The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 95, July 1991 - April, 1992 Page: 60
598 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Southwestern Hzstorical Quarterly
ing stability of your neighborhood or residential patterns." On the
other hand, Taylor would not countenance any delay. He responded to
Gurwin's misgivings by allowing the RISD not two years but a mere two
weeks to enroll at least 250 nonblack volunteers. The volunteers could
not transfer once accepted, except under extraordinary circumstances.
If the Richardson officials failed, Taylor leaned toward implementing
Gurwin's plans for pairing or clustering, or a plan to enlarge Hamilton
Park's attendance zone?7
The school officials responded to their August 1 deadline with a
thoroughgoing publicity blitz. Superintendent J. J. Pearce sent an ex-
planatory letter to all parents. The district established "Pacesetter Hot
Line" numbers, and arranged for neighborhood meetings during July
22-24. John Roberts, the deputy superintendent for instruction and
creator of the program, and other staff members emphasized the
"enrichment" aspect of Pacesetter. They stressed program quality, an
extended-day option, and declared that Pacesetter probably would be
kept even if the Supreme Court should overturn the Fifth Circuit deci-
sion. The Richardson Dazly News supplied excellent editorial and news
support. Roberts worried about reaching the racial quota goal, but
Pacesetter was well received. The program made its quota in all six
grades by noon, August 1."8
Pacesetter was a public relations and educational success from the be-
ginning. It opened in a blaze of national publicity suggesting that the
Richardson district had developed a model scheme for simultaneously
achieving desegregation and quality education. The Supreme Court's
October refusal to review the case assured Pacesetter's future provided
the program lived up to its billing. It did. An independent study of the
first year concluded that "the weight of evidence supports the academic
and emotional effectiveness of the Pacesetter program." Volunteer stu-
dents were working a grade above their grade levels, and the 84.5 per-
cent return rate of volunteers for the second year was "unusually high."
In 1986 the United States Department of Education selected Hamilton
Park for an award of excellence, an honor shared that year by only five
other public and private schools in the Dallas area, and but 271 others
nationwide."
37Proceedings, Remarks of the Court, [July 15, 1975], folder Current File, p 6 (quotation),
US v RISD, Order, W M Taylor, Jr.,July 16, 1975, ibid.
3Richardson Daly News, July 17, 18, 27, Aug. 1, 1975, exhibit seven, Report to the Court,
Henry D. Akin, Jr., Aug. 1, 1975, US v RISD, Roberts interview
39Clipping, Richardson Dazly News, Sept 16, 1975, folder Pacesetter-Correspondence and
Background Information, Public Information Office, RISD; News release, Jan. 24, 1976,
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 95, July 1991 - April, 1992, periodical, 1992; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117153/m1/88/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.