EWP IMAG0132

Title

EWP IMAG0132

Place

Virginia

Identifier

1043691

Is Version Of

1043691_EWP_IMAG0132.JPG

Is Part Of

Uncategorized

Date Created

2024-01-07

Format

Jpeg Image

Number

bbd2ed0a55ce7103eb7c1976b32632a4c3e669ab1c00fdd0c8206c6d5b568db2

Source

/Volumes/T7 Shield/EWP/Elements/EWP_Files/Access Files/Upload temp/1043691_EWP_IMAG0132.JPG

Publisher

Digitized by Edwin Washingon Project

Rights

Loudoun County Public Schools

Language

English

extracted text

HOUSTON, HOUSTON & HASTIE

ATTORNEYS AT LAW Y
61S F STREET, NORTHWEST /

WASHINGTON, D. C.

TELEFPHON ’
WILLIAM L. HOUSTON e

CHA
BARCESNG ST e WILLIAM H, HASTIE
COUNSEL

JAMES G. BRAWLEY

Mr. O.L. Emerick, Division Superintendent, and
The County School Board of Loudoun County,
Leesburg, Virginia.

G entlement

As T have been forced to start South on urgent and public questions
of far-reaching import, I find I shall not be back in Washington in time
to be present at the May 14 meeting of the School Board. I therefore
send this letter so that my absence may be understood. I expect to be
in Washington soon after May 15 and will contact Mr. Emerick at the
earliest date convenient to both of us for further discussion of the
situation, with the hope we may still be able to work out a progressive
and cumulative program and avoid litigation which none of us desires.

At the last meeting of the Board which I had the privilege to at-
tend, April 9, I wes impressed with the thought that the Board and
Superintendent recognized the necessity of a progressive program for
ultimate equalization of Negro oducation, with immediate beginning, and
that we were on the way toward working out a solution for first steps.
Mr. Emerick's letter of April 11, while it did not go the distance
which we believe just and necessary, was definitely a concrete proposal
for action along the desired path. I waited hopefully for the action
of the Board of Supervisors April 22. No person could have been more
shocked or disappointed than I when the Board of Supervisors eliminated
entirely the proposed supplementary appropriation for the improvement
of Negro education 1940-41 recommended by the School Board.

I do not find myself called upon to analyze the action of the
Board of Supervisors, but I respectfully but firmly point out to the
Division Superintendent and the School Board that the failure of the
Board of Supervisors to make the supplemental appropriation does not
for a moment relieve the Division Superintendent or the School Board
from the duty of equalizing educational opportunities for the Negro
children of Loudoun County. Ways and means I respectfully submit are
not my problem, not holding any official position in the County. I
haed hoped a way had been found, but the Board of Supervisors killed
that hope temporarily. We are back now to the position we originally
started from.

I sincerely ask that the Division Superintendent and the School
Board give the most careful thought and consideration to the problem at
the May 14 meeting. No one desires litigation. But if the Negro citi-
zens are forced to court for the protection of their constitutional
r1ghtse 1 :zp: the officiuls and white population of the County will
recognize that we are fighting to preserve demo i i i
country, and that democracy is as gemocracy doe:fatlc S e

Yourz:%gspectfully and sincerely,
MW

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