on (19).In 1960, the Charlotte City Public Schools merged with the Mecklenburg County Public Schools, creating a metropolitan school district that could be operated more economically, more efficiently and with a greater educational benefit to all the students. In 1964, six-year-old James Swann was denied admission to a predominantly white school near his home on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University, where his father was a theology professor. This case also was filed on the behalf of ten black families and their 25 children and any other black children similarly affected (26-29).The outcome of the Swann trial did not result in victory for the plaintiffs. The federal district court ruled that the school board had “no affirmative obligation to desegregate the schools” (32). In April 1969, a motion for further relief re-opened the Swann case. This time the case came before a new federal judge, James McMillan, who ruled promptly. His order required that all 105 Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools be desegregated, that transportation be used, if necessary, to accomplish this purpose, and that the desegregation plans begin in the fall of 1969, with completion by the fall of 1970 (53).La Point 10In the early days of desegregation in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the administration operated a rumor control center to respond to questions of citizens regarding bomb threats, student disruptions, and rumored disruptions at the various schools. Eventually,All of the chaos settled down, after Project Aries was created by the students, both black and white, to”respect and appreciate each others’ cultural differences, to develop skills that would enable them to contribute as leaders in class, and to help all others involved to deal more sensitively and effectively with the complexities of a racially integrated school experience” (56).There is no greater challenge that is as daring as the preparation of the next generation. ...
