Front Royal

Front Royal Schools Integrate

2/18/1959

Integration begins at Warren County High School in Front Royal, Va. As in Charlottesville, Gov. Almond ordered the school closed in September 1958, rather than have it be desegregated. In this clip, several of the 23 African-American students attending Warren County High for the first time walk through crowds of news media. At the end of the clip, a journalist pursues a student for an interview.

Anchor Script

Anchor script text: At Front Royal(Start film) - - - - - 22 negroes start their schooling today at Warren County High School, but it looks like they'll be by themselves. (Show film) The negroes enrolled at the former all-white high school yesterday after it had been closed since last September. But no white high school students showed up and its not likely they'll be there today, either. They prefer to remain in private schools where they've been since last September. The negroes were ordered admitted by a Federal court order. Newsmen outnumbered the students when the negroes entered yesterday to register for classes. A lot of townspeople stood by, but the nine-man Front Royal Police Force kept order by clearing the area of spectactors. Newsmen weren't allowed on the grounds, but had to cover the story from the sidewalk. The unofficial boycott of the school means the negro pupils will have the 30-room facility to themselves for at least the remainder of the school year.

Parents and Students Comment on Integration in Front Royal

2/18/1959

On the first morning of school integration in Front Royal, a woman says that her children will continue to attend all-white private schools. Another parent answers questions about her child's first day at school. She mentions Roosevelt High School in Washington D.C., 70 miles away from Front Royal, as the school that black students had to attend before that day. Then, a Warren County student discusses his attendance at all-white private schools and his hopes that people would boycott the opening of the public high school that day.

Anchor Script

Anchor script text: Only 10 teachers will be used and there'll be plenty of room, but no extra-curricular activies. The negro students - who had been going to school in Washington - didn't want to talk. They told newsmen they'd been instructed not to: Some members of the crowd watching the Negro pupils file into the formerly white school, spoke their mind on what they saw. (start film) And getting some of this reaction was Reporter Joe Moffatt, in Front Royal to cover the story. (show film)