The Farmville Herald And Farmer Leader

NAACP Local Chapters Told To Start Petitions

The Virginia Public Education Commission submitted its interim report to Governor Thomas B. Stanley last Friday in which it urged him to join with the state Board of Education in declaring the policy that public schools be operated in the State on the present segregated basis on next school year. This was made after three days of continuous meetings and discussion.

The Governor said the commission apparently had convinced them.

He said the matter requires time and full preparation.

He said he is studying the recommendation.

The best he can do is to assure school teachers, the people and parents of both races.

Continue To Work

The commission head State Senator Garland Gray of Waverly told the Governor it would continue its work and submit a further report conclusion.

This report the commission said would contain definite recommendations as to what is necessary in the State laws dealing with the State Board of Education local school board appointments by local tax levying bodies employment of teachers their tenure in office and etc. pupil distribution of State school funds and related matters.

The commission said in data that has been set for another session and presumably the drawing up of a more inclusive program of recommendations will be left largely to the commission's attorneys.

Prince Edward Position

Asked what effect the commission's recommendation might have on Prince Edward and Nottoway Counties which have declined to appropriate operating funds for their schools insofar as Stanley said I would think that would be a legal question and I'd prefer not to pass on it.

While no formal statement from public officials has followed the Gray Commission recommendations informal polls of school patrons citizens members of the Prince Edward Education Corporation and public officials indicate that opinion here holds strongly that many questions remain unanswered.

A Herald reporter soliciting views after the Commission report was made public was repeatedly told in effect Yes it would be fine if we could safely do as the Commission has now Governor Stanley recommends But what assurance is there that this can be the case In the other Virginia county before the Supreme Court.

'Blackboard Jungle' at Issue

NAACP Meeting

Officials of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People NAACP met in Petersburg Sunday ratified the declaration made by Southern regional delegates a week ago in Atlanta as final was to make petitions for desegregation to local school boards then court action if necessary "in the opinion of local branch member.

Spottswood W. Robinson III of Richmond also with Oliver W. Hill represented Prince Edward in the Test Supreme Court hearing said such data after he joined.

The petitions would ask desegregation this fall with all deliberate speed.

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Gray Commission (Continued from Page 1.)

Both Hill and Robinson said they saw no administrative difficulties facing any Virginia county that couldn't be overcome by September. They added that beyond administrative difficulties there were no other delaying factors they would divulge.

Robinson added: "We would confidently expect that some results on desegregation would be forthcoming this fall."

NAACP attorneys made no public comment on Prince Edward county, except to note that its case was still in court.

Hill declared "So far in this Commonwealth the voices of those who would offer constructive leadership have been drowned out by the blatant diatribes of the same old crowd of die-hards whose previous actions forced Negroes to appeal to the courts for relief."

He added "Our major task is to move upon every conceivable front to achieve desegregation of all publicly owned, supported or operated schools in Virginia at the earliest possible moment."