History of Lauderdale County School District | Page 150

they can handle. “What can you say?” replied a white man with two children enrolled in the
Hinds County schools when asked about his plans. “You can only say what has been said
before: it looks like the federal courts have gone into the school business.” “As a parent I’m
interested in education not segregation or integration,” he added. “I’m going to continue to
support public education because that’s the solution. I’m not going to run.” Another parent said
he felt “the majority of whites” want to keep their children in public schools as long as they feel
that there will be no decline in the quality of education they are going to get. “If HEW and
courts will leave us alone for the rest of the year we are going to continue our public education
program with as little interruption as possible,” he said.
Chambers of commerce, ministerial groups, teachers and parents organizations have
issued statements in recent weeks in support of public education and a number of meeting were
held in the districts urging parent to support public education.
Meridian Star, December 9, 1969

New Private School Formed in County
By John Perkins, Star Staff Writer

A group of parents and residents of the Northeast School area of Lauderdale County are
attempting to organize a private elementary school for next semester. Mrs. Joann Williams of
Rt. 4, speaking for the parents’ group, aid two meetings had already been held in the community
to discuss establishing a private school and a building committee was looking for a suitable
structure to house the classes. Another meeting for “interested parents” is scheduled for
Thursday night at 7 o’clock at the Northeast Community Development Club. Mrs. Williams told
the Meridian Star. The community group is hopeful of establishing a private school with grades
1-6 and began classes “next semester – in January,” she commented. Mrs. Williams said about
25 students have already been tentatively signed up for the proposed school and “we feel like a
lot more will be interested when they hear about it.”
Effort Underway – Mrs. Williams said about 40 parents and residents of the community
attended the second meeting and that officials of other local private schools had been contacted
for advice in establishing the proposed new educational institution. She said the three member
building committee was checking into the availability of existing structures that are suitable for
school purposes, including church facilities in the community.
Tuition fees have not been set, although she said there was some consideration given to a
$25 registration fee which would be discussed at Thursday night’s meeting. Mrs. Williams said
the community was upset at recent Supreme Court and Department of Health, Education and
Welfare school orders and plans which parents consider detrimental to the sound education
program and “we intend to try and do something about it.” She said the new private school
would be aimed at providing “a quality education for our children without government
interference.”