1 20 146 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/aa46d8c17ddfecdf4c0882c43f833a08.pdf d06177e14eab26e2ffc593a3ab616e03 PDF Text Text Dear Mrs. Friauf, Shirle y stayed home on Monday in loyalty to her race and in pretest to a change which is not in the best interest of the vast majority, and certainly unnecessary. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter to Mrs. Friauf, February 4, 1959 Description An account of the resource Letter from Mr. A. W. Krop Jr. (?) explaining his daughter (?) Shirley's absence from school as a protest to integration Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource A. W. Krop Jr. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1959-2-4 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_17_5 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/b220aa35d0f4d3aa52c4153cf861db01.pdf f3a0e0750dbe0189c440302ab163faad PDF Text Text UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CffiCUTT No. 10,208. Walter Raymond Wanner, an infant, by Raymond Wanner, father, and Frances S. Wanner, mother, and next friend, et al., Appellees, versus County School Board of Arlington County, Virginia, Appellant. A p p e a l from t h e U n it e d S tates D is t r ic t C ourt for t h e E astern D is t r ic t of V ir g in ia , a t A le x a n d r ia . O r en R. L e w is , D is t r ic t J udge . (Argued December 6, 1965. Decided February 7, 1966.) Before H a y n sw o r t h , Chief Judge, and S o beloff , B ore m a n and B e l l , Circuit Judges. Edmund D. Campbell and Peter J. Kostik for Appellant, and LeRoy E. Batchelor (Michael E. McKenzie on brief) for Appellees. �S o eeloff, Circuit Judge: For the fifth time the public school problems of Arling­ ton County, Virginia, are before this court. In the earlier chapters of this protracted litigation, Negro children were seeking decrees ordering the School Board to admit them to formerly white schools or other relief to advance the desegregation of the races in the county’s school system. The novel feature of the present appeal is that when the Board acted, as it thought, to comply with earlier orders of this court as well as to improve the educational system of the county, it was, at the instance of white parents, enjoined by the District Court from putting its plans into effect.1 From this injunction the Board now appeals. The plan for the desegregation of the county’s all-Negro Hoffman-Boston Junior High School, the District Court held, deprives the white plaintiffs of their rights under the Fourteenth Amendment and under the provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The District Court reasoned that the plan was the product of an “erroneous” belief on the part of the School Board that it was under a court order to close the all-Negro Hoffman-Boston Junior High School; that racial balance was the prime criterion used in redrawing the boundaries and that considerations based 1 T he School Board adopted its plan on M arch 25, 1965, after public hearings. Plaintiffs’ complaint, filed April 12, 1965, sought both a preliminary and a permanent injunction to preyent the Board from implementing its plan. On April 21, 1965, the District Court held a hearing on the motion for a preliminary injunction and denied the motion. The merits were heard on May 19 and 21, 1965, but no opinion was rendered until August 6, 1965, and no final order was entered until August 23, 1965. The School Board petitioned this court for a stay of the injunctive order, and by assignment of the Chief Judge of the circuit, the writer of this opinion, after taking testimony and hearing argument on August 25, 1965, granted a stay pending appeal. T he A rlington school system opened the 1965-1966 school year under the new plan. �on race are constitutionally impermissible; and that there was no evidence to support the School Board’s contention that the plan was educationally more desirable than the previous arrangement. Before proceeding to the merits, it is important to recall that the School Board of Arlington County has since 1956 been under injunctive orders approved by this court, pro­ hibiting racial segregation in the Arlington public schools.2 In Brooks v. County School Board of Arlington County, 324 F.2d 303 (4th Cir. 1963), this court reversed an order of the District Court dissolving the injunction and ordered its reinstatement. Our opinion specifically noted the claims of the Negro plaintiffs that “the Hoffman-Boston district was originally created for Negroes when the maintenance of the segregated system was the avowed policy and prac­ tice” and that “Hoffman-Boston remains as it was con­ trived, a Negro enclave entirely surrounded by white school zones.” This court further had occasion to declare that “the District Court’s finding that there is no evidence to sustain the charge that geographical boundaries were established to maintain segregation is clearly erroneous.” 324 F.2d at 308. 2 Sub nom. School Board of City of Charlottesville v. Allen, 240 F.2d 59 (4th Cir. 1956), cert, denied, 353 U.S. 911 (1957), affirming Thompson v. County School Board of Arlington County, 144 F.Supp. 239 (E.D .V a. 1956) ; Thompson v. County School Board of Arlington County, 252 F.2d 929 (4th Cir.), cert, denied, 356 U.S. 958 (1958), affirming 159 F.Supp. 567 (E.D.Va. 1957) ; Hamm v. County School Board of Arlington County, 263 F.2d 226 and 264 F.2d 945 (4th Cir. 1959), affirming in part and remanding in part Thompson v. County School Board of Arlington County, 166 F.Supp. 529 (E.D .V a. 1958) ; Brooks v. County School Board of Arlington County, 324 F.2d 303 (4th Cir. 1963), reversing Thompson v. County School Board of Arlington County, 204 F.Supp. 620 (E.D .V a. 1962). �4 While it is true, as the District Court has stated, that the Brooks decision did not place the School Board under a specific order to close Hoffman-Boston, the opinion made it perfectly clear that this court considered intolerable the continued maintenance of Hoffman-Boston as an all-Negro junior high school. Our opinion admonished the School Board that it had “the primary authority and responsibility to bring the school system into complete conformity with the law.” 324 F.2d at 308. Before proposing a new school districting plan, the School Board appointed a Criteria Committee, a panel of nineteen citizens, to render advice respecting school at­ tendance areas. On February 11, 1965, it unanimously reported that “The present boundaries of the [Hoffman-Boston] district served by this all-Negro junior high school are completely artificial. The district is divided into two entirely separate subdivisions by the Army-Navy Country Club. The Gunston Junior High School dis­ trict surrounds Hoffman-Boston on three sides.” W ith the findings of the Criteria Committee and the rulings of this court in mind, the School Board adopted a plan whereby three former junior high school districts (Hoffman-Boston, Thomas Jefferson, and Gunston) have been combined into two new districts (Jefferson and Gunston). The racial composition of each of the two new districts is approximately 75% white pupils and 25% Negro. When the School Board adopted its plan, it had knowledge of the racial imbalance in the student population of the districts involved and was aware that the new plan would result in reducing the imbalance. �5 The new Jefferson District operates its junior high school classes in two school buildings—the former Hoff­ man-Boston Junior High building, which houses seventh graders, and the former Thomas Jefferson Junior High building, which houses eighth and ninth graders. The appellees do not contend, nor did the District Judge find, that the newly-created districts represent artificial boundary lines.3 Rather, the plan is attacked on the grounds that the School Board “took race into consideration” in redrawing the boundary lines, and that the plaintiffs are denied equal educational opportunities because the newlycreated Jefferson district will be maintained not as a singlebut as a dual-building district, separating the seventh grade pupils from the eighth and ninth grade pupils. I In ruling that the School Board in the existing circum­ stances is prohibited from considering race when redrawing school attendance districts, the District Court was clearly in error. If a school board is constitutionally forbidden to institute a system of racial segregation by the use of artificial boundary lines, it is likewise forbidden to perpetuate a system that has been so instituted. It would be stultifying to hold that a board may not move to undo arrangements artificially contrived to effect or maintain segregation, on the ground that this interference with the status quo would 3 Furthermore, the total amount of busing under the new arrangement is approximately the same as under the old. �6 involve “consideration of race.” When school authorities, recognizing the historic fact that existing conditions are based on a design to segregate the races, act to undo these illegal conditions—especially conditions that have been ju­ dicially condemned—their effort is not to be frustrated on the ground that race is not a permissible consideration. This is not the “consideration of race” which the Constitution discountenances. Here the Board, abandoning the racially gerrymandered lines of the past, adopted legally permissible geographic lines. This action was within the Board’s lawful discretion. It is no ground of objection that other geographic lines might also have been drawn that would be less disruptive of the segregated pattern. An otherwise permissible redistrict­ ing plan does not become vulnerable because it attains a measure of racial balance. There is no legally protected vested interest in segrega­ tion. If there were, then Brown v. Board of Education4 and the numerous decisions based on that case would be pointless. Courts will not say in one breath that public school systems may not practice segregation, and in the next that they may do nothing to eliminate it. The District Court and the plaintiffs place undue reliance on Bell v. School Board of Gary, Indiana, 324 F.2d 209 (7th Cir. 1963), cert, denied, 377 U.S. 924 (1964). That case held that a federal court could not compel a school board to realign, in order to effectuate racial balance, school districts whose boundaries were innocently arrived at with 4 Brown v. Board of Educ. of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). �no intent to maintain or perpetuate segregation.5 Some courts have disagreed.6 However this may be, in the case before us the record establishes beyond dispute that the Hoffman-Boston school district was the product of in­ vidious racial discrimination. No case was cited to this court, nor has one been found, which has prohibited a school board, when drawing or re­ drawing school attendance lines, from reducing or eliminat­ ing segregation, even where segregation was de facto, much less when brought about by a deliberate policy of separation of the races.7 The Arlington County School Board has a more compelling case, for it was dealing not with de facto 5 T hat holding was followed in Downs v. Board of Educ. of Kansas City, 336 F.2d 988 (10th Cir. 1964), cert, denied, 380 U.S. 914 (1965). Cf. Barksdale v. Springfield School Comm., 348 F.2d 261 (1st Cir. 1965), vacating 237 F.Supp. 543 (D.Mass. 1965). Plaintiffs' citation of Gilliam v. School Board of City of Hopewell, Virginia, 345 F.2d 325 (4th Cir. 1965), is also misplaced This court there held that the school board could not be required to abandon neighborhood schools and transport pupils from one area to another solely for the purpose of integrating the schools. The Supreme Court vacated the judg­ ment in Gilliam on other grounds. 34 U.S.L. W eek 3170 (Nov. 15, 1965). 0 Blocker v. Board of Educ. of Manhassct, New York, 226 F.Supp. 208 (E.D .N .Y . 1964) ; Branche v. Board of Educ. of Town of Hempstead, New York, 204 F.Supp. 150 (E.D .N .Y . 1962) ; Jackson v. Pasadena City School Dist., 59 Cal.2d 876, 382 P.2d 878 (1963). Sec Judge J. Skelly W right, “Public School Desegregation: Legal Remedies for De Facto Segregation,” 40 N.Y.U.L.Rev. 285 (1965). 7 Cases in which courts have refused to enjoin a school board from imple­ menting a plan designed to eliminate de facto segregation are Fuller v. Volk, 230 F.Supp. 25 (D .N .J. 1964) ; Morean v. Board of Educ. of Montclair, 42 N.J. 237, 200 A.2d 97 (1964) ; Addabo v. Donovan, 16 N.Y. 2d 619, 209 N.E.2d 112 (1965) ; Vetere v. Allen, 15 N.Y.2d 259, 206 N.E.2d 174 (1965) ; Balaban v. Rubin, 14 N.Y.2d 193, 199 N.E.2d 375, cert, denied, 379 U.S. 881 (1964). See Fiss, “Racial Imbalance in the Public Schools: T he Constitutional Con­ cepts," 78 Harv.L.Rev. 564, 574-583 (1965). �8 segregation but with the constitutionally forbidden prac­ tice of maintaining school attendance areas fixed with an eye to the separation of the races.8 Moreover, there is no basis whatsoever for the District Court’s assertion that the School Board closed “an exist­ ing neighborhood school” in order to create racial balance. Neither Hoffman-Boston, nor Thomas Jefferson, nor Gunston was a truly “neighborhood” junior high school district. Because Thomas Jefferson and Gunston were contiguous to the Hoffman-Boston Negro enclave, the boundary lines of the former two were a creation of the racial gerrymandering of the Hoffman-Boston district and assumed the same artificial character as the Hoffman-Bos­ ton boundary lines. Certain white children in the old Gunston and Thomas Jefferson districts passed through sections of the Hoffman-Boston district in going to their respective schools. In drawing new and more natural boundary lines, the Board mitigated the effects of the per­ sistent policy of segregation. In so doing, it has not ex­ ceeded its powers or violated its duty or the rights of the complainants. II The District Court found that there is no evidence to sup­ port the School Board’s determination that the plan affords the affected pupils educational opportunities greater than those available to them under the old system. It would be a dispositive answer to say that, where a school board is attempting in good faith to eliminate or reduce segregation, 8 See Dowell v. School Board of Oklahoma City, 244 F.Supp. 971 (W .D. Okla. 1965). �9 courts are not commissioned to enter into a debate with school authorities as to which redistricting plan among several is preferable from an educational standpoint. Moreover, we are of the view that the District Court’s factual finding is clearly erroneous. There is no support in the record for the complainants’ contention, accepted by the District Court, that the dual-building Jefferson District impairs the educational opportunities of the Jefferson Junior High School students. To the contrary, all the evidence is that the new arrangement, despite the dual-building feature, is educationally more advantageous. The Criteria Committee advised the School Board that current thinking among educators is that junior high schools afford optimum educational opportunities when the size of the student body allows “two, three or more sections per elective subject * * * in order to provide adequate staffing and groupings according to the needs and abilities of all the children.” The Committee reported that in Arlington the small junior high schools “have been recognized as less effective and less efficient because of such problems as too few children for adequate groupings, greater daily demands on teachers who must plan for more than one grade level or subject offering, and more difficulty in scheduling classes and in assigning special teachers and librarians to such schools on a full time basis.” The Committee’s unanimous report supported the School Board’s view that a junior high school provides optimum educational advantages when the student body ranges from 950 to 1200 pupils. The Hoffman-Boston school building has a capacity of 610, and the Thomas Jefferson building has a capacity of 725. Gunston’s capacity is 1050. �10 After holding public hearings on March 11 and March 18, 1965, and considering the opinion of professional educators, the School Board rendered its final decision that the educa­ tional interests of the children involved would be best served by combining the three old districts into two new ones. In a letter to the parents, dated March 16, 1965, entitled “In­ formation Relating to the New Junior High School Dis­ trict,” School Superintendent Ray E. Reid pointed out that neither the Hoffman-Boston nor the Thomas Jefferson building was large enough to accommodate a student body of the desirable size; that by combining the two schools certain courses could be made available which were not formerly offered in either of these districts ;8 that “in some subjects, the larger size school makes it possible for grouping of students with similar abilities and similar learning prob­ lems.” In 1964, before the adoption of the School Board’s plan, four of the county’s seven junior high schools (Gunston, Kenmore, Stratford, and Williamsburg) were within, or very near to the optimum size of 950 to 1200 students. Of the remaining three (Hoffman-Boston, Thomas Jefferson, and Swanson) the plan brings two (Hoffman-Boston and Thomas Jefferson) within the Criteria Committee’s recom­ mendations and the Board’s policy. The remaining district,9 9 In a letter to the parents, dated March 16, 1965, and at the District Court hearing Superintendent Reid stated that the following courses were available at Gunston but not at Thomas Jefferson or Hoffman-Boston: French 2J, Spanish 2J, Latin 1-9, Intermediate Strings, Personal Typing. The following courses were available at Gunston but not at Hoffman-Boston: Reading 9, Journalism, French I-S, Spanish I-J, Spanish I-E, Spanish 2-E, Geometry, E arth and Space Science, W orld History and Geography, Boys Chorus, Girls Chorus 8, Girls Chorus 9, Beginning Strings, Orchestra, Radio and Electronics. Superintendent Reid concluded that the size of the new Jefferson school should make these courses available. �11 Swanson, had an enrollment in 1964 of 732 students in a building with a capacity for 700. Thus, the effect of the adopted plan is that all but one of the junior high schools in Arlington County now conform to the minimum educa­ tional standards established by the School Board. Superintendent Ray E. Reid testified that he would prefer that a new junior high school building be built to accom­ modate all the students in the newly formed Jefferson Dis­ trict, and that he was prepared to recommend a bond issue for this purpose to the voters of Arlington.1 However, Mr. 0 Reid went further, and testified that even if the bond issue were defeated by the voters, he would still recommend and support the enlarged Jefferson District with its dual-building arrangement as educationally more desirable than the former three-district system. The educational deficiencies under the old system, Mr. Reid added, were “significant,” and the educational loss to the children from its continued use would be “irreparable.” Plaintiffs argue that if the Board in redistricting Hoff­ man-Boston, Thomas Jefferson, and Gunston were sincerely motivated in part by educational criteria, it would have rearranged the Swanson District also. The Swanson District, however, was not shown to be a product of racial segrega­ tion, and the compelling circumstances that led the Board to rearrange Hoffman-Boston and its contiguous districts did not obtain with respect to Swanson. If the Board had not been under a duty to realign the Hoffman-Boston, Thomas 10 The bond issue was in fact proposed by the School Board on September 30, 1965, but was defeated by the voters on November 2, 1965. A bond issue for the expansion of the Swanson Junior High School was also proposed, and was approved by the voters. �12 Jefferson, and Gunston Districts, perhaps it would not have moved at this time to change the pre-existing arrangement. But it was under a duty to rearrange the gerrymandered districts and did so in such a way as to achieve what it considered optimum educational advantages under all the circumstances. That the Board did not deem it feasible to go further and realign the Swanson District at this time does not cast doubt upon the testimony of the School Board members and the Superintendent that in their deliberate judgment the manner in which the gerrymandered districts were realigned is educationally advantageous. The fact that the plaintiffs would have preferred a plan which retained the three-district system, concededly with rearranged boundary lines, provides no valid constitutional ground for upsetting the School Board’s conclusion that the two-district system is educationally more desirable. There has been no showing that the School Board’s plan has un­ constitutionally deprived any of the plaintiffs of equal educational opportunities because of their race. This record plainly shows that the School Board has not been arbitrary, that it has in fact proceeded fairly and with integrity. The District Court exceeded its authority when it undertook to override the School Board’s action taken with the genuine purpose of complying with the law of the land and enhancing the county’s educational system. The order of the District Court is Reversed A dm . Office, U. S. C o u rts—3454—7 -1 -6 5 —135—L aw yer* P rin tin g C o ., R ichm ond, V a. 23207 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit No. 10,208 Wanner et al., versus County School Board of Arlington County, Virginia, Argued December 6, 1965 Decided February 7, 1966 Description An account of the resource Document detailing the decision of the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit regarding the constitutionality of the School Board's redrawing of districts to integrate former Hoffman-Boston students into two new school districts. 7 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Administration Office, U.S. Courts Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1966-2-7 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_9_1 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/4a80569e4d8ef4b9c98434f6d5e83a49.pdf eb1223da24b5dc42f71c1ac839b3da2a PDF Text Text July 23, 1955 STATEMENT BY THE ARLINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD In view of the official directive from the Virginia State Superintendent of Public Instruction which states: The Governor and the State Board of Education hereby declare and adopt as the policy of this Commonwealth that the State Board of Education will continue to administer its functions, in cooperation vfith the local school authorities, to the end that the public schools of Virginia open and operate through the coming school session as heretofore,^ the Arlington School Board does not plan to integrate any classes in September. Pending further clarification by the State authorities, the Arlington School Board is studying alternate plans for the orderly implementation of tie Supreme Court decision on integration in the public schools. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Statement of the Arlington County School Board, July 28, 1955 Description An account of the resource Arlington County School Board statement to continue with the Virginia State decision not to integrate and to study alternative plans to integrate public schools. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington County Board Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1955-7-28 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_3_19 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/0aea8094fee1153971db0d44c4056493.pdf 8cc3a8cb27e814c3ad2cec1bc9eb36db PDF Text Text ARLINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH June 2 , 1954 1, TOs To Edward Rutter FROM; Stanley Vo Smith SUBJECT* Distribution of Negro Pupils, 1953-54, By District and By 1954-55 Grade.* Grade 1954-55 Number of Pupils, By Elementary School District TOTAL Langston Number of Pupils Hoffman-Boston Drew-Kemper Other 1 2 3 4 5 6 28 34 30 34 34 27 28 28 22 43 28 24 58 71 69 59 57 41 10 12 11 9 8 12 124 145 132 145 127 104 TOTAL 1-6 187 173 355 62 777 7 8 9 32 17 17 17 15 19 63 63 41 10 8 9 122 103 86 TOTAL 7-9 66 51 167 27 311 10 11 12 17 9 9 19 9 6 30 25 20 10 3 0 76 46 35 TOTAL 10-12 35 34 75 13 157 TOTAL 1-12 288 258 597 102 1,245 ■*Based upon pupils in school, 1953-54, assuming no retardations, withdrawals, new entries, or terminations, and the school census. �MEMBERSHIP BY GRADES March 31. 1954 ARLINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH School 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Abingdon Barcroft Barrett Brandon Cherrydale Claremont Clav Custis Edison Fairlington • Fillmore Glencarlyn Henry Hume Jackson Jamestown Lea Madison Marshall Maury McKinley Monroe Nottingham Oakridge Page Regular Special Randolph Reed Stewart~-Tuckahoe Tavlor Wilson Woodlawn Woodmont Yorktown Drew Hoffman-Boston Kemper Langston Homebound 81 82 61 66 106 85 70 62 58 58 88 100 111 84 114 118 97 88 50 62 63 45 50 63 57 69 58 57 72 120 69 95 89 68 39 34 30 83 66 68 53 61 44 48 48 49 7 4 2 2 60 72 5 1 55 105 116 31 56 32 so 33 35 32 42 22 122 140 105 108 n o 89 24 20 16 103 122 88 113 118 112 S3 62 85 76 99 69 29 43 23 38 31 26 22 31 49 67 49 45 52 49 37 42 39 34 34 51 96 105 66 86 84 92 59 93 SO 50 53 44 125 131 86 94 96 81 42 50 49 55 70 41 97 91 74 80 72 73 25 31 96 81 66 79 82 57 . 82 105 126 100 104 128 92 119 90 104 83 79 38 69 50 51 47 54 31 38 28 60 42 26 25 35 29 31 38 35 26 27 24 30 31 34 36 56 51 46 49 44 75 68 27 32 40 60 37 28 25 27 25 22 41 35 11 13 38 33 32 32 29 29 3 2 2 2 2 TOTAL ELEMENTARY 2151 2481 1933 2064 2078 1889 Edison Jefferson Stratford Swanson Wakefield Hoffman-Boston Homebound TOTAL JR. HIGH Wakefield Washington-Lee Hoffman-Boston Homebound TOTAL SR. HIGH Washington,, D . .C .8 2064 2078 i 8 9 2151 2481 1933’ GRAND TOTAL 11 12 TOTAL 290 439 615 405 354 513 320 303 15 459 119 194 674 60 656 444 190 53 311 217 529 349 613 307 487 56 461 645 567 309 225 193 172 282 302 164 100 193 11 12,596 1 626 1,418 760 1,003 i [ , ' 1 195 489 243 402 242 492 267 324 189 437 250 101 84 70 2 1 2 5 L 453 1410 1225 4,068 412 2,373 101 3 2,889 4 19,557 277 412 729 42 2 1185 1 L433 1410 1225 Tl86 255 910 36 1 947 734 23 757 3 947~ 760 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Arlington County Public Schools Department of Research June 21, 1954 Distribution of Negro Pupils, 1953-54, by District and by 1954-55 Grade Description An account of the resource Charts breaking down the African-American students in Arlington Public Schools across District and Grade. 2 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington County Public Schools Department of Research Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1954-6-21 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_3_24 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/51abb18a0aa9485a06ae00c2bdce991f.pdf 3974a2b19e43ade5078cb1b96602b4c2 PDF Text Text r ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS J u n e 2 8 , 1971 STATEMENT OF POLICY ISSUED BY THE ARLINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CONCERNING CURRENT LITIGATION SEEKING INTEGRATION OF DREW AND HOFFMAN-BOSTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS The S c h o o l B o a rd h a s h e l d many l e n g t h y c o n f e r e n c e s w ith i t s a t t o r n e y s on t h e s u i t i n s t i t u t e d b y p a r e n t s i n t h e Drew S c h o o l a r e a a s k i n g t h e f e d e r a l c o u r ts to r e q u ir e f u r t h e r i n t e g r a t i o n in t h e A r l i n g t o n S c h o o l S y s te m . A c o n s u lt a n t a tto r n e y e x p e rie n c e d in t h i s f i e l d p a r t i c i p a t e d i n th e s e c o n fe re n c e s . The S c h o o l B o a rd w as e v e n t u a l l y a d v i s e d t h a t t h e r e c e n t Suprem e C o u rt d e c i s i o n s an d s u b s e q u e n t d e c i s i o n s b y t h e U n ite d S t a t e s C o u rt o f A p p e a ls f o r t h e F o u r th C i r c u i t , w h ic h i n c l u d e s V i r g i n i a , m ake i t c l e a r t h a t t h e u l t i m a t e r e s u l t o f t h a t c a s e w o u ld b e a f e d e r a l c o u r t o r d e r r e q u i r i n g t h e A r l i n g t o n C o u n ty S c h o o l B oard to t a k e f u r t h e r s t e p s t o i n t e g r a t e i t s s c h o o l s y s te m i n t o a u n i t a r y s y s te m . The S c h o o l B o a rd h a s w o rk e d w i t h th e s t a f f an d t h e a t t o r n e y s t o d e v e l o p a p l a n f o r i n t e g r a t i o n o f t h e tw o s c h o o l s w h ic h w o u ld b e s t m e e t n o t o n ly t h e a n t i c i p a t e d l e g a l r e q u ir e m e n ts b u t a l s o t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s o f a l l A r l i n g t o n s t u d e n t s an d o f t h e com m unity a s a w h o le . D u rin g t h i s p r o c e s s t h e S c h o o l B o a rd i n s t r u c t e d i t s a t t o r n e y s t o c o n s u l t w i t h t h e a t t o r n e y s f o r t h e p l a i n t i f f s i n o r d e r t o t r y t o r e a c h a n a g re e m e n t on a d e s e g r e g a t i o n p la n t h a t w o u ld r e d u c e r a t h e r th a n i n c r e a s e t e n s i o n s . S e v e ra l m e e tin g s an d c o n v e r s a t i o n s to o k p l a c e , b u t no a g re e m e n t w as r e a c h e d . T he S c h o o l B o ard d i s c u s s e d many tim e s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f i n v i t i n g t h e p u b l i c t o t a k e p a r t i n th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f a p l a n . F o r some w e e k s , c o n s u l t a t i o n b e tw e e n o u r r e s p e c t i v e a t t o r n e y s lo o k e d l i k e a b e t t e r p r o c e d u r e ; by t h e tim e i t b ecam e c l e a r t h a t f u r t h e r c o n s u l t a t i o n w o u ld b e u n p r o d u c t i v e , t h e r e w as to o l i t t l e tim e f o r m e a n in g f u l p u b l i c p a r t i c i p a t i o n . F or t h i s re a s o n and b e c a u se o f th e le g a l a n d t e c h n i c a l c o m p l e x i t i e s , t h e B o a rd d e c i d e d t h a t t h e o b l i g a t i o n a n d r e s p o n s i ­ b i l i t y c o u ld n o t b e s o s h a r e d , n o r w o u ld t h e com m unity b e n e f i t b y p u b l i c d i s c u s s i o n o f an i s s u e o f t h i s n a t u r e , e s p e c i a l l y u n d e r t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s . The B o ard w i l l r e l e a s e to n ig h t th e p la n i t h a s d e v e lo p e d . B rie fly s ta te d : The s t u d e n t s i n g r a d e s 1 -6 o f Drew a n d H o ffm an -B o s t o n w i l l b e a s s i g n e d to e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l s t h r o u g h o u t t h e A r l i n g t o n S c h o o l S y s te m . K in d e r g a r t e n s w i l l c o n t i n u e a t b o t h Drew a n d H o ffm a n - B o s to n . No p r e s e n t s c h o o l b o u n d a r i e s w i l l be changed. A s c h o o l w i l l n o t b e a s s i g n e d s t u d e n t s i n s u c h n u m b e rs t h a t i t s t o t a l e n r o l l m e n t w i l l e x c e e d i t s r a t e d c a p a c i t y b y m ore th a n 5%. E v e ry e le m e n ­ ta r y sch o o l w i l l be in te g r a te d . I n f u t u r e y e a r s , s t u d e n t s a d v a n c in g fro m an e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l w i l l a t t e n d t h e j u n i o r h ig h s c h o o l o r s c h o o l s s e r v i n g t h a t e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l a n d th e n t o t h e s e n i o r h ig h s c h o o l o r s c h o o l s s e r v i n g t h a t j u n i o r h ig h s c h o o l . D u rin g t h e co m in g y e a r t h e S c h o o l B o a rd w i l l d e v e lo p p l a n s f o r a m o d e l s c h o o l t o b e l o c a t e d i n t h e Drew b u i l d i n g an d o p e r a t e d on a n i n t e g r a t e d b a s i s . We h o p e t h a t i m a g i n a t i v e new a p p r o a c h e s t o e le m e n ta r y e d u c a t i o n and s m a l l e r �S ta te m e n t o f P o l i c y P age 2 c l a s s e s w i l l a t t r a c t many p a r e n t s who w is h t h e i r c h i l d r e n t o h a v e t h i s t y p e o f e d u c a t i o n w h ic h we c a n n o t now m a i n t a i n i n a l l s c h o o l s . Time d o e s n o t p e r m i t t h e p l a n n i n g , n o r a r e t h e fu n d s a v a i l a b l e , t o im p le m e n t t h e m o d el s c h o o l c o n c e p t b y t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e new s c h o o l y e a r i n S e p te m b e r, 1 9 7 1 . H o w ev er, t h e S c h o o l B o a rd i s v e r y w i l l i n g t o e x p l o r e t h i s p o s s i b i l i t y on a r e d u c e d s c a l e . I t i s p la n n e d t h a t t h e Drew S c h o o l f a c i l i t y w i l l b e u s e d f o r t h e M o n te s s o r i p r e - k i n d e r g a r t e n , t h e Drew k i n d e r g a r t e n , a d u l t e d u c a t i o n , an d f o r o t h e r s c h o o l p ro g r a m s ; t h e H o ffm an B o s to n b u i l d i n g w i l l b e u s e d f o r t h e H o ffm a n -B o s to n p r e - k i n d e r g a r t e n , k i n d e r g a r t e n , an d f o r t h e 7 th g r a d e o f Thomas J e f f e r s o n J u n i o r H ig h S c h o o l. The d e t a i l s o f o u r p l a n s a r e b e i n g made a v a i l a b l e t o t h e new s m e d ia . Summary s h e e t s w i l l b e p l a c e d on t h e t a b l e o u t s i d e t h e d o o r f o r i n t e r e s t e d in d iv id u a ls . The f u l l d e t a i l s w i l l s o o n b e a v a i l a b l e a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n d e s k i n t h e lo b b y o f t h i s b u i l d i n g . They w i l l a l s o b e m a ile d i n r e s p o n s e t o a p h o n e c a l l t o t h e I n f o r m a t i o n O f f i c e — 5 5 8 -2 8 3 8 . S p e a k in g f o r t h e B o a rd a s C h a irm a n , I now move (1 ) t h a t we i n s t r u c t o u r a t t o r n e y s t o f i l e w i t h t h e U .S . D i s t r i c t C o u rt t h e p l a n s d e s c r i b e d i n t h e s t a f f memorandum a n d d o c u m e n ts o f t o d a y ’s d a t e , an d (2 ) t h a t we i n s t r u c t th e s t a f f to p ro c e ed to c a r r y o u t th e p la n . � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Arlington Public Schools Statement of Policy Issued by the Arlington County School Board concerning current litigation seeking integration of Drew and Hoffman-Boston Elementary Schools Description An account of the resource Plan from the Arlington County School Board in anticipation of a federal court ruling on the suit to further integrate Arlington County schools. 2 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington County School Board Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource No date Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1970s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_3_29 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/0b84575d382fc45f70ceed62364828fc.pdf ebc929da8b2b5426a6270e7e69ff1c8d PDF Text Text EXTRACTS FROM BOARD ACTION ON 28 JUNE 1971 CONCERNING CURRENT LITIGATION SEEKING INTEGRATION of DREW AND HOFFMAN-BOSTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Board Statement of Policy Guidelines to be Used in Desegregating the Schools Table Showing the Consequences of Applying the Guidelines �ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS June 28, 1971 STATEMENT OF POLICY ISSUED BY THE ARLINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CONCERNING CURRENT LITIGATION SEEKING INTEGRATION OF DREW AND HOFFMAN-BOSTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS The School Board has held many lengthy conferences with its attorneys on the suit instituted by parents in the Drew School area asking the federal courts to require further integration in the Arlington School System. A consultant attorney experienced in this field participated in these conferences. The School Board was eventually advised that the recent Supreme Court decisions and subsequent decisions by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which includes Virginia, make it clear that the ultimate result of that case would be a federal court order requiring the Arlington County School Board to take further steps to integrate its school system into a unitary system. The School Board has worked with the staff and the attorneys to develop a plan for integration of the two schools which would best meet not only the anticipated legal requirements but also the best interests of all Arlington students and of the community as a whole. During this process the School Board instructed its attorneys to consult with the attorneys for the plaintiffs in order to try to reach an agreement on a desegregation plan that would reduce rather than increase tensions. Several meetings and conversations took place, but no agreement was reached. The School Board discussed many times the possibility of inviting the public to take part in the development of a plan. For some weeks, consultation between our respective attorneys looked like a better procedure; by the time it became clear that further consultation would be unproductive, there was too little time for meaningful public participation. For this reason and because of the legal and technical complexities, the Board decided that the obligation and responsi­ bility could not be so shared, nor would the community benefit by public discussion of an issue of this nature, especially under these circumstances. The Board will release tonight the plan it has developed. Briefly stated: The students in grades 1-6 of Drew and Hoffman-Boston will be assigned to elementary schools throughout the Arlington School System. Kindergartens will continue at both Drew and Hoffman-Boston. No present school boundaries will be changed. A school will not be assigned students in such numbers that its total enrollment will exceed its rated capacity by more than 5%. Every elemen­ tary school will be integrated. In future years, students advancing from an elementary school will attend the junior high school or schools serving that elementary school and then to the senior high school or schools serving that junior high school. During the coming year the School Board will develop plans for a model school to be located in the Drew building and operated on an integrated basis. We hope that imaginative new approaches to elementary education and smaller �Statement of Policy Page 2 classes will attract many parents who wish their children to have this type of education which we cannot now maintain in all schools. Time does not permit the planning, nor are the funds available, to implement the model school concept by the beginning of the new school year in September, 1971. However, the School Board is very willing to explore this possibility on a reduced scale. It is planned that the Drew School facility will be used for the Montessori pre-kindergarten, the Drew kindergarten, adult education, and for other school programs; the HoffmanBoston building will be used for thie Hoffman-Boston pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and for the 7th grade of Thomas Jefferson Junior High School. The details of our plans are being made available to the news media. Summary sheets will be placed on the table outside the door for interested individuals. The full details will soon be available at the information desk in the lobby of this building. They will also be mailed in response to a phone call to the Information Office— 558-2838. Speaking for the Board as Chairman, I now move (1) that we instruct our attorneys to file with the U.S. District Court the plans described in the staff memorandum and documents of today’s date, and (2) that we instruct the staff to proceed to carry out the plan. �SECTION II Guidelines to be Used in Desegregating Drew and Hoffman-Boston Elementary Schools 1. Drew and Hoffman-Boston kindergarten students will remain at Drew and the Thomas Jefferson Annex (where Hoffman-Boston students are presently housed). 2. Drew and Hoffman-Boston students for grades 1 through 6 will be assigned to other elementary schools: a. When the added students, would not cause the receiving school to have an enrollment exceeding its established rated capacity by more than 5%. b. At a ratio of black to white of as close to 11% as is practical within a range of 7% to 15%, with the exception of the following elementary schools whose present attendance areas enroll more than 15% black students: (1) (2) Fort Myer, whose ratio is approximately 18% (3) George Mason Center, whose ratio is approximately 19% (4) 3. Glebe, whose ratio is approximately 22% Patrick Henry, whose ratio is approximately 18% Family groupings will be taken into account in assignment to a particular school. 4. Transportation will be provided as needed. �ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Department of Research June 25, 1971 ELEMENTARY PUPIL MEMBERSHIP— Est. 1971-72 GRADES I thru 6 Only With DREW & HOFFMAN-BOSTON - Grs. 1-6 Housed Outside Their Present Elementary Districts SCHOOLS AbIngdon Ash 1 awn Barcroft Barrett C1 aremont C1 ay-Fi1Imore Custis Drew Fair! inqton Ft. Myer Geo. Mason Glebe G lencar1 yn Henry Hoff-Boston Jackson Jamestown Key Mad I son Maury McKi n1 ey Nottinqham Nat'1 Orth. Oakridqe Page Randolph Reed Taylor Tuckahoe Woodmont TOTAL: Memb. NEGRO PUPI L 5 Est. PerEst. No. Add From Tota 1 New Rated PerCent Tota 1 Negro Drew and Negro Total Capacity Cent Over 1971-72 Now H-B 71-72 197 1 -72 Negro Capacity _ 470 1 1 52 63 522 675 12.1? 358 1 4 30 44 388 385 11.3 i % 314 3 39 42 353 350 11. 9 i 47(5 3 -03 410 375 0.7 9 408 5 49 54 457 450 11. 8 2 300 6 27 33 327 325 10.1 1 253 -034 34 287 300 11. 8 590 -0309 8 32 40 341 350 11. 7 277 50 -050 277 425 18.1 69 1 2 -01 2 69 70 17.4 421 89 -089 421 500 21.1 439 35 7 42 446 425 9.4 5 553 100 -0100 553 632 1 .1 8 11 4 -02 408 1 2 1 4 420 400 3.3 5 489 -066 66 555 575 11.9 666 1 3 11 24 677 645 3.5 5 -0263 36 36 299 325 12.0 156 3 1 7 20 173 175 11. 6 323 1 3 30 43 353 425 12.2 496 2 28 30 524 500 5.7 5 “ 5 -05 29 519 37 66 556 705 11. 9 2 42 326 44 368 425 12.0 8 46 435 54 481 475 11.2 - 1 - -----77 -077 516 510 — “ 1 1— 57 59 1 0 69 586 596 650 11. 6 58 2 465 60 523 500 11. 5 5 41 -04 1 301 342 450 12.0 11,233 546 704 1,250 11,233 — 11 1 . ? - �SECTION II Guidelines to be Used in Desegregating Drew and Hoffman-Boston Elementary Schools 1. Drew and Hoffman-Boston kindergarten students will remain at Drew and the Thomas Jefferson Annex (where Hoffman-Boston students are presently housed). 2. Drew and Hoffman-Boston students for grades 1 through 6 will be assigned to other elementary schools: a. When the added students, would not cause the receiving school to have an enrollment exceeding its established rated capacity by more than 5%. b. At a ratio of black to white of as close to 11% as is practical within a range of 7% to 15%, with the exception of the following elementary schools whose present attendance areas enroll more than 15% black students: (1) (2) Fort Myer, whose ratio is approximately 18% (3) George Mason Center, whose ratio is approximately 19% (A) 3. Glebe, whose ratio is approximately 22% Patrick Henry, whose ratio is approximately 18% Family groupings will be taken into account in assignment to a particular school. 4. Transportation will be provided as needed. �ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Department of Research June 25, 1971 ELEMENTARY PUPIL MEMBERSHI P— Est. 1971-72 GRADES I thru 6 Only With DREW & HOFFMAN-BOSTON - Grs. 1-6 Housed Outside Their Present Elementary Districts SCHOOLS Abingdon Ash 1 awn garcroft Barrett C1 aremont t1 ay-Fi|1 more 6ustIs brew Fai r,ington l f t . Myer Geo. Mason Glebe Giencarlyn Henry Hoff-Boston Jackson Jamestown Key Mad i son Maury McKi nley Nottingham Nat*1 Orth. Oakri dqe ______ Randolph Reed fay lor Tuckahoe Woodmont TOTAL: Memb. NEGRO PUPILS Est. PerEst. No. Add From Tota 1 New Rated PerCent Negro Drew and Neqro Tota 1 Capacity Cent Total Over 1971-72 Now H-B 71-72 1971-72 Negro Capacity _ 470 1 1 52 63 522 675 12.1? 358 1 4 30 44 388 385 11. 3 314 3 39 42 353 350 11.9 i 4T5 3 -03 410 375 0.7 9 45 (8 5 49 54 457 450 11. 8 2 300 6 27 325 33 327 10.1 1 253 34 34 287 300 -011.8 590 -0309 350 8 32 341 11. 7 40 277 425 1 .1 8 277 50 -5 50 69 17.4 69 70 1 2 -01 2 421 500 2 .1 1 89 421 -089 9.4 439 425 35 7 42 446 5 632 1 1 8. 553 553 100 -0100 11 4 -0400 3.3 408 2 1 2 1 4 4^0 5 575 11. 9 489 -066 66 555 666 24 677 645 3.5 5 1 3 11 325 1 2 7 o -0299 263 36 36 173 175 3 1 7 20 11. 6 156 353 425 1 3 43 323 30 12.2 524 30 500 396 2 28 5.7 5 -05 5 29 37 66 556 519 705 11. 9 42 44 326 2 368 425 12.0 8 54 435 481 46 475 11.2 1 77 -077 5T0 510 550 ~T5T1— 59 1 . 69 0 535 355 535 11.6 58 60 465 2 . 523 500 5. 1 1.5 4 1 -04 1 301 342 450 12.0 11,233 546 704 1,250 11,233 — 11 .i i - � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Extracts from Board Action on June 28, 1971 concerning current litigation seeking integration of Drew and Hoffman-Boston Elementary Schools Description An account of the resource Board statement of policy, guidelines to be used in desegregating the schools, table showing the consequences of applying the guidelines. 7 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington County School Board Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1971-6-28 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1970s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_3_30 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/07f7c1a25ea79fc516b535bbbb9cf47b.pdf bc09d58ff075cafcba545a405a1ceabc PDF Text Text S T A T E M E N T O F T H E A RL IN G TO N COU NTY SCHOOL BOA RD W ITH R E S P E C T TO C O N TIN U ED O P E R A T IO N O F T H E S T R A T F O R D JU N IO R HIGH SCHOOL W H E R E A S, th e S u p re m e C o u rt of A p p e a ls o f th e S ta te of V ir g in ia h a s d e c la r e d u n c o n s titu tio n a l th e s o - c a l l e d " s c h o o l- c lo s in g " la w s a d o p te d b y th e G e n e ra l A s s e m b ly of V ir g in ia , a n d W H E R E A S, th e A rlin g to n C ounty S chool B o a rd h a s b e en o r d e r e d by th e U n ite d S ta te s D i s t r i c t C o u rt fo r th e E a s te r n D i s t r i c t of V irg in ia n o t to d i s c r im i n a t e in p la c in g p u p ils on th e b a s i s of t h e i r r a c e a n d to a d m it fo u r N e g ro c h ild r e n to th e s e v e n th g r a d e of S tr a tf o r d J u n i o r H ig h S c h o o l, e ffe c tiv e th e se c o n d s e m e s t e r of th e 195 8 -5 9 s c h o o l y e a r ; a n d W H E R E A S, th e A rlin g to n C ounty S ch o o l B o a rd h a s c r o s s a p p e a le d s a id D i s t r i c t C o u rt d e c is io n to th e F o u r th C ir c u it C o u rt of A p p e a ls , on th e g ro u n d th a t th e c r i t e r i a upon w h ic h th e S chool B o a rd b a s e d i t s d e n ia l of a d m is s io n of th e fo u r N e g ro s tu d e n ts a n d th e o th e r tw e n ty - s ix N e g ro s tu d e n ts w ho m a d e a p p lic a tio n in th e s u m m e r of 1958 fo r a d m is s io n to S tr a tf o r d a n d fiv e o th e r A rlin g to n C ounty P u b lic S c h o o ls , a r e so u n d b o th in law a n d in th e a p p lic a tio n th e r e o f to th e in d iv id u a ls in v o lv e d , and W H E R E A S, th e h e a r in g on s u c h c r o s s - a p p e a l a f o r e s a i d w ill b e h e ld on J a n u a r y 2 1 , 1959, a n d it m a y b e th a t th e ju d g m e n t of th e ap p ellate- c o u r t w ill n o t be r e n d e r e d p r i o r to th e c o m m e n c e m e n t of th e se c o n d s e m e s t e r a f o r e s a i d , and �SCH O O L BOA RD S T A T E M E N T R E : ST R A T F O R D Page 2 W H E R E A S, it i s r e c o g n iz e d th a t th e g r e a t m a j o r i ty of V ir g in ia n s a n d A r iin g to n ia n s p r e f e r s e g r e g a te d s c h o o ls , b u t it i s a t th e s a m e t im e f e lt b y th e A rlin g to n C ounty S chool B o a rd th a t o r d e r ly d e s e g re g a tio n o f t h e i r s c h o o ls , in w h ic h h ig h a c a d e m ic s t a n d a r d s a n d a c h ie v e m e n t now p r e v a ilin g w ould b e m a in ta in e d , w o u ld b e p r e f e r a b le to m a s s in te g r a t i o n , w h e re s u c h s ta n d a r d s a n d a c h ie v e m e n t m ig h t b e l o s t o r s e r i o u s l y u n d e rm in e d . N O W ,T H E R E F O R E , B E IT R E S O L V E D th a t: (1) T h e A rlin g to n C ounty S ch o o l B o a r d d i r e c t i t s a tt o r n e y s to r e q u e s t th e F o u r th C i r c u i t C o u rt of A p p e a ls to g r a n t a s ta y (p o stp o n e m e n t) of th e o r d e r of th e U n ite d S ta te s D i s t r i c t C o u rt d ir e c tin g th e S ch o o l B o a rd to a d m it th e fo u r N e g ro c h ild r e n to S tr a tf o r d J u n io r H ig h S c h o o l, u n til th e d e c is io n o f s a id C o u rt of A p p e a ls b e c o m e s f in a l, a n d f o r a f u r t h e r s ta y , if s u c h b e c o m e s n e c e s s a r y , p en d in g f u r t h e r a p p e a l of th e c a s e to th e S u p re m e C o u rt of th e U n ite d S t a te s , and (2) P r o p e r c r i t e r i a b e a p p lie d to s tu d e n ts fo r a d m is s io n to o r t r a n s f e r w ith in th e A rlin g to n C ounty P u b lic S ch o o l S y s te m , a n d �SCH OOL B O A RD S T A T E M E N T R E : ST R A T F O R D Page 3 (3) N o s tu d e n t w ill b e r e q u ir e d to a tte n d a sc h o o l in w h ic h th e m a j o r i ty of th e s tu d e n ts in th a t sc h o o l is o f a n o th e r r a c e , a n d (4) If th e D i s t r i c t C o u rt d e c is io n i s a f f ir m e d a n d no s ta y i s g r a n te d b y th e a p p e lla te c o u r t, a s a b o v e r e q u e s t e d , a n d th e S c h o o l-B o a rd i s t h e r e f o r e r e q u i r e d , b y F e d e r a l C o u rt o r d e r , to a d m it th e fo u r N e g ro c h ild r e n to th e s e v e n th g r a d e o f S tr a tf o r d J u n io r H ig h S c h o o l, th en th e S u p e rin te n d e n t of th e A rlin g to n C ounty P u b lic S c h o o ls i s d i r e c te d to ta k e su c h r e a s o n a b l e a n d law fu l s t e p s a s h e d e e m s n e c e s s a r y to m a in ta in o r d e r a n d c o n tin u e d e ffe c tiv e o p e r a tio n of th e s c h o o l. �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Statement of the Arlington County School Board with Respect to Continued Operation of the Stratford Junior High School Description An account of the resource Document regarding the Arlington County School Board's plan in response to the possible District Court decision that Stratford Junior High School admit four African-American students. 4 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington County School Board Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource No date Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_17_13 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/f292d13a82a99ac1b7939b59a7447a6d.pdf 46162c59b3945f3574dcd39d8a1230dc PDF Text Text NOTICE REGARDING PUBLIC ASSEMBLAGES SECTION 18-327 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA IS AS FOLLOWS: "Every person, firm, institution or corporation operating, maintaining, keeping, conducting, sponsoring or permitting any public hall, theatre, opera house, motion picture show or any place of public entertainment or public assemblage which is attended by both white and colored persons shall separate the white race and the colored race and shall set apart and designate in each such public hall, theatre, opera house, motion picture show or place of public entertainment or public assemblage certain seats therein to be occupied by white per­ sons and a portion thereof, or certain seats therein, to be occupied by colored persons and any such person, firm, institution or corporation that shall fail, refuse or neglect to comply with the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars for each offense." SECTION 18-328 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA IS AS FOLLOWS: "Failure to take space assigned in pursuance of preceding section. Any person who fails, while in any public hall, theatre, opera house, motion picture show or place of public enter­ tainment or public assemblage, to take and occupy the seat or other space assigned to them in pursuance of the provisions of the preceding section by the manager, usher or other person in charge of such public hall, theatre, opera house, motion picture show or place of public entertainment or public assemblage or whose duty is to take up tickets or collect the admission from the guests therein, or who shall fail to obey the request of such manager, usher or other person, as aforesaid, to change his seat from time to time as occasion requires, in order that the preceding section may be complied with, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than twenty-five dollars for each offense. Further­ more such person may be ejected from such public hall, theatre, opera house, motion picture show or place of public entertainment or public assemblage, or by a police officer or any other con­ servator of the peace, and if such per­ son ejected shall have paid admission into such public hall, theatre, opera house, motion picture show or other place of public entertainment or public assemblage, he shall not be entitled to a return of any part of the same. The Attorney General of Virginia, in an opinion dated October 16, 1956, states that "It is, therefore, the duty of the local School Board as a condition pre­ cedent to granting a permit for such meetings, to require that, when such meet­ ings are attended by both white and colored persons, they shall be seated in spaces or seats designated for members of the respective races. The respon­ sibility for the designation of such spaces or seats is upon the school board that has the control of the building in which the meeting is to take place. In the event any such public assemblage is held in a building by permission of a private owner, the same responsibility rests upon such owner. Persons who attend such meetings and refuse to take the space assigned for members of their race would be subject to the enforcement provisions of Title 18 Section 328 of the Code." In accordance with the above, the Arlington County School Board hereby designates the front right hand rows of seats (as many as may be required) for members of the colored race, and the balance of the seats in the auditorium for members of the white race. Members of the respective races are required to be seated in the spaces or seats designated for them. ARLINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Notice Regarding Public Assemblages Description An account of the resource Notice from the Arlington County School Board designating the segregation of seats at public events in accordance to the Code of Virginia Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington County School Board Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource No date Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_17_61 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/94b9a14c83a004198419d634636a049b.pdf 6c13e800795a2e39e371bcdacd8cbbf9 PDF Text Text FACTS CONCERNING SEGREGATION AND INTEGRATION Issued by the Arlington,, Virginia, public schools November, 1954 Following the Supreme Court decision last May concerning segregation in public schools of the United States, the Arlington School Board on June 12 appointed a Committee to Study Problems of Integration in the schools of the county. In Arlington, as in all other parts of Virginia, segre­ gation of the races is not only traditional, but it is required by state law and the State Constitution. In light of this situation, the Integration Committee of 30 citizens was named to give the School Board help and counsel in planning for the future. The Integration Committee has held two meetings. One, on June 23rd, was for purposes of organization. At the second meeting October 18th, the members of the Integration Committee voted unani­ mously to recommend v o the School Board that the community be kept , informed as to every move in the adjustment between segregated schools and integrated schools. The committee asked that a “ 'factual reporting sheet** be published for community distribution, setting forth briefly all important developments relating to the matter of integration on local, state and national levels. This is the first issue of the factual reporting sheet. Pending further action by the Supreme Court and the State of Vir­ ginia, the Arlington School Board urges citizens to study the facts Until further decisions are made by federal and state authorities, statements involving proposed action are likely to make the final solution more difficult. Signed; T. Edward Rutter, Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth P. Campbell, Chairman, School Board Barnard Joy E. R. Draheim Warren Cox L, Clark Keating SUPREME COURT DECISION The United States Supreme Court on May 17, 1954 ruled that public school segregation of white and colored pupils is unconsti­ tutional. The ruling read in parts ’Segregation of white and colored children in public ’ schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact is greater when it has the sanction of the law; for the policy of separating the races is usually inter­ preted as denoting the inferiority of the Negro group. A �- 2 - sense of inferiority affects the motivation of a child to learn. Segregation with the sanction of law. there­ fore, has a tendency to retard the educational and mental development of Negro children and to deprive them of some of the benefits they would receive in a racially integrated school system. "We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of "separate but equal* has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others simi­ larly situated for whom the actions have been brought are, by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the law guaranteed by the Four­ teenth Amendment." The Supreme Court then set for argument, at its 1954 fall term, several questions concerning public school integration, among which is the following; "Might the Court exercise its powers for a gradual ad­ justment from segregated to nonsegregated schools?" White and Negro School Enrollment in Arlington - September 30. 1954 Arlington has five public schools for Negro students with a total enrollment this year of 1165 pupils. White public school en­ rollment totals 19,350 in 39 different school buildings. Negro en­ rollment is slightly less than 6% of the total. The white and colored enrollment in the county is distri­ buted by age groups as follows; Elementary (Grades 1 through 6) Junior high (Grades 7 through 9) Senior high (Grades 10 through 12) Negro 766 277 122 White 11,576 4,393 3,107 The colored school buildings in Arlington, with their lo­ cations and the number of pupils enrolled in each are as follows; 1. IIoffman-Boston junior-senior high school, 1415 South Queen Street. This building houses all negro junior and senior high school students in Arlington public schools, 399 in all. (116 in seventh grade, 90 in eighth, 71 in ninth, 59 in tenth, 30 in eleventh, and 33 in twelfth.) �- 3 2. 3. 4. 5. Drew elementary school, 25th and South Lincoln Streets, 296 pupilso Hoffman-Boston elementary school, 1520 South 14th Street, 151 pupils. Kemper elementary school, 2035 South Lincoln Street, 123 pupils. Langston elementary school, 4854 Lee Highway, 196 pupils. The Drev-Kemper schools are administered as one elementary unit. White and Negro Teachers The number of white and colored classroom teachers and li­ brarians in the Arlington public schools is as follows; Classroom teachers Librarians Negro 50 2 White 776 29 Teachers and librarians in Arlington's white and colored schools must meet identical requirements as to training and state certification. All employees in the Arlington schools are paid on the same salary scale. A beginning teacher in the Arlington schools, holding a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university but without experience in a regular teaching position, is now paid $3300 a year. Annual increases are given to a maximum of $5,000 for teachers with bachelor’s degrees. A teacher with a master's degree is paid $3600 as a begin­ ning salary and may advance to $5500. Arlington has two Negro school principals and one Negro in­ structional supervisor. Children in all Arlington public schools receive regular in­ struction from specially trained helping teachers in the fields of music, art, physical education and speech. Decision by State Attorney General Ten days after the Supreme Court decision outlawing segre­ gation, Attorney General J. Lindsay Almond, Jr., of Virginia, ren­ dered the opinion that the provision of the Virginia Constitution and that in the state school law providing for segregated public schools (as quoted below) are still in force. The Supreme Court decision of May 17th included an announce­ ment that the high court would hold a later hearing (now set for December 6th) to determine how integration should be put into effect. The ruling by Attorney General Almond referred to the announce­ ment by the Supreme Court that it would hold a later hearing. Mr. Almond's ruling read; �- 4 "Pending Section 140 ute enacted imbued with a final adjudication* it is r y opinion that a of the Constitution of Virginia, and the stat­ pursuant thereto*. remain intact and unimpaired, full legal validity and efficacy.1 5 Ruling by State Superintendent of Public Instruction The Superintendent of Public Instruction in the State of Virginia on May 27th directed all city and county school superin­ tendents to proceed with plans for the 1954-55 school year on the same basis of segregation as that which was previously in effect. Virginia Law Arlington operates its public schools under the authority of the Virginia State Board of Education* as regulated by the State Con­ stitution and the Code of Virginia* The Constitution of Virginia provides in Article IX; "Free schools to be maintained--The General Assembly shall es­ tablish and maintain an efficient system of public free schools throughout the State. Section 129. (The public school system was established in 1870, as required by the new Constitution adopted the year before.) "Compulsory education— The General Assembly may* in its dis­ cretion, provide for the compulsory education of children of school age." Section 138. (The first compulsory attendance law was passed in 1918.) "Mixed schools prohibited— White and colored children shall not be taught in the same school." Section 140. Virginia Schools Laws, in the Code of Virginia* amplify the provisions of the State Constitution as follows? Article 1, Section 22-221. "White and colored persons— White and colored persons shall not be taught in the same school, but shall be taught in separate schools, under the same general regulations as to management* usefulness and efficiency." Under this section the following explanation is given, based on court decisions; "Equal facilities must be afforded to each race where there is segregation in the public schools. "Absolute equality is impractical, yet substantial equality is required by the mandate of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Questions of mere expediency or the difficulties which school authorities may have in securing that constitutional right may not be considered." Article 4, Section 22-251. "Compulsory Attendance— Aaes of chil­ dren required to attend.— Every parent, guardian* or other person in the Commonwealth* having control or charge of any child* or children* �- 5 who have reached the seventh birthday and have not passed the sixteenth birthday, shall send such child, or children, to a pub­ lic school, or to a private, denominational or parochial school, or have such child or children taught by a tutor or teacher of qualification prescribed by the State Board and approved by the division superintendent in a home, and such child, or children, shall regularly attend such school during the period of each year the public schools are in session and for the same number of days and hours per day as in the public schools.” Other Developments in Virginia A poll of Virginia legislators, both delegates and sena­ tors, was taken during the summer and showed a strong desire to retain some form of segregated schools in Virginia, On August 28th, Governor Stanley appointed a 32-member com­ mission of the General Assembly to frame a state policy on the issue of school segregation. Two Arlington men. State Senator Charles Fenwick and Delegate Maynard Magruder, are members of this commission. Announcement has now been made that the commission appointed by Governor Stanley will hold a public hearing on November 15th at the State Capitol at Richmond. At this hearing, spokesmen for local governing bodies will appear to present their points of view with regard to the matter of segregation and integration. The Arlington County Board appointed County Manager A, T. Lundberg to attend the hearing as an observer, and at the same time referred to the county school board the invitation to attend the meeting. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Facts Concerning Segregation and Integration Issued by the Arlington, Virginia, public schools November, 1954 Description An account of the resource Fact sheet published for community distribution on important developments relating to integration on local, state, and national levels. 5 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington Public Schools Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1954-11 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_6_1 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/50e88c2895b862d34d3ca33cc7c075c8.pdf 112d3a646bca2479680e27a9d48423b4 PDF Text Text PACTS CONCERNING SEGREGATION AND INTEGRATION Issued by the Arlington, Virginia, public schools November, 1954 Following the Supreme Court decision last May concerning segregation in public schools of the United States, the Arlington School Board on June 12 appointed a Committee to Study Problems of Integration in the schools of the county. In Arlington, as in all other parts of Virginia, segre­ gation of the races is not only traditional, but it is required by state law and the State Constitution. In light of this situation, the Integration Committee of 30 citizens was named to give the School Board help and counsel in planning for the future. The Integration Committee has held two meetings. One, on June 23rd, was for purposes of organization. At the second meeting October 18th, the members of the Integration Committee voted unani­ mously to recommend to the School Board that the community be kept informed as to every move in the adjustment between segregated schools and integrated schools. The committee asked that a ’factual reporting sheet" be ’ published for community distribution, setting forth briefly all important developments relating to the matter of integration on local, state and national levels. This is the first issue of the factual reporting sheet. Pending further action by the Supreme Court and the State of Vir­ ginia, the Arlington School Board urges citizens to study the facts Until further decisions are made by federal and state authorities, statements involving proposed action are likely to make the final solution more difficult. Signed; T. Edward Rutter, Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth P. Campbell, Chairman, School Board Barnard Joy E. R. Draheim Warren Cox L. Clark Keating SUPREME COURT DECISION The United States Supreme Court on May 17, 1954 ruled that public school segregation of white and colored pupils is unconsti­ tutional. The ruling read in parts "Segregation of white and colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact is greater when it has the sanction of the law; for the policy of separating the races is usually inter­ preted as denoting the inferiority of the Negro group. A �2 sense of inferiority affects the motivation of a child to learn. Segregation with the sanction of law, there­ fore, has a tendency to retard the educational and mental development of Negro children and to deprive them of some of the benefits they would receive in a racially integrated school system. "We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of ’separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others simi­ larly situated for whom the actions have been brought are, by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the law guaranteed by the Four­ teenth Amendment." The Supreme Court then set for argument, at its 1954 fall term, several questions concerning public school integration, among which is the followings "Might the Court exercise its powers for a gradual ad­ justment from segregated to nonsegregated schools?" White and Negro School Enrollment in Arlington - September 30. 1954 Arlington has five public schools for Negro students with a total enrollment this year of 1165 pupils. White public school en­ rollment totals 19,350 in 39 different school buildings. Negro en­ rollment is slightly less than 6% of the total. The white and colored enrollment in the county is distri­ buted by age groups as follows; Elementary (Grades 1 through 6) Junior high (Grades 7 through 9) Senior high (Grades 10 through 12) Negro 766 277 122 White 11,576 4,393 3,107 The colored school buildings in Arlington, with their lo­ cations and the number of pupils enrolled in each are as follows; 1. Hoffman-Boston junior-senior high school, 1415 South Queen Street. This building houses all negro junior and senior high school students in Arlington public schools, 399 in all. (116 in seventh grade, 90 in eighth, 71 in ninth, 59 in tenth, 30 in eleventh, and 33 in twelfth.) �- 3 2. 3. 4. 5. Drew elementary school, 25th and South Lincoln Streets, 296 pupils. Hoffman-Boston elementary school, 1520 South 14th Street, 151 pupils. Kemper elementary school, 2035 South Lincoln Street, 123 pupils. Langston elementary school, 4854 Lee Highway, 196 pupils. The Drev-Kemper schools are administered as one elementary unit. White and Negro Teachers The number of white and colored classroom teachers and li­ brarians in the Arlington public schools is as follows; Classroom teachers Librarians Negro 50 2 White 776 29 Teachers and librarians in Arlington®s white and colored schools must meet identical requirements as to training and state certification. All employees in the Arlington schools are paid on the same salary scale. A beginning teacher in the Arlington schools, holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university but without experience in a regular teaching position, is now paid $3300 a year. Annual increases are given to a maximum of $5,000 for teachers with bachelor’s degrees. A teacher with a master's degree is paid $3600 as a begin­ ning salary and may advance to $5500. Arlington has two Negro school principals and one Negro in­ structional supervisor. Children in all Arlington public schools receive regular in­ struction from specially trained helping teachers in the fields of music, art, physical education and speech. Decision by State Attorney General Ten days after the Supreme Court decision outlawing segre­ gation, Attorney General J. Lindsay Almond, Jr., of Virginia, ren­ dered the opinion that the provision of the Virginia Constitution and that in the state school law providing for segregated public schools (as quoted below) are still in force. The Supreme Court decision of May 17th included an announce­ ment that the high court would hold a later hearing (now set for December 6th) to determine how integration should be put into effect. The ruling by Attorney General Almond referred to the announce­ ment by the Supreme Court that it would hold a later hearing. Mr. Almond's ruling read; �4 ’Pending ’ Section 140 ute enacted imbued with a final ad judication, it is my opinion that of the Constitution of Virginia, and the stat­ pursuant thereto, remain intact and unimpaired, full legal validity and efficacy." Ruling by State Superintendent of Public Instruction The Superintendent of Public Instruction in the State of Virginia on May 27th directed all city and county school superin­ tendents to proceed with plans for the 1954-55 school year on the same basis of segregation as that which was previously in effect. Virginia Law Arlington operates its public schools under the authority of the Virginia State Board of Education, as regulated by the State Con­ stitution and the Code of Virginia. The Constitution of Virginia provides in Article IX: "Free schools to be maintained— -The General Assembly shall es­ tablish and maintain an efficient system of public free schools throughout the State. Section 129. (The public school system was established in 1870, as required by the new Constitution adopted the year before.) "Compulsory education— The General Assembly may, in its dis­ cretion, provide for the compulsory education of children of school age.” Section 138. (The first compulsory attendance law was passed in 1918.) ’Mixed schools prohibited— White and colored children shall not ’ be taught in the same school." Section 140. Virginia Schools Laws, in the Code of Virginia, amplify the provisions of the State Constitution as follows: Article 1, Section 22-221. "White and colored persons— White and colored persons shall not be taught in the same school, but shall be taught in separate schools, under the same general regulations as to management, usefulness and efficiency." Under this section the following explanation is given, based on court decisions: "Equal facilities must be afforded to each race where there is segregation in the public schools. "Absolute equality is impractical, yet substantial equality is required by the mandate of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Questions of mere expediency or the difficulties which school authorities may have in securing that constitutional right may not be considered." Article 4, Section 22-251. "Compulsory Attendance— Ages of chil­ dren required to attend.--Every parent, guardian, or other person in the Commonwealth, having control or charge of any child, or children. �5 who have reached the seventh birthday and have not passed the sixteenth birthday, shall send such child, or children, to a pub­ lic school, or to a private, denominational or parochial school, or have such child or children taught by a tutor or teacher of qualification prescribed by the State Board and approved by the division superintendent in a home, and such child, or children, shall regularly attend such school during the period of each year the public schools are in session and for the same number of days and hours per day as in the public schools.* Other Developments in Virginia A poll of Virginia legislators, both delegates and sena­ tors, was taken during the summer and showed a strong desire to retain some form of segregated schools in Virginia, On August 28th, Governor Stanley appointed a 32-member com­ mission of the General Assembly to frame a state policy on the issue of school segregation. Two Arlington men. State Senator Charles Fenwick and Delegate Maynard Magruder, are members of this commission. Announcement has now been made that the commission appointed by Governor Stanley will hold a public hearing on November 15th at the State Capitol At Richmond. At this hearing, spokesmen for local governing bodies will appear to present their points of view with regard to the matter of segregation and integra,tion. The Arlington County Board appointed County Manager A. T» Lundberg to attend the hearing as an observer, and at the same time referred to the county school board the invitation to attend the meeting. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Facts Concerning Segregation and Integration Issued by the Arlington, Virginia, public schools November, 1954 Description An account of the resource Fact sheet published for community distribution on important developments relating to integration on local, state, and national levels. 5 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington Public Schools Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1954-11 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_6_8 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/f2ca5418ea5aef63ad006dbd8a7faad3.pdf 8a48e2a9c106a29abe786ca7bc2171dd PDF Text Text Second Issue PACTS CONCERNING- SEGREGATION AND INTEGRATION Issued by the Arlington, Virginia, Public Schools for the information of School Advisory Committees, Parent-Teacher Associations, and other interested persons.. December 195^ SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS POSTPONED The United States Supreme Court on November 22 announced that it will delay further the hearing of arguments as to how the ruling of the court against racial segregation in the public schools shall be put into effect,. The death of Associate Justice Robert H„ Jackson, which results in "the absence of a full court", is given as the reason for the postponment. When the original integration decree was issued last May 17> the Su­ preme Court announced that arguments as to how to implement the ruling would be heard in October„ Early in the fall the date was postponed to December 6. Even with the December 6 date for arguments, final decrees were not expected to be issued until spring,. The new announcement that the cases will be continued sets no date for hearing the arguments,. The Senate will not act until January on the nomination of Judge John Marshall Harlan to the court. If Judge Harlan's nomination is confirmed in January, the court would then be complete. ARLINGTON SCHOOL BOARD STATEMENT AT PUBLIC HEARING An official statement from the Arlington School Board, giving the opinion of the Board as to the action which should be taken in Virginia in light of the Supreme Court decision of last May concerning racial integration in the public schools, was presented by Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell, chairman, at a public hearing in Richmond, November 15, I95U. The hearing was held by the Virginia Commission on Public Education, appointed by Governor Thomas B. Stanley. John B„ Boatwright, Jr., secretary of the Commission on Public Edu­ cation, issued the call for the public hearing at which Mrs. Campbell spoke. In his letter of October 7> addressed to all members of the General Assembly of Virginia, to chairmen of all county Boards of Supervisors, and to mayors or other officials in all cities and towns in Virginia, he said, "The Commission desires to obtain the views and recommendations of the governing bodies and citizens as to what Virginia should do when the decision of the Supreme Court becomes effective . . . . . The hearing will be devoted to the specific question; 'What course should Virginia follow in the light of the decision of the Supreme Court in the school segregation cases?'1 1 The Arlington County Board received the letter announcing the hearing. The County Board voted to send County Manager A. T. Lundberg to the hearing as an observer. The County Board then referred the invitation to the hearing to the Arlington School Board. �The School Board sought the advice of the Committee to Study Problems of Integration in the Arlington Schools as to what statement the School Board should make at the hearing,, The Integration Committee, appointed last June, is made up of 7 negro citizens and 21 white citizens of Arlington. On November 8 , the Integration Committee unanimously approved a tentative statement, which was later officially adopted by the Arlington School Board to be presented in Rich­ mond . The statement from the Arlington School Board is as follows; "The Arlington County Board of Supervisors referred to the Arlington School Board the invitation to appear before your Commission. As chairman of this School Board and on its behalf, we respectfully submit to you the follow­ ing recommendation: "First: We believe that the system of public education in the Common­ wealth of Virginia should continue to be maintained and supported and the com­ pulsory school attendance laws of the state should be continued in force. "Second; During the present interim period, before the final decrees of the Supreme Court directing how the integration decision is to be put into effect, we ask the Commission to urge that calmness and restraint prevail in all acts and statements by citizens, in all official acts and statements, and partic­ ularly in any legislative action by the Commonwealth of Virginia concerning the matter of integration of the races in the public schools. "Third: We urge that local school boards be given maximum latitude as to the methods to be used to carry out the decrees of the Supreme Court within the framework of the law of the Commonwealth of Virginia. "Fourth: provisions for due mendations made by Supreme Court have As we have faith in our American form of government and its process of law, it is the prayer of this Board that recom­ the Governor's Commission after the final decrees of the been entered, be legally consistent with such decrees." VIRGINIA FILES BRIEF IN INTEGRATION CASE Monday, November 15, was the deadline for the filing of briefs in the Supreme Court school integration cases. Virginia's brief said in part: "Education now follows one pattern in the State; a plan for local variation must be devised. Time is needed for the preparation of such a plan; without such a plan Virginia's schools may be closed. Seven states and the District of Columbia filed briefs in the case. The Washington Post and Times-Heraid summarized the briefs as follows: "The District brief said no further court action is necessary since school integration will be completed here by next September. Kansas said major steps have been taken toward integration and more are planned next year. Virginia, South Carolina and Delaware begged for time. Delaware said a significant percentage of people in parts of the state are not ready to accept integration. Virginia said local authorities must work out individual plans. South Carolina said courts cannot command adoption of affirmative solutions." �- 3 - PTA COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ACTS The executive committee of the Arlington County Council of ParentTeacher Associations on November 3 unanimously passed a resolution asking that Governor Stanley and the Commission on Public Education preserve the public schools of Virginia, maintain the compulsory attendance laws, and per­ mit local autonomy in carrying out the spirit of the Supreme Court decrees. COUNTY BOARD ASKS STATE UNIFORMITY The Arlington County Board on November 27 unanimously passed a reso­ lution urging the Virginia Commission on Public Education to take the follow­ ing stand regarding the Supreme Court integration decree: 1. That the Commission be urged to pursue a course which will continue to preserve state's rights. 2. That any plan finally adopted be uniform throughout the state. George M. Rov/zee, Sr., who introduced the resolution, explained that the purpose of the request for state uniformity is to eliminate confusion on the part of persons who are considering moving to Virginia. Wesley W. Cooper, in discussing the County Board resolution, mentioned that it expresses a viewpoint different from that of the School Board resolu­ tion on the same matter. As reported in The Arlington Sun, Mr. Cooper said he did not oppose Mr. Rowzee's motion but that he "wondered whether a statement should be made at all if it does not represent the people of the county." Alvin F. Kimel said he agreed with Mr. Cooper that the resolution of the County Board "is not as meaningful until the concensus of the people is determined, but that it is policy of the Board." ATTORNEY GENERAL'S STAND United States Attorney General Brownell last week filed a brief for the Department of Justice, giving that department's views on integration. His recommendations, as summarized by The Washington Star, are: "The Supreme Court should direct inferior Federal courts to supervise integration in their districts. "Lower courts should order local school officials to submit integration plans within 90 days. "The courts should hold hearings to determine if the plans submitted will integrate the schools as quickly and smoothly as possible. "The lower courts should modify the plans if necessary and then order them executed by the earliest practicable date. "Progress reports should be submitted periodically by the school officials. �-k "If no plan for integration is drawn by local school officials3 the local court should order integration to be accomplished at the beginning of the next school term." In commenting on the Department of Justice recommendations, the Attorney General said that segregation must be abandoned, "as quickly as feasible, regardless of how much it may be favored by some people in the community." ARLINGTON LEGISLATORS AT STATE HEARING All four of ArlingtonBs representatives to the State Assembly had a part in the hearing at Richmond November 15 on the Supreme Court ruling against racial segregation in the public schools. State Senator Charles R„ Fenwick and Delegate J. Maynard Magruder are members of the Governor's Commission on Public Education which held the hearing. Delegate Harrison Mann submitted to Chairman Gray of the Commission the results of a survey which he took "to obtain a cross-section of opinion of the electorate in Arlington County on the segregation problem." He re­ ported that he sent out just over 1,000 requests for views and suggestions on the problem. In his letter, dated November 11, 195^> he reports: "To date there have been 13^ replies, by mail, telephone, and personal contact, or approximately 13$ of those written to. The responses are still coming in at the rate of 10 to 15 a day. These are divided as follows: 63$ did not favor integration in any form if it could possibly be avoided; 26$ favored integra­ tion, either immediately or by positive steps to institute it gradually. In 11$ of the responses it was not possible to ac­ curately determine the views of the writer. "Various suggestions were made. Quite a number of the people remarked that if the races were left alone, the vast majority of each would prefer to go to school with members of their own race. A significant number of those who favored integration suggested that it be started gradually in the first grades and worked out over a period of time. Those who opposed integration made various suggestions centered on a three-school system (for white students, negro students and integrated) and repeal of the compulsory school laws. Only a very small percentage advocated abolishing the public school system." Delegate Kathryn H. Stone asked for careful study of the problem "in the best tradition of a Christian and liberty-loving people whose basic tenet is respect for the individual person." "The present position of our school board, which I share", Mrs. Stone said,"is that no step should be contemplated by your Commission which would impair the great progress made in Virginia under the Constitutional guarantee of free public education and the compulsory school attendance law. �- 5 - Further, that the possibility of integration is one which must he worked out locally, as the facts and public opinion support first steps. The success­ ful conduct of a sound program of public education rests, in the final analy­ sis, uppn the community and its duly constituted school board„ What may be workable in one community may be impractical in another. We believe that no blanket, State-wide prescription can meet the issue posed, "As we await the final decrees of the Supreme Court on implementation of its decision, may we strengthen our deep resolution on the importance of good public education to the life of our Constitutional democracy; may we bear in mind the great differences among our communities which will require, I think, local answers to local situations, and may we firmly resolve to make our answers consonant with the decision of our highest tribunal." DIFFERING VIEWS AT RICHMOND A detailed report of the hearing in Richmond on November 15 was printed by the Richmond Times-Dispatcho The following excerpts from this account summarize some of the views presented: "Set up what amounts to a triple, in place of the present dual, school system by retaining separate schools for whites and Negroes and adding mixed schools for those wishing to attend integrated classes. "In effect, abolish the public schools and turn education over to private school corporations. "Repeal or amend the compulsory attendance lav/ and the State Constitution's provision requiring the General Assembly to maintain free public schools. "Several middle-of-the-road speakers voiced strong opposition to weakening the constitutional requirement, but would revise the,: attendance law so no child would be forced into mixed classes. "Pro-integration plans ranged from the do-it-now type to a grad­ ual approach of beginning in the lowest grades and working up over a period of years. "Ministers and church groups generally offered mild but firm appeals urging the commission to find a way to conform with, rather than try to circumvent, the court's ruling." THE PRESIDENT COMMENTS President Eisenhower commented on the integration question at a press conference on November 23. As reported by the newspapers, "The President said he believed the Supreme Court would avoid any arbitrary order on the integration process and weigh practical problems and deep-seated emotions involved. He remarked that the court might try to devise a way to bring about de-segregation under some form of decentralized process." � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Issue Facts Concerning Segregation and Integration December 1954 Description An account of the resource Second fact sheet issued by Arlington, Virginia, Public Schools for the information of School Advisory Committees, Parent-Teacher Associations, and other interested persons. 5 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington Public Schools Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1954-12 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_6_14 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/7b633fd6844a4203d2a3c597de12b1bf.pdf 61b922d039f6ba883130df5837cbd50d PDF Text Text ARLINGTON SCHOOL BOARD STATEMENT CONCERNING THE COMMITTEE TO STUDY PROBLEMS OF INTEGRATION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS June 23, 1954-* The Committee on Integration was set up because the Arlington School Board needs help from many different segments of our Arlington population con­ cerning the important matter of putting Into effect the recent United States Supreme Court ruling prohibiting segregation of races in our publio eohoola. Arlington is a Virginia community where separation of white and Negro pupils has been practiced ever since public education was first established in the State. While there are many fine citizens who favor integration, there are many equally fine citizens who have sincere reservations. With this situa­ tion, the best thinking of our community needs to be enlisted so as to study and make recommendations as to the wisest way to bring about the changes which will be required during the next few years because of the Supreme Court ruling. The School Board took into account these principles in setting up the committees 1. The Committee should be large enough to represent many different areas of thinking among our citizens. -2. Persons were not named officially as representatives of groups. (For this reason no presidents of organiza­ tions were asked to serve on the committee.) Rather, the individuals named are connected with representative local organizations and are familiar with the thinking and policies of such groups. They will not be official representatives and therefore will not be required to poll their members in order to suggest or approve a course of action on any matter coming before the committee* '3. Since many diverse aspects of school Integration will probably be studied, the Board named enough people so the Committee can be sub-divided to study these different questions. It is expected that other citizens will be asked by the committee to serve on sub-committees. Also, the School Board requests that at least one school staff member be invited to serve on each sub-committee. There Is great public interest in the work of this body. Because the committee" activities must be so closely tied in with school board policies, the School Board asks that all press releases be approved jointly by the chairman of the Integration Committee and the chairman of the School Board. The Arlington School Board earnestly needs the help of this Inte­ gration Committee. However, it must be made clear that the work of the committee can be only advisory. The committee will make recommendations to the School � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Arlington School Board Statement Concerning the Committee to Study Problems of Integration in the Public Schools, June 23, 1954 Description An account of the resource Statement explaining the School Board's decision to set up the committee Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington School Board Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1954-6-23 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington Public Schools Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_5_13 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/46c1dd7e8625a34c93e8a0f57c1c7605.pdf cdf0dbeeb2cb4b203a807999bfa010eb PDF Text Text THE CITIZENS EIGHT FOE BETTER SCHOOIS IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA P repared F or The N a tio n a l C itiz e n s Commission F or The P u b lic Schools By B. Alden L illy w h ite and O thers * INTRODUCTION T h is sta te m en t can he b e s t d e sc rib e d a s a b r i e f c h ro n o lo g ic a l account o f th e e f f o r t s d u rin g th e p a s t 5 y e ars of th e c it i z e n s of A rlin g to n County, V ir g in ia t o improve th e p u b lic s c h o o ls. I t does n o t s e t f o r t h fundam ental con­ c e p ts o r p r in c ip le s about p u b lic e d u c a tio n and what c it i z e n s could o r should do about i t , f o r th e sim ple re a so n t h a t th e A rlin g to n program d id n o t s t a r t i n t h a t k in d of s e t t i n g . I t i s sim ply a summary account of what happened t o th e communi­ t y 's p u b lic sch o o ls when d efen se a c t i v i t i e s o f th e F e d e ra l Government e n g u lfe d th e a re a w ith new p o p u la tio n , and th e e x is tin g sch o o l a d m in is tra tio n appeared in ca p ab le o r u n w illin g t o meet th e r e s u l ti n g problem s. Some re a d e rs may f in d t h i s sta te m e n t to o lo c a liz e d and o th e rs may c o n sid e r th e a c t i v i t i e s d e s c rib e d a re n o t i n accordance w ith th e b e s t p r a c tic e i n th e f i e l d . T h is may be t r u e , b u t i t i s th e firm b e l i e f of th e A rlin g to n C itiz e n s Committee f o r School Improvement t h a t what a community should do about i t s p u b lic sch o o ls depends on l o c a l c o n d itio n s - n o t p h ilo s o p h ic a l sta te m e n ts of t h e o r y . I t i s th e f u r t h e r b e l i e f of th e committee members t h a t th e h e lp c it i z e n s groups need most i n t h e i r e f f o r t s t o improve t h e i r p u b lic sch o o l programs i s th e d e t a i l o f what has been done in o th e r communities and how i t was done - n o t why i t was done. I t i s w r i t te n w ith th e hope t h a t th e e x p erien c e i n A rlin g to n w i l l have some v a lu e f o r th e c it i z e n s of o th e r communities who want t o g iv e t h e i r c h ild re n th e b e s t p o s s ib le e d u c a tio n a l o p p o r tu n itie s . CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COUNTY A rlin g to n , V irg in ia i s n o t a t y p i c a l American community. I t i s a county com prising an a re a of only 2k square m ile s lo c a te d alo n g th e banks of th e Potomac R iv er which s e p a ra te s i t from th e D i s t r i c t of Columbia o f which i t was o r i g in a l ly a p a r t . I n i t s econom ic, s o c i a l , g e o g ra p h ic a l and i n d u s t r i a l f e a t u r e s , i t i s a p a r t o f th e W ashington M e tro p o lita n a re a which in c lu d e s , in a d d itio n t o th e D i s t r i c t of Columbia, s e v e ra l a d jo in in g c o u n tie s i n M aryland and V ir g in ia . P o l i t i c a l l y , i t i s one of th e 100 c o u n tie s i n V ir g in ia , a o n e -p a rty , p o l l t a x , S o u th ern s t a t e . The county i s th e dominant p o l i t i c a l u n i t , sin c e i t c o n ta in s no m u n ic ip al governm ent. In 1930 A rlin g to n had a p o p u la tio n of 37,000. I t grew m o derately as a n ti- d e p r e s s io n a c t i v i t i e s o f th e F e d e ra l Government were expanded. By 19k0 th e p o p u la tio n had reached 57,000, b u t I t s growth was more i n th e n a tu re of c a tc h in g th e s p i l l - o v e r from W ashington, D.C. r a t h e r th a n th e planned and encouraged growth o f a w e ll-o rd e re d community. T here was l i t t l e e f f o r t on th e p a r t of i t s le a d e rs t o a t t r a c t new p o p u la tio n or t o p la n f o r h e a lth y growth and developm ent. T here was no g re a t p re s s u re f o r a d d itio n a l schools o r o th e r community s e rv ic e s s in c e th e p o p u la tio n growth had been g ra d u a l. The County sim ply appeared a s a * O scar R. LeBeau, Iv a n A. B ooker, A lly n A. W alters and Reed K. Pond. �-ap la c e where F e d e ra l employees coming t o W ashington could f in d a p la c e t o l i v e . S h o rtly a f t e r th e o u tb rea k of World War I I , th e boom s e t i n . War and d e fen se a c t i v i t i e s o f th e F e d e ra l Government expanded r a p id ly thro u g h o u t th e M e tro p o lita n a r e a . A r lin g to n 's sh a re of th e new F e d e ra l i n s t a l l a t i o n s was sub­ s t a n t i a l . A new A irp o rt, one o f th e l a r g e s t in th e n a tio n , had r e c e n tly been com pleted on A r lin g to n 's s id e of th e R iv e r. The Pentagon, o fte n re p o rte d t o be th e w o rld ’s l a r g e s t o f f ic e b u ild in g , was c o n s tru c te d a t a re p o rte d c o s t o f alm ost $100,000,000 and employed a t i t s peak 40,000. An A ir - tr a n s p o r t Command and o th e r f l y in g f a c i l i t i e s a d ja c e n t t o th e N a tio n a l A irp o rt were com pleted. F o rt Myer, a permanent i n s t a l l a t i o n , was g r e a t ly expanded. A rlin g to n H a ll, a n i n s t a l l a t i o n t h a t became th e communications c e n te r of th e a l l i e d f o r c e s , was c o n s tru c te d on v a lu a b le lan d i n th e c e n te r of th e c o u n ty . A s e r i e s of b u ild in g s were c o n s tru c te d t o house re c o rd s , th e Bureau of Yards and Pocks and o th e r m isce lla n eo u s a c t i v i t i e s o f th e D epartm ent of Navy. A Marine b a rra c k s was com pleted n e x t t o F o rt Myer and a p r o je c t t o house government g i r l s was b u i l t and p u t i n to o p e ra tio n . A ll of th e s e f a c i l i t i e s were owned and o p e rated by th e F e d e ra l Government. No com pila­ t i o n i s a v a ila b le of th e c o s t t o c o n s tru c t o r eq u ip them o r t h e i r p re s e n t v a lu e . R e lia b le e s tim a te s p la c e th e a c q u i s i t io n c o s t of th e s e f a c i l i t i e s a t $300,000,000 and th e p re s e n t v alu e a t more th a n h a l f a b i l l i o n , which i s alm ost tw ice th e valu e o f a l l ta x a b le p ro p e rty i n th e C ounty. S in ce t h i s p ro p e rty i s F ederally-ow ned, i t y ie ld s no p ro p e rty -ta x income. At th e peak, th e s e f a c i l i t i e s employed betw een 75,000 and 100,000 p e o p le . These and o th e r d efen se a c t i v i t i e s of th e F e d e ra l Government b rought te n s of thousands of new w orkers t o th e W ashington m e tro p o lita n a r e a . Thousands o f th e s e w orkers and t h e i r fa m ilie s s e t t l e d i n A rlin g to n a s f a s t as houses and apartm ent u n i ts could be c o n s tru c te d f o r them . The b u ild in g boom d id n o t cease w ith th e s u rre n d e r of Ja p a n , b u t , on th e c o n tra ry , th e volume of c o n s tru c tio n a c t i v i t y has been in c re a s in g each y e a r sin c e t h a t tim e . A s p e c ia l p o p u la tio n census ta k e n e a r ly i n 1948 shewed a t o t a l o f 124,000 people in th e c o unty, not in c lu d in g th e p e rso n n e l s ta tio n e d on m il i ta r y r e s e r v a tio n s . T h is i s a n in c re a s e o f 118$ from 1940 t o 1948 and an in c re a s e o f 237$ from 1930 t o 1948. People from e v ery S t a te , t r a i n e d t o do alm ost any and ev ery k ind of work, and p a r t i c u l a r l y h ig h ly s k i l l e d and p r o f e s s io n a l work, moved in t o A rlin g to n C ounty. The 1940 census fig u r e s showed t h a t A r lin g to n 's a d u lt r e s id e n ts had th e second h ig h e s t e d u c a tio n a l a tta in m e n ts of any community i n th e U nited S t a t e s . S ince t h a t tim e , th e p ro p o rtio n of h ig h ly t r a i n e d and p r o f e s s io n a l people coming i n to th e community i s p ro b ab ly even g r e a t e r . The 1940 census fig u r e s a ls o showed t h a t A r lin g to n 's p o p u la tio n was younger, th e r e was a la r g e r p ro p o rtio n o f wage e a rn e rs and th e income p e r fa m ily was h ig h e r th a n i n th e average community. Over h a l f of a l l employed wage e a rn e rs i n th e County work f o r th e F e d e ra l Government. Many o f th e s e people came t o th e n a ti o n 's c a p i t a l , in te n d in g t o rem ain o nly u n t i l t h e i r war job was done and th e y could r e tu r n t o t h e i r homes. Many were arm ed-force p e rso n n e l on lim ite d to u r s of d u ty . The r e s u l t was a h ig h ly t r a n s i e n t p o p u la tio n , many of whom had only a tem porary o r p a ssin g i n t e r e s t i n th e a c t i v i t i e s o f th e community which was t h e i r tem porary home. The u s u a l c i t i z e n i n t e r e s t and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n community a f f a i r s was p re s e n t i n A rlin g to n f o r only a sm all p o r tio n o f th e p o p u la tio n . Many o f th e new re s id e n ts c o n tin u ed t o v o te in t h e i r home s t a t e s s in c e th e y c o n sid ere d th e re sid e n c e i n A rlin g to n tem porary. The apportionm ent laws governing appointm ent t o and r e le a s e o f p ersons from C i v il S e rv ic e p o s itio n s w ith �- 3 th e F e d e ra l Government encouraged th e p r a c t ic e , and th e p o l l t a x and r e g i s t r a t i o n re q u ire m e n ts i n V irg in ia made i t d i f f i c u l t t o become e l i g i b l e t o v o te . As a r e s u l t of th e s e c irc u m stan c es, th e r e were only about 20,000 r e g is te r e d v o te rs in th e county i n th e f a l l of 1947, and only h a lf of th e s e vo ted t h a t F a l l when l o c a l and s t a t e o f f i c e r s were e le c t e d . Yet t h i s was th e next t o th e l a r g e s t number e v e r v o tin g i n an e l e c t i o n i n A rlin g to n b e in g exceeded only by th e 1944 P r e s i d e n ti a l e l e c t i o n . In th e P r e s i d e n ti a l e le c t i o n in th e F a l l of 1948, a t o t a l of 28,000 were r e g is te r e d and roughly 20,000 v o te d , th e la r g e s t number e v e r v o tin g in th e county and t h a t number had been reached in A rlin g to n only a f t e r stre n u o u s e f f o r t s d u rin g th e p a s t two o r th r e e y e a rs on th e p a r t of a number of c iv ic o rg a n iz a tio n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y th e League of Women V o te rs, t o g e t people r e g is te r e d . One o th e r f a c t o r p e r tin e n t t o th e s i t u a t i o n i n A rlin g to n i s th e H atch Act governing p o l i t i c a l a c t i v i t i e s of F e d e ra l em ployees. R eg u latio n s p erm it F e d e ra l w orkers t o p a r t i c i p a t e a c t i v e l y only in n o n -p a rtis a n l o c a l e le c t i o n s . F e d e ra l w orkers c a n 't campaign o r work a c t i v e l y f o r a p a r ty nominee f o r any o f f ic e nor p a r t i c i p a t e in m eetings where p a rty p o lic y i s form ed. There i s c o n sid e ra b le con­ fu s io n and u n c e r ta in ty a s t o how th e s e r e g u la tio n s a p p ly t o s p e c if ic cases and i n o rd e r t o be s u re , many of th e F e d e ra l employees ta k e no a c tiv e p a r t i n lo c a l p o l i t i c a l m a tte rs . In a d d itio n t o a l l of th e s e f a c t o r s , V ir g in ia i s governed b y a stro n g p o l i t i c a l o rg a n iz a tio n t h a t re ac h es i n to e v ery c o u n ty . Seldom has th e r e been any s e rio u s c o n te s t betw een R epublican and D em ocratic o f f ic e s e e k e rs . The p rim a rie s fu rn is h e d th e o nly c o n te s t, and i n most c ases th e p e rso n who wins th e prim ary i s th e one who has th e a p p ro v al o f th e D em ocratic o rg a n iz a tio n . The f a c t t h a t th e r e was l i t t l e or no c o n te s t i n most r e g u la r e le c tio n s a cc o u n ts f o r much of th e apathy of th e people re g a rd in g e le c t i o n o f t h e i r l o c a l o f f i c i a l s . Year a f t e r y e a r, th e dominant p a rty o rg a n iz a tio n has p ick e d th e l o c a l o f f i c i a l s and was i n com plete c o n tr o l of th e l o c a l s i t u a t i o n . The p o l i t i c a l p a rty i n power a p p o in te d th e School Board, a s w i l l appear l a t e r . These c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t h a t s e t A rlin g to n a p a r t a s d i f f e r e n t from most American communities were of c o n sid e ra b le s ig n ific a n c e in th e c i t i z e n 's e f f o r t t o o b ta in b e t t e r s c h o o ls . They shaped th e program t h a t was developed, d i c t a te d th e ty p e o f a c tio n s t h a t were ta k e n and determ ined th e c h a ra c te r o f th e f i g h t t h a t was waged. While many of th e s e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s may appear t o th e o u ts id e r as having l i t t l e d i r e c t s ig n if ic a n c e t o th e sch o o l improvement movement, re c o g n itio n of them i s e s s e n t i a l t o an u n d e rstan d in g of th e re aso n s f o r th e a c t i v i t i e s c a r r ie d out in th e f i g h t f o r b e t t e r sc h o o ls. AKLIKGTOB'S PUBLIC SCHOOL PROBLEM As e a r l y a s 1940, th e sc h o o l p la n t in A rlin g to n County was inadequate f o r a p o p u la tio n of 37^000 p e o p le . The e n t i r e system was on h a lf-d a y se ss io n s f o r f i r s t and second g ra d e s, th e r e were no p u b lic k in d e rg a rte n s , and no p ro v is io n w hatever f o r e x c e p tio n a l c h ild r e n . The County had had h a lf-d a y s e s s io n s f o r more th a n 20 y e a rs and a lth o u g h th e School A d m in is tra tio n had m ain tain ed t h a t i t was a tem porary e x p e d ie n t, i t became q u ite e v id e n t - and indeed th e sc h o o l a d m in is tra tiv e s t a f f began t o defend th e p ro p o s itio n - t h a t th e s i t u a t i o n was t o be a cc ep te d as a permanent p o lic y . The sch o o ls were org an ized on a t r i - m e s t e r system - two m id-year prom otions and r e o rg a n iz a tio n s . T here was no sta n d a rd s a la r y s c a le f o r te a c h e r s . C re d it g iv en f o r te a c h in g e x p erien c e o u tsid e of V ir g in ia was d isc o u n te d , and i n a number of o th e r ways th e sch o o l sta n d a rd s i n A rlin g to n were s u b s t a n t i a l l y below thos«. of o th e r s im ila r com m unities. �- k - As th e p re s s u re of new p o p u la tio n was f e l t , th e sc h o o ls became more and more crowded. O perating budgets d id n o t keep pace w ith th e growth o f sc h o o l p o p u la tio n . Good te a c h e rs became more d i f f i c u l t t o h i r e and th e e d u c a tio n a l sta n d a rd s f u r t h e r d e te r io r a t e d . The impact of wartim e growth on A r lin g to n 's sc h o o l system was more e v id e n t th a n t h a t in many o th e r communities because A r lin g to n 's sc h o o l system was so p o o rly p re p are d t o meet i t . Moreover, th e r e was a d i s t i n c t la c k o f le a d e rs h ip and d is p o s i t io n on th e p a r t of th e sch o o l b o a rd t o do a n y th in g t o meet th e s e problem s. When th e w artim e jobs of many of th e new r e s id e n ts c o n tin u ed lo n g e r th a n th e y had a n ti c ip a te d , th e y began t o r e a l i z e t h a t t h e i r c h ild r e n would be i n th e A rlin g to n Schools f o r a number of y e a rs . C onsequently, th e y began t o ta k e more of a n i n t e r e s t i n community a f f a i r s , p a r t i c u l a r l y s c h o o ls. As th e overcrow ding, te a c h e r sh o rta g e , in ad eq u ate f a c i l i t i e s and low o p e ra tin g b udgets began t o r e s u l t i n low er and low er sta n d a rd s of e d u c a tio n a l s e r v ic e , a number of th e county r e s i ­ d e n ts , some of th e old a s w e ll as th e new r e s i d e n t s , began t o a tte n d sch o o l bo ard m ee tin g s, t o a sk q u e stio n s and t o make re q u e s ts f o r much needed improvem ents. T h is a p p a re n tly was som ething new i n th e County and th e re c e p tio n by th e B eard was n o t to o c o r d ia l. The f iv e sch o o l b o a rd members were a p p o in ted by a School T ru ste e E le c t o r a l B oard, f o r ov erlap p in g term s o f y e a rs e ac h . T his School T ru ste e E le c t o r a l B oard, in t u r n , was a p p o in ted by th e C i r c u i t Judge of th e County who i s s e le c te d f o r an i n d e f i n i te term of o f f ic e b y th e O rg a n iza tio n c o n tr o lle d L e g is la tu r e . The School B oard, of c o u rse , s e le c te d th e S u p e rin te n d en t of S ch o o ls. Under t h i s system , s e l e c ti o n of sch o o l b o a rd members was fo u r s te p s removed from d i r e c t a c t i o n by th e v o te r s , and th e sc h o o l su p e rin te n d e n t who had b een i n o f f ic e over 25 y e a rs , was s t i l l one f u r t h e r s te p removed from th e p e o p le . The c it i z e n s of th e County d i d n 't put th e School Board members i n o f f ic e and c o u ld n 't p u t them out of o f f ic e - and th e Board members knew i t . A ll members of th e School Board and th e sc h o o l s u p e rin te n d e n t had a p p ro v al of th e p o l i t i c a l p a rty i n power in th e c o u n ty . T hus, th e y were re a so n a b ly su re of t h e i r te n u re so long as th e y p le a se d th e le a d e rs of th e p a r ty . The c a r d in a l p o in t o f th e p a rty le a d e rs seemed t o be t o keep ta x e s low re g a rd le s s of th e consequences t o th e sc h o o ls. The r e a c tio n of th e School Board t o th e c i t i z e n s ' re q u e s ts t h a t improve­ ments be made o r t h a t f a c te be made a v a ila b le t o them , was a t f i r s t u n frie n d ly and th e n openly h o s t i l e . By t h e i r a c tio n s th e b o a rd members made i t p l a i n t h a t th e y d i d n 't l ik e c it i z e n s t o q u e stio n what th e y d id . FOBMATIOH OF THE CITIZEK5 COMMITTEE FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT In 19^6 a new sch o o l bo ard member was t o be a p p o in ted by th e School T ru ste e E le c t o r a l B oard. A number o f th e c it i z e n s got b ehind a m in is te r in th e county who had jo in e d i n th e e f f o r t s f o r sc h o o l improvement, and made a stro n g case f o r h is ap pointm ent. The m eeting a t which th e appointm ent was made showed how w e ll e n tre n ch e d th e group in power was. An overwhelming m a jo rity of th o se t h a t spoke a t th e m eeting urged th e appointm ent o f th e m in is te r . The p r i n c i p a l su p p o rt of th e o p p o sitio n was from members of th e sc h o o l s t a f f who had been "ad v ised t o appear and h e lp make a show ing." The w ishes of th e m a jo rity o f c i t i ­ zens were not fo llo w ed ; th e m in is te r was n o t a p p o in te d . In s te a d , a form er member of th e Board was renamed t o th e Board. T h is e x p erien c e dem onstrated c le a r l y t h a t th e e x is ti n g sc h o o l a dm inis­ t r a t i o n was n o t i n te r e s t e d i n t r y in g t o meet th e problem i n a f o r t h r ig h t manner n o r i n t r y in g t o do a n y th in g t h a t th e c it i z e n s w anted. T h e ir prim ary i n t e r e s t �- 5 was i n keeping th e s t a tu s quo and i n keeping e x p e n d itu re s f o r sch o o l purposes as low a s p o s s ib le . D i s s a t i s f a c t i o n w ith th e e x is ti n g s i t u a t i o n began t o be m an ifest i n a number o f q u a r te r s . Some of th e more courageous p a re n ts had r a is e d q u e stio n s i n t h e i r P.T .A . m ee tin g s. In some c ases th e y were s u c c e s s fu l i n having com m ittees a p p o in te d t o look i n to one or a n o th e r of th e more obvious n eed s. In th e j o i n t p u b lic h e a rin g b e fo re th e School and County Boards on th e budget f o r th e I 9& 7 sch o o l y e a r, c i t i z e n d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n w ith th e sch o o ls was 6-V e v id e n t. One c i t i z e n asked th e Board what could be done t o g e t a d d itio n a l sch o o l f a c i l i t i e s and was t o l d he could t r y t o g e t a p e t i t i o n re q u e s tin g a bond issu e e le c t i o n . He th e n s a id he was w illin g t o c a rry a p e t i t i o n and asked a l l c it i z e n s i n th e m eeting who were w illin g t o do th e same th in g t o s ig n a s h e e t of paper w hich he s e n t around th e room. There were app ro x im ately 25 s ig n a tu r e s . T h is was th e b eg in n in g of th e C itiz e n s Committee f o r School Improvement (o fte n a b b re v ia te d t o CCSl). S h o rtly t h e r e a f t e r - on May 8 , I 9I+ , t h i s group of p a re n ts met and 6 formed an o rg a n iz a tio n . A c o n s t it u t io n and by-law s were adopted w ith sc h o o l im­ provement as th e b road p u rpose, implemented by some s p e c if ic o b je c tiv e s . The o f f i c e r s o f th e o rg a n iz a tio n c o n s is te d of a Chairman, V ice-C hairm an, S e c re ta ry , A s s is ta n t S e c re ta ry , and T re a s u re r. There were 18 r e g u la r s ta n d in g com m ittees and a d d itio n a l s p e c ia l com m ittees as n e c e s s a ry . The prim ary purpose of th e la rg e number of s ta n d in g com m ittees was t o give everyone som ething t o do and t o g e t a la rg e number of people working in sm all g roups, each stu d y in g s p e c if ic phases of A rlin g to n C ounty's school program . Anyone i n sympathy w ith th e o b je c tiv e s and purposes of th e o rg a n iz a tio n and w illin g t o work f o r t h e i r accomplishm ent was e l i g i b l e f o r membership. Dues were s e t a t $1 a y e a r p e r p e rso n . R egular member­ s h ip m eetings were h e ld once each month and e x e c u tiv e committee m eetings e v ery two w eeks. The form of th e o rg a n iz a tio n has undergone some m inor changes s in c e t h a t tim e and, as o r i g in a l o b je c tiv e s were accom plished or new s i t u a t i o n s a ro s e , th e sta te m en t of immediate o b je c tiv e s has been r e v is e d . B a s ic a lly , however, th e o rg a n iz a tio n rem ains th e same i n purpose and form as when f i r s t c r e a te d . (See Appendix f o r th e C o n s titu tio n and By-Laws.) The c it i z e n s who had been working f o r b e t t e r schools on an in d iv id u a l, u n co o rd in a te d b a s i s now had an o rg a n iz a tio n th ro u g h which th e y could b e t t e r d i r e c t and c o o rd in a te t h e i r e f f o r t s . FIRST EFFORTS OF THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE - THE MAY. 19V7 ELECTION The f i r s t m ajor e f f o r t of th e new o rg a n iz a tio n was t o c ir c u la t e a p e t i ­ t i o n c a l l in g f o r a bond issu e of $3 , 250,000 t o e s t a b l i s h p u b lic k in d e rg a rte n s , p ro v id e f u l l- d a y s e s s io n s in f i r s t and second g ra d e s, and expand e le m en tary and secondary sch o o l f a c i l i t i e s . P e titio n s were c a r r i e d from house t o house a l l over th e County. The names o f 1,000 ta x p a y e rs were re q u ire d and more th a n 5,000 were o b tain e d i n a p e rio d of L w eeks. These h o u se -to -h o u se v i s i t s gave th e Committee members an o p p o rtu n ity t o see how o th e r c it i z e n s in th e County f e l t about A r lin g to n 's sc h o o l program and how many were w illin g t o do som ething t o improve th e s i t u a t i o n . The r e a c tio n was encouraging. The p e t i t i o n was f i l e d w ith th e School Board in A ugust, 19^6. I t s e t f o r t h i n some d e t a i l th e need f o r th e bond is s u e and th e amount of money needed i n each c a te g o ry . I t f u r t h e r re q u e ste d th e School Board t o subm it th e bond issu e t o th e people a t th e g e n e ra l e l e c t i o n in November, 19ltC and o ffe re d th e a s s is ta n c e o f th e CCSI in e l i c i t i n g su p p o rt. In s te a d of a c tin g im m ediately, th e p e t i t i o n was f i l e d away by th e Board �- 6 - u n t i l th e next s p rin g , when, a f t e r c o n sid e ra b le p re s s u re , th e bond issu e was put on th e b a l l o t a t a s p e c ia l e l e c t i o n h e ld May 2 7 , I 9I4 . Since s p e c ia l e le c tio n s .7 in A rlin g to n u s u a lly had a much sm a lle r number of v o te rs th a n re g u la r e le c t i o n s , th e opponents f e l t th e y had a b e t t e r chance of d e fe a tin g th e bond issu e by b r in g ­ ing i t b e fo re th e people a t a s p e c ia l e le c t i o n . M oreover, th e bond issu e a c t u a l l y put t o th e people by th e School Board was f o r $6,000,000 f o r improvements i n th e same fo u r c a te g o rie s f o r which th e C itiz e n s Committee had asked $ 3 ,250,000. What i s more, a referendum f o r a bond is s u e of $5 , 150,000 f o r g e n e ra l county improve­ ments was p la c e d b e fo re th e people a t th e same tim e . Thus, a f t e r a d e la y of 7 m onths, th e c it i z e n s were asked t o vote on an $11, 150,000 c a p i t a l o u tla y f o r sch o o l ar.d county p u rp o se s. The b a l l o t d id not re q u e st a y e s -o r-n o v o te on th e t o t a l amount o f $ 6,000,000 f o r sch o o l p u rp o se s. In s te a d , i t d iv id e d t h i s t o t a l i n to !+ d i f f e r e n t amounts and asked f o r a s e p a ra te vote on each of th e s e ite m s: $665,000 f o r k in d e rg a rte n s , $530,000 f o r f u ll- d a y s e s s io n s f o r f i r s t and second g ra d e rs , $1 , 776,000 f o r expanded elem en tary sc h o o l f a c i l i t i e s and $3 , 029,000 f o r expanded secondary sc h o o l f a c i l i t i e s . B oosting th e proposed bond is s u e from $3,250,000 t o $6,000,000 f o r sc h o o ls and adding more th a n $5 , 000,000 f o r g e n e ra l county purposes was an obvious a tte m p t t o d e fe a t th e e n ti r e program . The s e p a ra tio n of th e sch o o l bond issu e i n to fo u r item s a ls o was obvio u sly an a tte m p t t o confuse th e v o te r s , and w ith th e f u r t h e r hope t h a t a t l e a s t some o f th e item s would be d e fe a te d . In th e i n t e r v a l betw een th e November and May e le c t i o n s , V i r g i n ia 's Governor c a lle d a s p e c ia l s e s s io n o f th e l e g i s l a t u r e t o c o n sid e r an emergency a p p r o p ria tio n of s t a t e funds f o r t e a c h e r 's s a l a r i e s and c e r t a i n p ro p o sa ls r e l a t i n g t o la b o r . Members o f th e CCSI to o k an ex trem ely long chance, b u t were s u c c e s s fu l i n g e ttin g in tro d u c e d and passed a t t h i 3 s p e c ia l s e s s io n a b i l l p e rm ittin g A rlin g to n v o te rs t o d ecide a t th e p o l l s : (a ) w hether th e y wanted t o change th e method of s e l e c ti n g t h e i r sch o o l board members and (b) i f so , w hether th e School Board mem­ b e rs should be e le c te d by th e people or a p p o in ted by th e County Board. T his q u e stio n o f w hether o r n o t t o change th e method of s e l e c ti n g School Board members was a ls o p lac ed on th e b a l l o t f o r th e s p e c ia l referendum e l e c t i o n on May 27, I 9V7 . T h is e le c t i o n o ffe re d th e C i t i z e n 's Committee i t s f i r s t r e a l o p p o rtu n ity t o g e t som ething done. R e a liz in g t h i s th e members planned th e campaign c a r e f u ll y and th o ro u g h ly . A la rg e group c o n tin u ed t o g a th e r f a c t s about A r lin g to n 's sch o o l program and system s in o th e r com m unities. O thers analyzed th e s e d a ta f o r p re se n ­ t a t i o n t o th e p u b lic . K ite of m a te ria l were p re p a re d , and a Speakers Bureau c o n ta c te d county o rg a n iz a tio n s t o a rra n g e speaking engagem ents. The p r e s s - r e l a ­ t io n s group c o n tin u ed t o r e le a s e d a ta t o th e new spapers. A weekly ra d io program devoted t o Bchool improvement was in au g u ra te d on a lo c a l s t a t i o n , " C itiz e n s of Tomorrow." A can v assin g o rg a n iz a tio n was c re a te d t o make a h o u se -to -h o u se canvass o f th e e n ti r e c o unty, e x p la in in g th e is s u e s in volved and u rg in g su p p o rt f o r them a t th e s p e c ia l e le c t i o n . A mimeograph machine was purchased and used t o g rin d out m a te ria ls f o r use of c a n v a sse rs, m a il-o u ts , throw -aw ays, e t c . M ailing p ie c e s went t o e v ery r e g is te r e d v o te r i n th e C ounty. P o s te rs were p re p are d and used w id e ly . T here was a lim ite d amount of newspaper a d v e r tis in g . The League of Women V oters p u t on a stre n u o u s e f f o r t t o g e t people r e g is te r e d and e l i g i b l e t o v o te and t o g e t them t o th e p o l ls t o v o te . The e n ti r e campaign can b e s t be c h a ra c te riz e d as an e f f o r t t o inform th e p e o p le . A s u b s t a n t i a l m a jo rity o f th o s e v o tin g fa v o re d a change in th e method of s e l e c ti n g School Board members and v o ted f o r d i r e c t e le c t i o n by th e p e o p le . �- 7 One "bond. Is s u e , th e $1,776,000 f o r expanded e le m en tary sc h o o l f a c i l i t i e s p a sse d . A ll th e o th e rs were d e fe a te d by sm a ll m argins. The c o n te s t bro u g h t out over 10,000 v o te r s ; th e l a r g e s t number e v er t o v o te i n a s p e c ia l e l e c t i o n i n th e County and th e t h i r d l a r g e s t number e v er v o tin g i n th e County. THE FIRST SCHOOL BOARD NOMINATING CONVENTION T h is was only h a l f a v ic to r y b u t i t was im p o rta n t. I t gave th e advo­ c a te s of b e t t e r sch o o ls a r e a l o p p o rtu n ity t o advance t h e i r program . Im m ediately a f t e r t h i s e l e c t i o n a sm a ll group of people began t o p la n some means of nom inating in d iv id u a ls t o ra n f o r th e School Board who would be t r u l y re p re s e n ta tiv e of th e p eople of th e County, and, i f e le c te d , would se rv e w ith d i s t i n c t i o n on th e new School B oard. The p lan n in g group was composed of r e p re s e n ta tiv e s from f iv e county­ wide o rg a n iz a tio n s ; and 51 l o c a l or county-w ide o rg a n iz a tio n s a cc ep te d in v it a ti o n s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n a nom inating Convention by sending d e le g a te s . One committee e x p lo re d and announced some of th e d e s ir a b le q u a l i t i e s and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of School Board members, a n o th e r sought out c it i z e n s t o become c a n d id a te s f o r th e B oard; and s t i l l o th e r com m ittees p re p are d r u l e s and p rocedures f o r conducting th e c o n v en tio n . T h is convention was h e ld on th e n ig h ts o f August 7 and 9, 19^7* The f i r s t e v en in g , each of th e 23 c a n d id a te s appeared b e fo re th e Convention d e le g a te s t o make a s h o rt sta te m en t and answer q u e s tio n s . The second n ig h t, th e d e le g a te s v o ted a cc o rd in g t o s t r i c t r u l e s which th e y had adopted th e prev io u s e vening. A f te r a s e r i e s of seven b a l l o t s , f iv e o u tsta n d in g c it i z e n s emerged a s th e nominees of th e School Board nom inating C onvention. Only th o se who h e lp e d p la n i t w i l l e v e r know how n e a r th e convention came t o f a l l i n g th ro u g h s e v e ra l tim e s . I t succeeded only because th e o p p o sitio n had n ev er se e n a n y th in g l ik e i t and d i d n 't th in k t h i s group had nerve enough t o t r y i t o r t o go th ro u g h w ith i t . n e v e r th e le s s , i t was bro u g h t t o a s u c c e s s fu l com pletion, w ith th e s e l e c ti o n of f iv e h ig h ly q u a lif ie d persons t o ru n f o r th e School Board. I n c id e n ta lly , only 2 of th e 5 nominees were members o f th e C itiz e n s Committee f o r School Improvement. A c t iv i t ie s of th e A rlin g to n E d u c a tio n a l A s s o c ia tio n im m ediately p r i o r t o th e May referendum showed how th o ro u g h ly th e sc h o o l employees were s u b je c t t o c o n tr o l . T h is group, composed of sc h o o l t e a c h e r s , s u p e rv is o rs and p r i n c i p a l s , p assed a r e s o lu tio n opposing th e bond is s u e s f o r b e t t e r sch o o l f a c i l i t i e s and th e proposed change i n th e method of s e l e c ti n g School Board members. I t p re p are d a mimeographed l e t t e r t o a l l p a re n ts u rg in g t h e i r o p p o sitio n t o th e s e is s u e s . The l e t t e r was d i s t r i b u t e d by th e te a c h e rs t o th e c h ild r e n who were t o l d t o ta k e i t home t o t h e i r p a r e n ts . The b a s is of o p p o sitio n t o th e bond is s u e was t h a t th e County should s ta y on a p ay -as-y o u -g o b a s is (th e County a t t h a t tim e had v i r t u a l l y no bonded d e b t) , and th e b a s is o f o p p o sitio n t o change i n method of s e le c tin g sc h o o l b o a rd members was t h a t i t would p u t th e sch o o ls i n p o l i t i c s . ELECTING A SCHOOL BOARD Im m ediately a f t e r th e Nom inating C onference, th e f iv e c a n d id a te s , w ith a s s is ta n c e from p ersons i n th e C i t i z e n 's Committee and from o th e r o rg a n iz a tio n s i n th e County, began t o p la n and i n i t i a t e a campaign f o r e le c t i o n . The campaign p la n s t h a t to o k shape contem plated a vig o ro u s e f f o r t t o inform th e people about sc h o o l m a tte r s . The o rg a n iz a tio n p la n t o c a rry out t h i s campaign p ro v id ed f o r a to p d i r e c t o r , an a s s i s t a n t w ith a p o lic y form ing com m ittee. T here were com m ittees �- 8 - on P re ss R e la tio n s , S p e a k ers, R adio, O rg a n iz a tio n a l L ia is o n , Ways and Means, R esearch, P u b lic a tio n s , S e c r e t a r i a l S e rv ic e and C anvassing. The R esearch Group began t o c o l l e c t , assem ble and a n aly ze a v a ila b le d a ta about A rlin g to n ’s e d u c a tio n a l program , making com parisons w ith s im ila r com m unities. The P u b lic a tio n s Committee produced th e campaign l i t e r a t u r e . The S e c r e t a r i a l S e rv ic e d id th e ty p in g , c u ttin g o f s t e n c i l s , re p ro d u c tio n and m a ilin g , and a m essenger s e rv ic e d i s t r i b u t e d th e m a te ria ls as th e y were produced. The C anvassers made a t l e a s t two d o o r-to -d o o r v i s i t s d u rin g th e campaign t o e v ery household i n th e County. Through th e p e rso n a l c o n ta c ts of th e s e c a n v a sse rs th e d e ta i le d in fo rm a tio n about th e v a rio u s is s u e s and th e people in v o lv ed was p re se n te d t o a g re a t m a jo rity o f a l l v o te rs i n th e County. Four of th e f i v e School Board members th e n h o ld in g o f f ic e by appointm ent announced as c a n d id a te s , and th r e e o th e r persons a ls o e n te re d th e r a c e , making a t o t a l of tw elve f o r th e f i v e s e a t s . The f iv e C onvention nominees ra n a s a s in g le s l a t e on th e fo llo w in g p la tfo rm : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. A sch o o l bo ard re sp o n siv e t o th e w i l l o f th e p e o p le . Continuous stu d y of e d u c a tio n a l needs a s a b a s is f o r s p e c if i c im provem ents. Improved c o n d itio n s f o r te a c h in g and le a rn in g i n sc h o o ls. A sound lo n g -te rm f i n a n c i a l program f o r sc h o o ls. Improved p e rso n n e l p o l ic i e s f o r A rlin g to n ’s a b le t e a c h e r s . Each of them made many sp e e ch e s, appearances and p u b lic sta te m e n ts d u rin g th e campaign u sin g f a c t u a l m a te ria l assem bled by th e R esearch Committee. About 30.000 p ie c e s o f l i t e r a t u r e were m ailed . Sample b a l l o t s were p r i n te d . Workers sto o d i n f r o n t of th e p o llin g p la c e s on e le c t i o n day, handing out l i t e r a t u r e . Cars to o k v o te rs t o th e p o l l s ; a tele p h o n e b rig a d e c a lle d a l l day t o urge people t o v o te . Cars d e co ra te d w ith p o s te rs p lu gging th e sc h o o l improvement s l a t e covered th e county a l l day, and sp o t announcements were made on th e r a d io . The school-im provem ent c a n d id a te s won th e e le c t i o n by a n overw heling v o te . The Convention nominee t h a t re c e iv e d th e sm a lle s t number of v o te s re c e iv e d 2 .0 0 0 more v o te s th a n any member of th e o p p o s itio n . I t was a c le a r mandate from th e people t o b e g in a program t o improve th e p u b lic s c h o o ls. Two days a f t e r th e e le c t i o n was o v er, th e C itiz e n s Committee f o r School Improvement h e ld i t s annual m eetin g . The p a id -u p membership was j u s t a few under 1500. E le ctio n , c o s ts were a l l p a id . I t was a happy o c c a sio n . Twice d u rin g th e y e a r th e y had t a s t e d su c c ess a t th e p o l l s . The c it i z e n s of th e county had e le c te d a sc h o o l bo ard on a sch o o l improvement p la tfo rm . The Board was t o ta k e o f f ic e th e fo llo w in g Ja n u a ry , and i t appeared a s though some r e a l p ro g re ss could be made. S h o rtly a f t e r th e e l e c t i o n one of th e l o c a l newspapers c a lle d f o r d i s s o l u t io n of th e C i ti z e n ’s Committee "sin c e i t s m ajor job was d o n e ." Some of th e comm ittee members f e l t t h i s was a w ise course t o fo llo w . Some thoughtCCSI shou ld move out b o ld ly i n to new a c t i v i t i e s , and o th e rs th o u g h t th e b e s t course was t o c o n tin u e a s an a c tiv e o rg a n iz a tio n , b u t f o r th e tim e b e in g c o n fin e th e C om m ittee's a c t i v i t i e s t o c o ll e c t io n and d isse m in a tio n o f p e r tin e n t sch o o l i n f o r ­ m atio n . The o f f i c e r s d ecid ed t h a t th e r e was s t i l l a f i e l d i n which th e Committee co u ld c o n tin u e t o give le a d e rs h ip and t h a t f o r th e tim e b e in g , i t would c o n tin u e a c t i v e l y t o w atch developm ents u n t i l th e most a p p ro p ria te a c t i o n was more c l e a r l y a p p a re n t. �- 9 LEGALITY OF THE ELECTED SCHOOL BOAKD C A .T G ) H T .EW TiT I t w a s n 't long b e fo re th e wisdom of t h i s d e c is io n was e v id e n t. As th e newly e le c te d sch o o l h oard members were le a v in g th e C ourt House a f t e r bein g sworn i n to o f f i c e , th e y were serv ed w ith n o tic e of a s u i t f i l e d on b e h a lf of th e members o f th e o ld School Board t h a t had b een d e fe a te d a t th e p o l l s . The s u i t c h allen g e d th e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y of th e law under which th e new Board had b een e le c t e d . T h is came as a s u r p r is e t o most people i n th e County, p a r t i c u l a r l y when members of th e o ld a p p o in te d School Board had been w illin g t o go th ro u g h a stre n u o u s campaign t o g e t them selves e le c te d under th e law th e y now claim ed was u n c o n s t it u t io n a l . T h is a c tio n showed t h a t a lth o u g h th e old " s ta tu s quo" group had been d e fe a te d a t th e p o l l s , th e y had n o t g iv en up th e f i g h t . Im m ediately c it i z e n s groups got to g e th e r t o decide what should be done about th e s i t u a t i o n . S ince v e ry wide i n t e r e s t was e x p ressed in t h i s m a tte r, i t was d e cid ed t o c r e a te an e n t i r e l y new tem porary o rg a n iz a tio n , n o t i d e n t i f ie d s p e c i f i c a l l y w ith th e C itiz e n s Committee f o r School Improvement, t o su p p o rt th e e le c te d School Board members i n c o n te s tin g th e s u i t t h a t had b e en f i l e d a g a in s t them . The new group was c a lle d "The Committee t o Uphold th e E le c t o r a t e ." I t s p r i n c i p a l fu n c tio n was t o keep th e c it i z e n s inform ed about th e s i t u a t i o n and t o r a i s e funds t o h e lp pay c o u rt c o s t s . Three prom inent law yers i n th e County volu n ­ t e e r e d t h e i r s e rv ic e s f o r th e case w ith o u t c o s t. The h e a rin g on t h i s s u i t was h e ld e a r l y i n Jan u ary 19lf8 b e fo re a judge from a n e ig h b o rin g c i r c u i t ; th e judge in A rlin g to n h aving d i s q u a li f i e d h im s e lf. I f th e law were d e c la re d u n c o n s titu tio n a l, th e A rlin g to n Judge would a g a in have power t o a p p o in t th e E le c t o r a l Board t h a t a p p o in ted th e sc h o o l bo ard members. A fte r th e h e a rin g , th e judge worked out an agreem ent by which b o th th e old ap p o in te d School Board and th e newly e le c te d School Board to o k o f f i c i a l a c tio n s on a l l sch o o l m a tte rs d u rin g th e p e rio d u n t i l h is d e c is io n was announced. T his d e c is io n , which came two weeks a f t e r th e H earing, was i n fa v o r of th e e le c te d B oard. Im m ediately th e old Board a p p ea le d , le a v in g doubt as t o th e l e g a l i t y of a c tio n s of th e e le c te d B oard. S ince n o t even th e f i r s t s te p had been ta k e n by th e old School Board t o s e l l th e bonds t h a t had been vo ted th e p re ce d in g May, th e a p p ea l made i t d i f f i ­ c u l t f o r th e new Board t o s e l l th e bonds u n t i l th e case was s e t t l e d . I t was not u n t i l O ctober I 9W t h a t th e case was f i n a l l y d e cid ed in fa v o r of th e e le c te d S School Board. Upon ta k in g o f f i c e , th e f i r s t a c tio n of th e new School Board was t o change i t s m eeting p la c e out of th e C ourt House in to a sc h o o l b u ild in g . The f i r s t m eeting was announced in th e p a p e r. T h is would provide ample space f o r v i s i t o r s and th e agenda of th e m eeting was p u b lish e d so t h a t c it i z e n s would know what was going t o be d is c u s s e d . T hat p r a c tic e has c o n tin u ed s in c e t h a t tim e , w ith ample tim e p rovided a t each m eeting f o r q u e stio n s and comments by c i t i z e n s . SUPPORTIHO THE ELECTED SCHOOL BOARDS PROGRAM The next m ajor fu n c tio n of th e C itiz e n s Committee was t o p a r ti c i p a te w ith o th e r c it i z e n s groups in th e County i n recommending t o th e e le c te d School Board th e a c t i v i t i e s t h a t should be u n d e rta k en i n th e new sc h o o l program f o r th e fo llo w in g y e a r and t o h e lp develop th e budget needed f o r such a program . T h is was done p r im a r ily th ro u g h a s e r i e s of com m ittees a p p o in te d by th e Board t o stu d y p a r t i c u l a r phases of th e sc h o o l program and t o make recommendations t o i t . �10 - Committees of c it i z e n s appeared b e fo re th e County Board a t i t s sc h o o l budget h e a r­ ing and a ls o a t i t s t a x r a t e h e a rin g , making sta te m e n ts a s an o rg a n iz a tio n and as in d iv id u a l c i t i z e n s su p p o rtin g th e School B o a rd 's budget re q u e s t. The County B oard, which by law i n A rlin g to n setB th e t a x r a t e f o r sch o o l p u rp o se s, f o r th e f i r s t tim e in th e h i s t o r y o f th e County, approved a "lump sum" budget f o r sch o o ls in s te a d o f fix in g a t a x le v y f o r s c h o o ls . The lump sum th u s p ro v id ed c u t th e B oard’s budget re q u e s t by about $200,000. A lso, by p ro v id in g th e lump sum r a t h e r th a n th e t a x r a t e e q u iv a le n t, th e contingency fund t h a t u s u a lly a c c ru e s as a r e s u l t of a h ig h e r t a x c o ll e c t io n th a n i s o f f i c i a l l y e stim a te d f o r b u d g e tin g purposes was a u to m a tic a lly d e stro y e d . The c u t was such t h a t w ith th e in c re a s e d number of c h ild re n in sch o o l th e fo llo w in g y e a r, th e County could have v e ry l i t t l e more th a n th e same q u a lity sch o o l program as had o p e rated th e y e a r b e fo re under th e a p p o in ted Board. T h is a c tio n was ta k e n by th e County Board even though th e people had overwhelm ingly approved a sc h o o l improvement program th e p re ce d in g e le c t i o n . The C itiz e n s Committee l o s t no tim e making known t o th e people of th e County, p a r t i c u l a r l y th e p a re n ts , what th e County B o a rd 's a c tio n meant t o sc h o o l improve­ ment i n th e County. T h is was done by S p e a k ers, p re ss r e le a s e s , d is c u s s io n s and r a d io program s. T h is County Board a c tio n a ls o made i t c le a r t h a t th e f i g h t f o r sc h o o l improvement i n A rlin g to n had not been won; r a th e r i t was j u s t b e g in n in g . Many of th e c it i z e n s were d i s s a t i s f i e d w ith th e County B o a rd 's tre a tm e n t of th e 191* h9 sch o o l b u d g e t, and began u rg in g t h a t th e CCSI back a c an d id ate in 8th e County Board ra ce in th e B a ll of 191*8 who would be more fa v o ra b le t o school improvem ent. The County Board incumbent who had v o ted f o r a c u t in th e School Board budget e a r l i e r i n th e s p rin g had won th e D em ocratic p rim ary . A fte r c a r e f u l c o n s id e ra tio n th e CCSI v o ted t o su p p o rt a c t i v e l y a c an d id ate f o r th e County Board. T h is d e c is io n was a h a rd one t o make and caused some r e s ig n a tio n s from th e Com­ m it t e e . T h is showed t h a t i t was p o s s ib le t o g e t much more u n ite d c i t i z e n e f f o r t and p a r t i c i p a t i o n when sch o o l improvement was th e s o le issu e th a n when t h i s issu e was mixed w ith o th e r is s u e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y th o se t h a t m ight be c o n sid ere d more p o litic a l. One of th e next m ajor s te p s of th e e le c te d School B oard, a f t e r g e ttin g th e budget f o r th e fo llo w in g y e a r d e te rm in e d , was t o have an u n o f f i c i a l census ta k e n o f th e p o p u la tio n in A rlin g to n . T h is c en su s, ta k e n in March, I 9U , showed 8 how many sch o o l age c h ild re n th e r e were i n th e c ounty, th e number of p re -s c h o o l c h ild r e n , t h e i r g e o g ra p h ic a l d i s t r i b u t i o n , th e r a t e o f p o p u la tio n growth and th e e x p ected growth in th e next t e n y e a r s . A sim ple a n a ly s is of th e s e d a ta showed c l e a r l y what a d d itio n a l p h y s ic a l f a c i l i t i e s would be needed w ith in th e next s e v e ra l y e a r s , th e g e n e ra l a re a s where th e sch o o ls should be lo c a te d and what th e probable m aintenance and o p e ra tio n c o s ts would b e . I n s h o r t, i t fu rn is h e d th e f a c t s , not p re v io u s ly a v a i l a b l e , n e c e ssa ry f o r p lan n in g th e n e c e ssa ry sch o o l c o n s tr u c tio n . B r i e f l y i t was found t h a t a t p r e v a ilin g c o s ts th e County would have t o spend appro x im ately $7 , 500,000 by 195* sim ply t o house th e in c re a s e d number of * c h ild r e n who would e n r o ll by t h a t d a te and t o p u t th e e n ti r e system on f u l l- d a y s e s s io n s . T h is d id n o t in clu d e a d e s p e ra te ly needed new h ig h sc h o o l, nor p ro v i­ sio n s f o r k in d e rg a rte n s , nor much needed rep la ce m en t, r e p a i r o r improvement t o e x is ti n g f a c i l i t i e s . The d a ta showed t h a t th e c o s t f o r o nly a re aso n a b le program of exp an sio n w ith in th e next 10 y e ars would be appro x im ately $ 1 3 ,000,000. These fa c '-s shaped th e program of th e C itiz e n s Committee f o r th e coming y e a r. �A fte r f u l l d is c u s s io n s w ith v a rio u s groups and o rg a n iz a tio n s i n th e County, th e School Board d e cid ed t o p la c e b e fo re th e v o te rs a t th e 191*8 November e le c t i o n th e q u e stio n o f v o tin g a n o th e r $1 *,750,000 bond i s s u e . T h is was t o p ro ­ v id e f a c i l i t i e s f o r th e in c re a s e d e n ro llm en t e xpected by th e 1951-52 sch o o l y e a r. THE 191(8 ELECTIO N As a r e s u l t of s t a t e l e g i s l a t i v e a c tio n i n th e 19l*8 s e s s io n , th e q u e stio n as t o w hether th e people wanted t o change th e d a te of e le c t i n g School Board members from th e r e g u la r November e le c t i o n d a te t o a s p e c ia l e l e c t i o n i n May was a ls o t o be p la c e d b e fo re th e v o te rs in th e 191*8 g e n e ra l e l e c t i o n . Thus, th e C i ti z e n 's Comm.'ttee had th e th r e e fo llo w in g is s u e s t o work f o r a t th e November e le c t i o n : 1. 2. 3. Support of a n o n -p a rtis a n c an d id ate f o r th e County Board fa v o ra b le t o sch o o l improvement; Approval of th e $1*,750,000 bond issu e f o r a d d itio n a l sc h o o l f a c i l i t i e s ; and Work f o r th e d e fe a t of th e p ro p o sa l t o change th e d a te of e le c tin g th e sc h o o l b oard members from November t o May. Some may n o t f u l l y u n d e rstan d why th e C i t i z e n 's Committee opposed th e change in d a te of e le c tin g School Board members, sin c e norm ally th e r e would be no o th e r e le c t i o n b u t t h a t of th e School Board members in May, w hile i n November th e r e always was an e le c t i o n f o r l o c a l , s t a t e or n a tio n a l o f f ic e s which was p o l i t i c a l in n a tu r e . Norm ally, i t would be e a s ie r t o keep th e School Board e le c ­ t i o n s f r e e from p o l i t i c s in such a se p a ra te e le c t i o n a s was proposed. Many a u t h o r i t i e s i n th e f i e l d of e d u c a tio n a l a d m in is tra tio n su p p o rt t h i s p ro c ed u re . C a re fu l c o n s id e ra tio n of th e m a tte r, however, convinced th e C i t i z e n 's Committee members t h a t th e b e s t i n t e r e s t s of A rlin g to n sch o o ls would be se rv ed by keeping th e e l e c t i o n of School Board members i n November. The prim ary re a so n was t h a t s p e c ia l e le c tio n s i n A rlin g to n draw a much s m a lle r number of v o te rs th a n re g u la r e l e c t i o n s . Two o r th r e e thousand v o te rs has been la rg e f o r a s p e c ia l e le c t i o n . On th e o th e r hand, th e number of v o te rs had been re a c h in g , s i x , seven o r e ig h t thousand and sometimes more i n re c e n t g e n e ra l e l e c t i o n s . The Committee members knew t h a t th e dominant p o l i t i c a l o rg a n iz a tio n i n th e county co u ld count on roughly 3,500 t o 1*,000 v o te rs a t any e l e c t i o n when n e c e ssa ry , and t h i s u s u a lly was enough t o w in any s p e c ia l e le c t i o n . The d e c is io n t o f i g h t th e change i n d a te of e le c t i n g sc h o o l b o a rd members was a d i f f i c u l t one t o make. The Committee a lre a d y had vo ted t o su p p o rt a c a n d i­ d a te f o r th e County B oard. I t had been w id ely c r i t i c i z e d f o r t h i s a c tio n by p o l i t i c a l le a d e rs and by some o f i t s own members. When th e d e c is io n t o f i g h t th e change i n d a te o f sch o o l bo ard e le c t i o n was announced, th e same t h in g happened. The c r i t i c i s m was made o fte n t h a t th e Committee members d i d n 't want th e School Board out of p o l i t i c s ; t h a t th e y were doing e v e ry th in g p o s s ib le t o keep sch o o l is s u e s mixed w ith p o l i t i c a l i s s u e s . Here a g a in a few of th e Committee members re s ig n e d and formed a new Committee f o r th e s o le purpose of su p p o rtin g th e change i n d a te of sc h o o l b o a rd e le c t i o n s . In some r e s p e c ts th e circu m stan ces were d i f f e r e n t f o r th e 191*8 campaign th a n i n form er y e a r s . The School Board worked w ith th e Committee i n p ro v id in g in fo rm a tio n , making speeches and is s u in g p u b lic sta te m e n ts e x p la in in g th e need f o r th e bond i s s u e , - whereas i n form er campaigns th e old School Board n o t only gave no in fo rm a tio n o r h e lp , b u t i n v a rio u s ways opposed th e c i t i z e n s ' e f f o r t s . �- 12 - The u s u a l campaign was c a r r i e d on by th e C itiz e n s Committee and o th e r o rg a n iz a tio n s w ith emphasis p lac ed on inform ing th e p u b lic . Two com plete houseto -h o u se v i s i t s were made by th e c a n v a s s e rs . There were th r e e m a il-o u ts t o a l l r e g is te r e d v o te rs and s e v e ra l o th e rs t o a sm a lle r l i s t o f p e o p le . P la c a rd s and sig n s were used t o good advantage on c ard s and i n o th e r s t r a t e g i c p la c e s , and th e w orkers a t th e p o lls a g a in handed out sample b a l l o t s and l i t e r a t u r e . A pproxim ately 20,000 of th e 28,000 r e g is te r e d v o te rs v o ted in th e 191$ e le c t i o n - a P r e s i d e n ti a l e l e c t i o n y e a r. The $ 5,750,000 bond is s u e was p assed by a f a i r m a jo rity . The change in d a te o f e le c t i n g sch o o l b o a rd members was d e fe a te d b;. a l i t t l e l a r g e r m a jo rity . But th e n o n -p a rtis a n c an d id ate sup p o rted by th e C itiz e n s Committee l o s t by 79 v o te s . The campaign was b i t t e r and v i n d ic t iv e . A number of i r r e g u l a r i t i e s d u rin g e l e c t i o n were re p o rte d , and a group * f c i t i z e n s p e titio n e d f o r a re co u n t of th e v o te s . Under V irg in ia law , a charge e f fra u d must be made and su s ta in e d i n o rd e r t o o b ta in a sim ple re c o u n t o f th e v o te s . A lthough A rlin g to n 's e l e c t i o n m achinery was n o to rio u s f o r i t s in e f f ic ie n c y and u n b u s in e s s lik e p ro c ed u re , i t was q u ite d i f f i c u l t t o prove fra u d . However, i t was c l e a r l y dem onstrated t h a t e le c t i o n o f f i c e r s in e v ery p r e c in c t had been ap p o in te d i l l e g a l l y and th e o p p o sitio n a d m itte d i t . The C i r c u i t Judge r u le d t h a t i f th e m a tte r were p re sse d th e only a l t e r n a t i v e was t o h o ld th e e le c t i o n a g a in , b u t t h a t a sim ple re c o u n t of th e v o te s a lre a d y c a s t would n o t be made u n le s s fra u d were proved. S ince two o f th e th r e e is s u e s sup p o rted by th e C itiz e n s Committee had b een won, i t was decided n o t t o p re s s th e m a tte r f u r t h e r . A s u b s ta n t ia l number of p ersons i n th e County b e lie v e t h a t a re co u n t i f i t co u ld have been made, would have changed th e d e c is io n on th e County Board r a c e . THE SBCPHD SCHOOL BOARD NOMINATING CONFERENCE As soon aB a d e c is io n had been reached on th e School Board budget f o r th e 19^9-50 sch o o l y e a r, th e C itiz e n s Committee tu rn e d i t s a t t e n t i o n t o th e q u e stio n of e l e c t i o n o f two School Board members a t th e I 9U9 g e n e ra l e l e c t i o n t o f i l l th e p la c e s of th e two members whose term s would e x p ire December 31, 19^9. The C itiz e n s Committee had c o n s i s t e n t l y ta k e n th e p o s itio n t h a t School Board mem­ b e rs should be s e le c te d s o le ly f o r t h e i r a b i l i t y t o do th e jo b , by some method or d e v ic e by which th e community could judge them on t h i s b a s i s , fre e d e n t i r e l y from p o l i t i c a l c o n s id e ra tio n . Once more th e Committee had t o ta k e i n to a cc o u n t, a ls o , t h a t th e "d e cid in g v o te " member of th e 5 member County Board would be e le c te d in November 191$■ S e v e ra l county-w ide o rg a n iz a tio n s were c a lle d to g e th e r t o c o n sid e r th e b e s t means of g e tt i n g community-wide p a r ti c i p a ti o n in a n o n -p a rtis a n non­ p o l i t i c a l means of s e l e c ti n g c a n d id a te s f o r th e School Board and County B oard. I t was d ecided t o h o ld an o ld -fa s h io n e d town m eeting f o r s e l e c ti o n o f a n o n -p a rtis a n County Board c an d id ate and a nom inating co n v en tio n , somewhat s im ila r t o th e f i r s t c o n v en tio n , t o s e l e c t School Board c a n d id a te s . R e p re s e n ta tiv e s from 8 county-w ide o rg a n iz a tio n s in te r e s t e d in e d u c a tio n a l m a tte rs met and o rganized a working group, c a lle d th e "Conference on School Board C a n d id a te s ,” t o p la n and conduct a Convention f o r th e purpose o f s e le c tin g c a n d i­ d a te s f o r th e School Board e le c t i o n . There were 4 d e le g a te s each from th e American A s s o c ia tio n of U n iv e rs ity Women, A rlin g to n C iv ic F e d e ra tio n , A rlin g to n County Coun­ c i l o f PTA's, B e tt e r Government League, C itiz e n s Committee f o r School Improvement, C ouncil of Negro O rg a n iz a tio n s, F e d e ra tio n o f C ooperative P re sc h o o ls, and Organized Women V o te rs . The C onference proceeded on th e b a s is t h a t th e Nominating Convention should be co m p letely d e m o c ratic, should b rin g wide community p a r t i c i p a t i o n and i t s d e c is io n s should r e p re s e n t, i f p o s s ib le , th e choice of a m a jo rity o f th e p eople in �- 13 th e c o unty. The Convention was h e ld on Septem ber 6 and 7 w ith 86 o rg a n iz a tio n s p a r­ t i c i p a t i n g and 501 o f f i c i a l d e le g a te s . The o rg a n iz a tio n s in clu d e d e v ery known group t h a t could be persuaded t o p a r t i c i p a t e - even some d e f i n i t e l y committed a g a in s t sc h o o l improvement. S ix c an d id a te s p re se n te d them selves t o th e Convention and two were chosen by th e d e le g a te s - one f o r each p la c e t o be f i l l e d i n th e November e le c t i o n . One of th e c an d id a te s chosen was a lre a d y s e rv in g on th e School B oard. The o th e r Board member whose term e x p ire d d e c lin e d t o se e k r e e l e c t io n b u t worked w ith CCSI f o r nom inating Convention p lan s and a s a d e le g a te t o th e Conven­ t i o n . The o th e r was th e P re s id e n t of th e County C ouncil of FTA, who had worked f o r th e sc h o o l improvement program . T here was some c r i t i c i s m o f th e Convention o f c o u rse . Some of th e people who had c o n s is te n tly fought th e sc h o o l improvement program were d e le g a te s , and, on th e f l o o r of th e Convention su p p o rted two c an d i­ d a te s , b o th o f whom l o s t . Im m ediately a f t e r th e C onvention, th e o p p o sitio n put a c a n d id a te i n th e f i e l d , a businessm an i n th e County, t o ru n a g a in s t th e Conven­ t i o n nom inees. P u b lic endorsem ent of th e C onvention was so overwhelming, however, t h a t t h i s c an d id ate w ithdrew from th e ra c e w ith in a week a f t e r he announced h is candidacy le a v in g th e f i e l d open t o th e C onvention nom inees. Being unopposed, th e two C onvention nominees need n o t engage i n a campaign. They can spend t h e i r tim e t a l k i n g w ith c it i z e n s groups and le a rn in g of t h e i r i n t e r e s t and d e s ir e s w ith r e s p e c t t o sc h o o ls. There w i l l be no b i t t e r charges and c o u n te r charges which a re bad f o r th e m orale of th e sch o o l s t a f f and th e sc h o o l system g e n e r a lly . T h is Convention i s c o n sid ere d by th e C itiz e n s Committee t o be a g re a t s t r i d e fo rw ard. The Convention i t s e l f a u th o riz e d th e p re p a ra tio n and p u b lic a tio n of a f a c t u a l r e p o rt o f th e p roceedings and s e t up a d ev ice t o in au g u ra te a s im ila r p rocedure two y e ars hence f o r th e n e x t e l e c t i o n of sc h o o l bo ard members. The p ro c e ss of s e le c tin g sc h o o l board members has been r a is e d from th e l e v e l of a p o l i t i c a l f r e e - f o r - a l l t o a d ig n if ie d , dem ocratic p ro c ed u re . SUM ARY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS M Prom th e d a te th e new School Board was e le c te d u n t i l th e p re s e n t tim e , th e r e has n o t been an extended p e rio d when th e C itiz e n s Committee could p ro se c u te i t s p r e fe r r e d program of assem bling and d isse m in a tin g in fo rm a tio n about p u b lic e d u c a tio n program s. The o p p o sitio n t o sch o o l improvement was c o n tin u a lly a tta c k in g th e sc h o o l b o a rd f o r a lle g e d w aste of money, e xtravagance or d e la y in purchase of sc h o o l s i t e s , and has c r i t i c i z e d th e appointm ent of a d d itio n a l s u p e rv is o rs i n th e sc h o o l system and f o r many o th e r a c t i o n s . The s u p e rin te n d e n t of schools who had se rv e d i n th e County f o r 30 y e a rs was s t i l l in o f f i c e . His c o n tra c t e x p ire d June 30, 19^9. The p e rio d a ls o had been a d i f f i c u l t one f o r th e sc h o o l s t a f f . The s u p e r v is o r s , p r i n c i p a l s and te a c h e rs had been under one d i c t a t o r i a l system f o r so lo n g t h a t i t was d i f f i c u l t f o r them t o g e t used t o change, f o r two y e a rs , th e y had n e v er known from day t o day which s id e would win out in th e n e x t b a t t l e . M oreover, i t was im p o ssib le t o conduct th r e e cam paigns, m o stly c e n te re d around th e sc h o o l system , and n o t have th e te a c h in g s t a f f f e e l i t . N e v e rth e le ss , i n s p i t e of a l l o b s ta c le s , th e School Board moved s t e a d i l y ahead a lo n g i t s sc h o o l improvement program . The members put f o r t h u n to ld ho u rs of e f f o r t t o make good t h e i r campaign p le d g e s. They were p a t i e n t , l e n i e n t, and c o u rte o u s t o a l l com plaints and c r i t i c s . Because of th e c irc u m sta n c e s, th e r e were* numerous d e la y s and d i f f i c u l t s i t u a t i o n s , b u t as th e months wore on, th e y won th e �- Ilf re s p e c t of th e g r e a t m a jo rity o f c it i z e n s o f th e county as in d iv id u a ls and as School Board members, and, more im p o rta n t, th e improvements i n th e sc h o o l program one b y one became r e a l i t y . S chool Board members a re p a id $25 a month. One member computed t h a t t h a t amounted t o 10 c e n ts an hour over an 18-month p e rio d , f o r hours worked. The C itiz e n s Committee h e lp e d t o c a rry t h i s burden b y p u b lic iz in g th e f a c t s on ev ery p o s s ib le o c c a sio n . They ro se t o defend th e B o a rd 's p o l ic i e s and a c tio n s from unw arranted a tt a c k s . The C itiz e n s Committee members worked a s h a rd o r h a rd e r su p p o rtin g th e e le c te d School Board i n i t s program of sc h o o l improvement th a n th e y e v e r d id t o g e t a change i n i t s membership. With t h i s teamwork, th e CCSI was a b le t o announce on June 30, 19^9, th e fo llo w in g s p e c if ic improvements i n th e sch o o l program r e a liz e d in th e 18 months t h a t th e e le c te d sc h o o l ho ard had b e en i n o f f i c e : 1. A ll-d a y s e s s io n s f o r f i r s t and second grade c h ild re n f o r a t l e a s t 15 elem en tary sc h o o ls i n th e County t o b e g in i n Septem ber, 19^9. I n th e o th e r elem en tary sc h o o ls, f u l l- t i m e te a c h e rs have been engaged f o r th o s e f i r s t and second g ra d e rs who a re i n sc h o o l only h a l f d a y s. "Extended" s e s s io n s a re t o be provided f o r th e s e c h ild r e n u n t i l th e r e i s room f o r them t o a tte n d th e r e g u la r f u l l day. 2. A new sch o o l s u p e rin te n d e n t has been h ir e d and th e sc h o o l s t a f f stre n g th e n e d th ro u g h o u t. 3. A s u p e rin te n d e n t of b u ild in g s and grounds has h een engaged t o have f u l l r e s p o n s i b i li t y f o r m aintenance o f th e sch o o l p l a n t . T ra in e d c o n s u lta n ts have heen engaged in th e f i e l d s of re ad in g and i n l i b r a r y sc ie n c e , t o a s s i s t te a c h e rs th ro u g h o u t th e whole system . 5. B eginnings have heen made f o r a speech c o r re c tio n dep artm en t. A p a rt-tim e e x p e rt has h een h ir e d in t h i s f i e l d . 6. The music departm ent has been g r e a t ly expanded. 7* A f u l l- t i m e p sy c h o lo g is t was p rovided f o r i n th e 191-9-50 sch o o l budget and has been s e le c te d . 8. A te a c h in g -m a te ria ls c e n te r has heen e s ta b lis h e d t o make su p p le ­ m entary m a te ria ls a v a ila b le a li k e t o a l l s c h o o ls. 9. E l e c t r i c o u t le t s have heen i n s t a l l e d in classroom s thro u g h o u t th e e n t i r e sch o o l system so t h a t a l l p u p ils co u ld b e n e f i t from m o tio n -p ic tu re and s l i d e - p i c tu r e te a c h in g m a te ria ls and so t h a t re c o rd p la y e rs co u ld he used in a l l c la s s e s . 10. F lu o re sc e n t l i g h t i n g and new s l a t e b lac k b o ard s have been i n s t a l l e d in sch o o ls where th e y were most u rg e n tly needed. Much more work i s t o be done d u rin g th e summer t o improve sch o o l l i g h t i n g . �15 11. V o lu n tee r a d v is o ry com m ittees t o a s s i s t th e h o a rd have been s e t up in 13 e d u c a tio n a l f i e l d s . An a d v iso ry committee of p a re n ts has been s e t up f o r each sch o o l in th e c o unty, and th e s e com­ m itte e s have worked a c t i v e l y . 12. The t r i- m e s t e r d i v is io n of th e sch o o l y e a r has been a b o lish e d and th e sem ester p la n was i n s t i t u t e d . 13. I n e q u itie s i n th e t e a c h e r s ' s a la r y s c a le have been e lim in a te d so a s t o give more c r e d i t f o r e x p erien c e o b tain e d by te a c h e rs b e fo re coming t o A rlin g to n . 14. A system of s ic k lea v e f o r te a c h e rs has been e s ta b lis h e d . 15. A p o p u la tio n count was ta k e n in 191+8 in A rlin g to n by th e D. S . B ureau of th e C ensus, g iv in g an a c c u ra te p ic tu r e of growth i n sc h o o l e n ro llm en t t o be e xpected d u rin g th e n e x t f iv e t o t e n y e ars. 16. The b e a rd members worked a c t i v e l y as in d iv id u a ls and as a Board f o r th e $4,750,000 sc h o o l c o n s tru c tio n bond issue.' passed in November, 1948. 17. School bonds vo ted i n May, 1947 were s o ld by th e p re s e n t board a t a low i n t e r e s t r a t e . 18. School c o n s tru c tio n i n n earby a re a s has been s tu d ie d c a r e f u ll y by th e Board and c o n feren ces h e ld w ith community groups t o determ ine e x a c tly what should be in clu d e d in new sc h o o ls. 19. F in a l p lan s have been approved and b id s a d v e rtis e d on one E lem entary S chool, and f i n a l p lan s a re com plete f o r a n o th e r and b id s w i l l be a d v e rtis e d v e ry soon. S ite 3 have been purchased a t th e s e l o c a tio n s . A d d itio n a l lan d has been purchased f o r a d d itio n a l classroom s a t W alter Reed S chool. Plans f o r t h i s a d d itio n a re b e in g drawn and w i l l be approved soon. P lans a re b e in g drawn f o r th e K ate W aller B a r r e t t and Peyton Randolph sc h o o l a d d itio n s . S i t e s have been s e le c te d and a r c h i t e c t s a re working on p lan s f o r th e N orth F a i r li n g t o n and th e Hume s c h o o ls . N e g o tia tio n s f o r th e s e s i t e s a re n o t y e t com plete. A s i t e has b een purchased and p lan s a re b e in g drawn f o r th e proposed J u n io r High School a t V a ca tio n Lane and N orth M ilita r y Road. P lans a re under way f o r th e new Hoffman-Boston e lem entary sch o o l f o r Negro p u p ils . E x te n siv e improvements have been made in th e p h y s ic a l p la n t and in th e te a c h in g s t a f f a t Hoffm an-Boston. As a r e s u l t , Hoffman-Boston has been p lac ed on th e " q u a lif ie d " l i s t , which i s th e f i n a l p re lim in a ry tow ard th e s c h o o l's b e in g a c c re d ite d by th e S t a te . 20. A d d itio n a l b le a c h e rs as w e ll a s l i g h t s f o r n ig h t games have been i n s t a l l e d a t W ashington-Lee h ig h sch o o l a t h l e t i c f i e l d , th e re b y alm ost t r i p l i n g revenue from f o o t b a l l games. 21. A r e g u la r d e liv e ry s e rv ic e re a c h in g e v ery sc h o o l in th e county e v ery day has been p u t i n to o p e ra tio n . �- 16 - The s p e c if ic accom plishm ents l i s t e d above in Ju n e, 19^9 co u ld be ex­ panded and o th e rs could be added. Of p a r t i c u l a r im portance, b u t more i n ta n g ib le , i s th e change which has come i n th e a t t i t u d e o f th e p a r e n ts , sch o o l s t a f f and sc h o o l a d m in is tra tio n tow ard m eeting th e problem s t h a t c o n fro n te d th e c o u n ty 's e d u c a tio n a l system . Therq i s now a f e e lin g o f m utual r e s p e c t, and a c o o p e ra tiv e r e la ti o n s h ip t h a t i s more im p o rtan t from th e s ta n d p o in t of f u tu r e accom plishm ents th a n th e s p e c if i c g a in s l i s t e d . Of c o u rse , n o t e v e ry d e c is io n of th e School Board c o m p le te ly p le a se d th e Committee, nor d id th e Board a cc ep t evei-y Committee recom­ m endation. Each body r e ta in s and e x e rc is e s com plete freedom of a c t i o n . The above l i s t was re le a s e d th e day th e new County S u p e rin te n d en t of Schools to o k o f f i c e . S ince t h a t tim e , th e sch o o l a d m in is tra to r has worked w ith , n o t a g a in s t th e School Board and th e in te r e s t e d c i t i z e n s . Improvements i n th e sc h o o l system a re o c c u rrin g c o n tin u o u sly - and th e r e w i l l be m ore. The q u e stio n may a r i s e as t o what th e C itiz e n s Committee w i l l u n d ertak e i n th e f u t u r e . A lthough a s p e c if i c program has n o t b een s e t , th e r e w i l l be p le n ty t o d o . T here a re appro x im ately 13,500 c h ild r e n e n r o lle d i n th e elem en tary and secondary sc h o o ls i n th e f a l l of 19*1-9, and e v ery one of A r lin g to n 's 32 schools a re b u lg in g a t th e seams. T here a re 19,000 c h ild r e n i n th e county below sch o o l a g e . Less th a n o n e -h a lf o f th o s e now i n sc h o o l w i l l he grad u ated in th e next 6 y e a r s , b u t most of th e 19,000 p re -s c h o o l c h ild r e n w i l l be i n sch o o l by t h a t tim e . T hus, i n s i x y e a rs , by 1955, th e p re se n t sc h o o l e n ro llm en t w i l l be doubled. The b e s t e f f o r t s of th e C itiz e n s Committee w i l l he needed t o h e lp g e t a d d itio n a l f a c i l i t i e s and o p e ra tin g budgets f o r t h i s in c re a s e d lo ad o f p u p ils . I n a d d itio n , th e Committee must v i g i l a n t l y p r o te c t th e g a in s t h a t have b een made and n o t l e t th e community s l i p back i n to a s t a t e of d i s i n t e r e s t and unconcern. I f th e tim e e v e r comes when th e r e i s n o t some " c r i s i s " c o n fro n tin g th e sc h o o l system , th e C i t i z e n 's Committee members w i l l fin d a f u l l- t i m e job i n f u r th e r in g th e concept t h a t b rought th e o rg a n iz a tio n i n to e x is te n c e - namely, t h a t a w e ll-in fo rm e d and a c tiv e c it i z e n r y is t he b e s t way of m a in ta in in g g o a l nu b ile s c h o o ls . I n c o n c lu sio n , i t should be p o in te d out c le a r l y t h a t th e s e accom plish­ m ents i n A rlin g to n County a re by no means th e r e s u l t s s o l e ly of th e C itiz e n s Committee f o r School Improvement. O ther o rg a n iz a tio n s in th e County p layed m ajor r o l e s , a s d id a number of p ersons who n e v er jo in e d th e Committee. The C itiz e n s Committee to o k th e le a d i n th e f i g h t f o r sch o o l improvement, a f t e r i t was form ed, b u t th e accom plishm ents a re th e r e s u l t of c o o jje ra tiv e e f f o r t on th e th e p a r t of many groups and in te r e s t e d c i t i z e n s . * * * � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Citizens Fight for Better Schools in Arlington, Virginia Prepared for the National Citizens Commission for the Public Schools Description An account of the resource Document prepared by B. Alden Lillywhite, Oscar R. LeBeau, Ivan A. Booker, Allyn A. Walters, and Reed K. Pond containing a brief chronological account of the efforts during the past 5 years of the citizens of Arlington County, Virginia to improve the public schools. 16 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource B. Alden Lillywhite, Oscar R. LeBeau, Ivan A. Booker, Allyn A. Walters, and Reed K. Pond Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource No date Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1940s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_7_13 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/bff11977dca5dba5e521944bcec8b807.pdf d4bff9a6547ede3fa236d46af5e39c72 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Beth M. Green, January 27, 1959 Description An account of the resource Letter from Beth M. Green to Mr. Richmond regarding the integration of Stratford and personal updates. 2 pages Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Beth M. Green Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1959-1-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_17_22 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/8fc1781d83c97c04d317ba090e4a850e.pdf c2e3a52f6cf365affbf9e2d87db4c118 PDF Text Text C H A R L E S R. F E N W IC K 9 th S e n a to r i a l D is tr ic t ARLINGTON 6 7 3 3 L e e H ig h w a y A R L I N G T O N , V IR GINIA COMMITTEE A SS IG N M E N T S: F inance R o a d s a n d In t e r n a l N av ig at io n C oun ties, C ities and Towns W elfare SEN A TE May 1 4 , 1958 Mr. 0 . G lenn S ta h l O rg a n iz in g Committee to P re s e r v e P u b lic S cho o ls 3600 H o rth Piedm ont S t r e e t A r l in g to n , V ir g in ia D ear Mr. S ta h l: P ly > I ha.ve y o u r l e t t e r o f May 8 e n c lo s in g s ta te m e n t o f th e O rg a n iz in g Com mittee to P re s e r v e P u b lic S ch o o ls and y o u r r e q u e s t f o r any comments o r r e a c t i o n s w hich I may have. I n o te t h a t you a r e d e te rm in e d t o p u rsu e e v e ry l e g a l means to keep p u b lic s c h o o lr open. C e r t a i n l y , a l l o f u s can a g r e e w ith t h i s o b je c tiv e . In t h i s c o n n e c tio n , I would i n v i t e y o u r a t t e n t i o n to c e rta in f a c ts : ? 1. The Supreme C o u rt o f th e U n ite d S t a t e s , i n i t s d e c is i o n o f May 1 7 , 1954, d id n o t h o ld t h a t we m ust have in t e g r a t e d s c h o o ls . 2. The d e c is io n p ro v id e d t h a t no c h i l d who wa3 o th e rw is e q u a l i f i e d , and d e s ir e d t o a t t e n d a p u b lic s c h o o l, sh o u ld be d e p riv e d o f t h a t r i g h t s o l e l y on th e b a s i s o f r a c e . 3. The f a c t t h a t sev en n e g ro e s have th e r i g h t to a tte n d f o u r w h ite sc h o o ls i n A r lin g to n c o u n ty , d oes n o t mean t h a t th e y m ust e x e r c is e t h a t r i g h t . 4. Should th e s e sev en p u p i l s , th ro u g h t h e i r p a r e n t s , r e f r a i n from m aking a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a d m issio n to w h ite s c h o o ls , t h e r e would be no n e c e s s i t y f o r c l o s in g any p u b lic sc h o o l u n d e r s t a t e law . 5. A ssum ing t h a t th e s c h o o ls t h a t th e n eg ro p u p i l s now a t te n d a f f o r d an e q u a l e d u c a tio n a l o p p o r tu n ity a s com pared w ith th e w h ite s c h o o ls , t h e i r i n s i s t e n c e on a t te n d i n g th e w h ite s c h o o ls becomes s o l e l y a m a tte r o f c h o ic e w h ich , i f c a r r i e d o u t, can r e s u l t i n each such sc h o o l b e in g c lo s e d u n d e r s t a t e law . 6. The s im p le s t and m ost o b v io u s method f o r k e e p in g o u r p u b lic s c h o o ls open w ould be f o r th e n eg ro p u p i l s n o t to e x e r c ie e th e r i g h t th e c o u r ts have g iv e n them to a p p ly f o r a d m issio n t o a w h ite s c h o o l. 7. Your com m ittee can u t i l i z e a l e g a l way o f k e e p in g o u r p u b lic s c h o o ls open by m e e tin g w ith th e p a r e n ts o f th e n eg ro c h i l d r e n and p o in ti n g o u t to them th e co n seq u e n ces o f t h e i r i n s i s t i n g on se n d in g t h e i r c h i ld r e n to w h ite s c h o o ls . S hould t h i s r e s u l t i n th e p a r e n ts d e c id in g n o t to p e r s i s t i n t h i s p r o c e d u re , b o th you and th e y w ould b e p e rfo rm in g a g r e a t p u b lic s e r v ic e t o th e community. Y c c : Members of Committee j h a r l e s E. F e n w ic k S t a t e S e n a t o r , A r l in g to n co u n ty � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Commonwealth of Virginia Senate, Charles R. Fenwick, Letter to Mr. O. Glenn Stahl Description An account of the resource Letter from State Senator Charles R. Fenwick of Arlington County to Glenn Stahl regarding the Organizing Committee to Preserve Public Schools remarking that Virginia public schools would stay open if there was no attempt to integrate the schools Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Charles R. Fenwick, State Senator Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource No date Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_4_16 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/9f08453ead0fc0b6e070fc697f65bb04.pdf a19a94cbb4e5b2934a8601e9015617af PDF Text Text if May 11, 1959 Miss Naomi Chapman Birney School-Room 304 Nichols Ave., S.E, Washington 20,D.c. Dear Naomij Months have passed by since I received your letter to our student body. In the meantime, we have been very busy and occupied with the regular school program. On behalf of our student body and faculty, I want to thank you for your fine letter written on the occasion of the four negro children entering Strat­ ford. I think you, your parents and your teachers should be proud of your well 'written and thoughtful letter. Tours truly. C.M.Richmond,Principal stratford Junior High School � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter to Miss Naomi Chapman from Principal Richmond May 11, 1959 Description An account of the resource Letter from Principal Richmond to Naomi Chapman thanking her for her letter. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Claude Richmond Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1959-5-11 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_17_6 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/6943acc6cb393aa18fe751801a63f84a.pdf c9aa132a1e499d3203cc1b722a0eea83 PDF Text Text May 11, 1959 Mr. Lawrence Efford The Sun Baltimore, Maryland Dear Lawrence: Allene arrived home yesterday safe and sound from a delightful trip and brought me the Farnham "NEWS". When she told me that she had seen you, I was re­ minded that I had failed to acknowledge some of the letters that I received at the time our school was desegregated. I tried to keep up but seem to have^to sleep at the switch. I did appreciate your letter of February 3 • It was-kind and thoughtful of you to write, and i m was pleasant to know you remembered me. ” So far our school is running just as smooth as it did before the three little left handed Negro boys and the Negro girl entered. They are holding their own academ­ ically and are good citizens. Did Allene have time to tell you that we are planning to go to Europe this Summer? We expect to leave here June 17 and return Aug. * . + We are spending the major part of the time in England. I hope we shall be able to visit my father's and my mother's birthplaces, along with the historical spots. With best wishes to you and Mrs. Efford. Sincerely, C laude Richmond � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Claude Richmond to Lawrence Efford, May 11, 1959 Description An account of the resource Letter from Claude Richmond in reply to Lawrence Efford's letter regarding the integration of Stratford. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Claude Richmond Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1959-5-11 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_17_40 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/73a75b26d845f6af1204fb5e4278e682.pdf a3fd1ac5a51c09b91d44115e939edbd3 PDF Text Text ks d Arlington County Public Schools STRATFORD JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 4100 North Vacation Lane Arlington 7, Virginia Office of the Principal JAckson 5-7500 May XI, 1959 Mr. Lawrence Efford The Sun Baltimore, Maryland Dear Lawrence: Allene arrived home yesterday safe and sound from a delightful trip and brought me the Farnham "NEWS". When she told me that she had seen you, X was re­ minded that I had failed to acknowledge some of the letters that I received at the time our school was desegregated. X tried to keep up but seem to have^to sleep at the switch. I did appreciate your letter of February 3. It was kind and thoughtful of you to write, and it was pleasant to know you remembered me. So far our school is running Just as smooth as it did before the three little left handed Negro boys and the Negro girl entered. They are holding their own academ­ ically and are good citizens. Did Allene have time to tell you that we are planning to go to Europe this Summer? We expect to leave here June 17 and return Aug. b . We are spending the major part of the time in England. I hope we shall be able to visit my father's and my mother's birthplaces, along with the historical spots. With best wishes to you and Mrs. Efford. Sincerely, Claude Richmond � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Claude Richmond to Lawrence Efford, May 11, 1959 Description An account of the resource Letter from Claude Richmond in reply to Lawrence Efford's letter regarding the integration of Stratford. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Claude Richmond Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1959-5-11 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_17_41 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/b0b530d8cc1732eaa51dd9359866e652.pdf 8fa98f674b249103a7daca70eba21337 PDF Text Text February 19, 1959 fir. T. Edv.'ard Rutter, Supt. Radnor Schools, Radnor, Pennsylvania Dear Ed.: Thank you for your nice letter about the integra­ tion of Stratford. I do appreciate your thought­ fulness and understanding, I have enjoyed sharing your letter with some of our mutual friends. So far we have had no problem of any significance due to the entrance of the three little lefthanded negro boys and the one negro girl. We placed two of the children in one of the twelve seventh grade sections and two in another. Our parents, our pupils and our faculty have been wonderfully cooperative. With these advantages and the excellent assistance from the police de­ partment under the leadership of A1 hundberg and Mr» Reid, we are able to Say at this date - so far, so good. We have missed you and hope that you will continue to enjoy your work in Radnor. Thank you for your Christmas card. wishes to you and your family. With best Sincerely, Claude Richmond � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Claude Richmond to Edward Rutter, February 19, 1959 Description An account of the resource Letter from Claude Richmond in reply to Edward Rutter's letter regarding the integration of Stratford. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Claude Richmond Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1959-2-19 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_17_50 https://projectdaps.org/files/original/2a8e27e47a64e11b02f7fbda2f4feee0.pdf bc4e459ba1cf5d243dfea4818db6ca86 PDF Text Text February 19, 1959 Mrs, William T. Bates 3500 N. Peary Street Arlington 7, Virginia Bear Mrs. Bates: Thank you for your letter of February ICth with your kind and thoughtful expression regarding Stratford’s new venture. The fin: way in which our pupils have responded to the desegration of their school has much to do with our success so far. Ke also know that we oidtaB great deal to the parents of our child­ ren. ~ - best wishes to you, Bill and the youngsters, I ai n Sincerely, Claude M, Richmond � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools Description An account of the resource Record Group 07 contains the incomplete and unofficial records of the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system. The entire collection measures 20.85 linear feet, and ranges in date between 1909 and 2004. The bulk of the material is from the period 1946-1988. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Claude Richmond to William T. Bates, February 19, 1959 Description An account of the resource Letter from Claude Richmond in reply to William T. Bates' letter regarding the integration of Stratford. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived RG 07, Arlington County Public Schools, 1909-2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Claude Richmond Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1959-2-19 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1950s Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This image is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use of the images in the Local History Collections of the Arlington Community Archives is prohibited. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_1_8_17_51