Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 2 · column 2 of 3 · from the scan, no model involved
“Three streams appeared to feed the movement away from state support. The first was the felt need for tightening of the public purse in order to prevent raids on the public treasury. * * • The second was the rise of the whole public school system, usually identified with the efforts of a few pioneers, * • • and the subsequent expansion of the public school system owing to industry's burgeoning need for more trained people. It became apparent that the double drain of supporting both public and private schools was not only expensive but possibly incompatible with democratic tenets. The third was the felt need to resist the growing attempt to secure state aid for sectarian schools.” Need For Public Schools.
Today as never before, we need the public schools intact. Never in the histopr of America or Virginia, has the very life of our civilization so imperatively demanded public education for our children, for each and every one of our children. Our school system divided against itself will fall. It cannot stand half public and half private. Agaun to quote from respondent’s brief in Almond v. Day:
“To use taxpayers’ money to assist private schools is to suggest that American society use its own hands to de-' stroy itself.” , Amend Of 141 Will Weaken 129.
The proposed amendment to Section 141 inevitably will undermine and weaken Section 129 of the State Constitution. Section 129 provides:
“The General Assembly shall establish and maintain an efficient system of public free schools throughout the state.” I ..
To amend Section 129 as Governor Stanley indicated in June 1954 might be advisable, would destroy the public school directly. To amend Section 141 will destroy the public schools indirectly. The difference is between a quick death and a slow one. For the life blood of the public schools is public money, taxpayers’ money. If any of this is taken from the public schools and diverted to private schools, it can serve only one purpose, namely, to weaken the former and strengthen the latter.
At the Special Session, Senator Ted Dalton proposed that the General Assembly incorporate in the amendment to 141 a guarantee that 129 should not be affected. It is significant and alarming that this proposal was voted down overwhelmingly. Virginia’s Dilemma.
Virginia faces the greatest dilemma of a century. The customs of our State indicate that our public sahools be segregated. The law of the United States forbids that our public schools be segregated solely on the basis of f&ce. As State Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr., has said, an irresistible force has met an immovable object.
Our problem is to-devise a means whereby we can, -first, preserve our public schools, and second, preserve segregation in those schools w’lthin the limits of the law.
The Supreme Court must honor our traditions. The de
76.8%