National Affairs: Turnabout in Texas

Twice before, cantankerous old (88) U.S. District Judge William H. Atwell had refused to order school integration in Dallas—and twice before he had been reversed by higher courts. Last week the suit brought by parents of 23 Negro schoolchildren came before Judge Atwell again. This time the judge had little choice. "It is difficult for me to approve this order," said he, "but this is a land of law and it is my duty to do what I have been ordered to do by a higher court." Result: the Dallas public schools, with 86,000 white and 17.000 Negro children, must start integration after the Christmas holidays.