Academy with state and local funds and tuition Grants to students from the same sources could not continue. A True Freedom of Choice,"1 he said did not exist and until it does such financial assistance would not be allowed. The Academy however continued to thrive largely through private donations. Meanwhile in the summer of 1961. Volunteers from the Virginia teachers association a negro organization went into Jie county and set up training these centers operating in churches barns and any other available space sought to keep alive at least the fundamentals of knowledge. The widening Gap Between the education of White and negro continued to grow. Trince. Edward Academy Baa becom so a Symbol to Whites from throughout the South. Delegations from other South Ern states come often to study its plan of have been impressed not Only with the Academy itself but with a fundamental Law that had been revoked by Virginia general Assembly. That Law requiring pub Lic or private school attendance had been a major obstacle to the goals and Hopes of Prince Edward s White citizens. Today however the Prince Edward Case May be nearing a solution. Although ruling out state support for the Academy Lewis said he Felt such sup port could legally be restored if the pub Lic schools attorneys acting on his instructions have filed suit in Virginia s state supreme court of appeals to determine i the Constitution requires Public school operation. Many observers both White and negro feel the suit will succeed particularly since the state court knocked out Many of Vir Ginia s old massive resistance Laws de signed to preserve total segregation. Arguments in the Case have been completed but no ruling is expected before late Spring. Should the suit be lost there however the negroes undoubtedly will carry the Issue to the . Supreme court. Meet the possibility that the negroes x can win end lose both at the same time remains has already said he will return the Academy s financial support if the pub Lic schools Are reopened. Should that Hap pen a county school Board Survey Haa shown less than a half dozen of the county s White families have said they would Send their children to an integrated Public in effect would be pre will the negroes do Many fam Ilies have indicated they would Send their children to Public Appeal this one to the uj3. Supreme court on the Issue of state Aid to the Academy will probably be taken by negro attorneys should this the meantime however. Prince Edward Academy flourishes. White children continue their education their parents secure in the belief that continued cab resistance to integration is right for the negro child however time hangs heavy. The years of his education continue to tick away As a generation of illiteracy Crow Strong in Prince Edward county. A Wrd a Eye View of Price Edward Academy organized after county schools were ordered to integral of March 12, 1962 the stats and Stypb 11
