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Factual Soui •VO ‘SN3HJL* V IOcC 3C JO A1 I SU3AI NO nvH «3ionvo 3 n « o a s o • i • a 2 I IOI L$ 3Nnr niiiiR |jt iIOOL NlWS Objective VOL. III. NO. 11 NASHVILLE. TENN. $2 PER YEAR MAY, 1957 School Status Shown At Three-Year Mark SERS Publishes Statistical Summary O N THE EVE OF THE THIRD ANNI VERSARY of the U.S. Supreme Court decision against public school segregation, Southern School News files showed that 685 school districts in nine states had begun or completed the deseg regation process, while there had been no lower school desegrega tion in the eight remaining states of the 17 having statutory segrega tion in 1954. Current school records list some 3,700 school districts in the region as having both white and Negro pupils. (A detailed map, depicting the status of the schools, appears on Page 8.) Thus about 3,100 dis tricts remained segregated. Meanwhile, legislatures in 11 states had adopted more than 130 pieces of pro-segregation legislation. During April, three of these legislatures were in session and were dealing with ad ditional bills to preserve segregated schools under state laws. Among them, Florida hjd adopted a resolution of in terposition. Three states—Louisiana, North Caro lina and Virginia—were implementing their school assignment, or pupil place ment, laws in preparation for the 1957-58 school year. No apparent use had been made of similar recent leg islation in Arkansas. Nine additional school districts were reported to have desegregated in Mis souri during the year, with nine more reported in April as planning this step next fall. Most recent data showed 325,739 Negro pupils and 1,852,846 white pupils in “integrated situations”— mostly in the border states. For the first time in several months ew court decisions were reported. Little Rock, Ark., which plans to begin desegregation this fall at the high school lev <d, won a circuit court decision up holding its “gradual” plan. Louisiana rederal judges invalidated two college legation laws and enjoined four state colleges from barring enrollment of Negro graduate students. In a case out side the region but based on the May '■ 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision, • " lat court ruled against private school 'legation where state agencies ad minister such schools. , ^ s tate-by-state summary of major , ‘"''elopments follows: JV"early 1,000 libraries and news media currently subscribing to Southern School News have received a special summary—“Status of School Segrega tion-Desegregation in the Southern and Border States”—prepared and published by Southern Education Reporting Serv ice. The summary is printed in loose-leaf form, and arranged so that it may be used for quick reference by school ad ministrators, public officials, newsmen and other interested persons. All the material is statistical and fac tual. The summary lists, state-by-state and for the region as a whole, latest available information on: School enrollment Number of school districts and racial composition Number of teachers and pay scales Petitions and court actions Alabama The Alabama legislature, convening this month, is expected to get a private school bill and a proposal to create a State Sovereignty Commission, in a flow of pro-segregation legislation which may run as high as 100 proposed new measures. Arkansas Little or no use of the state’s new placement law was reported by state school officials who pointed out that the local districts are autonomous. Little Rock, which won a “good faith com pliance” court test of its gradual de segregation, said it expected to go ahead with high school desegregation in the fall. Delaware Questioning by a federal judge hear ing a motion in a school-entry suit against six southern Delaware school boards was interpreted as indicating that the court will order desegregation. District of Columbia Asst. School Supt. Carl F. Hansen, author of Washington’s “four-track” plan, told the education board that “un usual gains” under this diversified curriculum, growing out of desegrega tion, have been made since last fall. Pro-segregation and pro-integra tion groups by name Description of legislative action Status of individual school dis tricts Florida The legislature adopted a resolution of interposition, which was criticized by Gov. LeRoy Collins, and debated six bills designed to curb activities of or ganizations taking part in litigation on racial matters. Georgia The State Board of Regents tightened entrance regulations at the University of Georgia Law School, which a Negro graduate student has sought to enter, requiring character references from alumni and public officials in the ap plicant’s home county. Kentucky Holding its last meeting before disso lution, the Kentucky (Negro) Teachers Association was told that 75 per cent of the state’s Negro pupils are in dis tricts which have begun or have com pleted the desegregation process. Louisiana U.S. district court invalidated two college segregation laws and enjoined four integrated colleges where the state sought to bar Negro enrollment. New Orleans began placement of elementary pupils on a segregated basis under a stay of a federal court order invalidat- Segregation-desegregation situa tion in colleges SSN subscribers who have received the printed summary are being asked whether they would be willing to pay a small charge (at cost) to keep the sum mary up to date by periodic publication of supplementary data which can he inserted in the loose-leaf binder. If demands are sufficient, SERS will sup ply these supplements regularly to users of the summary. A few extra copies of the summary are available to other SSN subscribers at $1 per copy, postpaid. SERS invites inquiries and will order a second print ing if the demand is sufficient. The summary was prepared by the 19 correspondents of Southern School News and edited by Patrick E. McCau ley, Assistant to the Executive Director. # # # ing the pupil assignment law and or dering integration. Maryland U.S. district court in Maryland ad vised Harford County to work out a new plan for secondary school desegre gation, calling the present gradual plan too slow and “too vague.” Mississippi State laid plans to market its first general obligation bonds for a building program to equalize facilities in still- segregated schools. Missouri Nine additional school districts were reported to have desegregated during the year, with nine more reported planning the step next year. North Carolina The school board of Charlotte, North Carolina’s largest city, told parents of Negro children that initiative for de segregating the schools rests with in dividuals and not the board. One board member told the group: “No door is closed. Our schools bear no signs say ing ‘No Admittance.’ ” Oklahoma Integration will be expanded in at least three school districts next year as the result of school board decisions during April. South Carolina The legislature, considering a num ber of new pro-segregation measures, repealed a bill prohibiting government employment to NAACP members—then under attack before the U.S. Supreme Court—and enacted in its stead an em ployment procedure measure couched in more general terms. Tennessee Nashville, first of state’s large cities to begin desegregation, said 3,200 chil dren (41 per cent of them Negroes) will be affected by a fall first-grade deseg regation plan approved by U.S. district court. Texas Bills delaying desegregation advanced in the legislature but faced the chal lenge of a filibuster. U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Wichita Falls in suit in volving judicial review of school de segregation. Virginia A first challenge of the state’s new pupil placement law arose in Fairfax County. Republican and Democratic political figures who may oppose one another for governor debated the seg regation-desegregation issue. West Virginia With desegregation general, West Virginians were studying problem of employment for young Negroes who, after finishing school, reportedly are having difficulty finding jobs. Index State Page Alabama 5 Arkansas 2 Delaware 14 District of Columbia 2 Florida 4 Georgia 6 Kentucky 5 Louisiana 13 Maryland 15 Mississippi 12 Missouri 12 North Carolina 16 Oklahoma 10 South Carolina 3 Tennessee 7 Texas H Virginia 14 West Virginia 10 ja rono L °99 Major Events in School Segregation-Desegregation Since May, \54 J blowing is a list of major events since the Su- rj ^ e Court decision of May 17, 1954. This chron- », j W not re presented as complete but it is be- p, to be the most detailed of its kind. SERS has an e ven more extensive list in mimeo- I “ form which may be obtained upon inquiry ° n 9 ns the supply lasts.—The Editor.) 1954 ' *7—U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous deci • that hint ision in Brown v. Board of Education, rules in the field of public education the doc- V " Ule of ‘separate but equal’ has no place.” a-NAACP leaders from 18 states meet in Stjj, an ta, call for school integration at all levels. ,U~~Claymont, Hockessin, Arden, Del. school ~j®tricts desegregate before end of 1953-54 . °°1 year, becoming first to act after de- ilj Cls ‘ons. V?* School Supt. Hobart Corning of D.C. sub- Its plan for beginning desegregation in Sep- l[ a lert iber. Md. State Board of Education says no ° v e toward desegregation can be made until (Im ^ ec ' s ' on “becomes final and an effective a e 's set by the Supreme Court.” W.Va, Supt. W. W. Trent advises local superintendents to begin readjustments V j ^hool mtciiucuu) iu ucgxii icaujuoi . ess ary to comply with the decisions, g. N.C. Board of Education votes to continue '’He on segregated basis. ] a Ark. Gov. Cherry says state’s segregation s s s hll stand and any move toward desegre- J Vi„ is premature. « Louisiana legislature approves first of ee Pro-segregation bills. June 23—St. Louis school board announces three- stage plan of desegregation to begin in fall. • July 9—Alabama Board of Education says schools will continue to operate under segregation laws. July 11—White Citizens Councils organized at In- dianola, Miss. Aug. 4—Pearsall Committee named in North Caro lina to “think through the various proposals and make a study of policy and program.” Aug. 23—Eleven Negro children admitted to form erly all-white high school in Charleston, Ark. Sept. 7—Mississippi legislature approves bill call ing for constitutional amendment to permit abolition of public schools. Sept. 13—Desegregation inaugurated in D.C. with registration normal, Negro ratio up to 60 per cent. Protest demonstration in Greenbrier County, W.Va. causes reversal of desegregation plan. State reports 25 of 55 districts beginning de segregation. Sept. 17—Demonstration at Milford, Del. begins, resulting ultimately in removing Negro stu dents from the school. Parochial schools desegregated in Oklahoma, Virginia, Nashville, Tenn. and in Rock Hill, S.C. Sept. 24—Ky. Gov. Wetherby says the state will “do whatever is necessary to comply with the law.” Negro undergraduates admitted at Uni versity of Kentucky. Sept. 30—Desegregated Baltimore schools picketed by segregationists, police appeal for order and threaten arrests. Schools return to normal by Oct. 6. • Oct. 4—White students at three Washington, D.C. formerly all-white high schools and six junior high schools demonstrate against desegrega tion; order restored by fourth day and enroll ment is normal. Oct. 26—Defenders of State Sovereignty and Indi vidual Liberties chartered in Virginia. Oct. 27—Negro educators and school officials from 14 southern states and D.C. urge at Hot Springs, Ark. that “immediate steps be taken to imple ment the (Supreme Court) decision.” • Nov. 2—Georgia voters ratify constitutional amendment authorizing private schools to re place public schools in event of desegregation. Louisiana voters approve 4 to 1 “police powers” amendment to preserve segregation. Nov. 4—Southern School News survey shows de segregation begun in 110 Missouri school dis tricts. Nov. 13—Eight southern governors sign statement pledging to “preserve the rights of the states to administer their public school systems in the best interest of our people.” Six governors refuse to sign. Nov. 14—Briefs filed with U.S. Supreme Court in Brown case. Nov. 20—Six Delaware towns—Laurel, Milford, Georgetown, Harrington, Greenwood, and Mil- ton—vote in referenda to retain segregation. Dec. 5—Eight more Delaware towns vote to retain segregation. Dec. 16—Ky. State Board of Education promises “careful consideration” of plan proposed by Citizens Committee on Desegregation. Dec. 17—U.S. District Court orders Louisiana’s McNeese State College to admit 16 Negro stu dents. Dec. 21—Mississippians in referendum vote 2-1 to vest legislature with power to abolish public schools. 1955 Jan.—Georgia legislature adopts bill making it a felony to spend public funds for mixed schools, shelves two other bills. Jan. 6—Survey shows 52,545 Negro and white chil dren attending 135 desegregated W.Va. schools; 1,245 Negroes and 13,344 whites enrolled in 10 of 11 state colleges. Jan. 11—Federally-operated Oak Ridge, Tenn. an nounces high school desegregation for fall of 1955. Jan. 18—Incoming S.C. Gov. George Bell Timmer man, Jr. says “only acceptable decree that may be rendered by the Supreme Court” will be one giving parents right to “choose what is best for their own children.” Jan. 22—Federation for Constitutional Government organized at Jackson, Miss. Jan. 31—St. Louis high schools desegregated with start of second semester. Feb. 7—S.C. legislature adopts resolution memo rializing Congress to enact legislation limiting appellate jurisdiction of U.S. Supreme Court. Feb. 27—Third annual southeastern regional con ference of NAACP, meeting in Atlanta, sets (Continued On Page 9)