egregated education as a matter of principle, we are constrained
by the legislative history, the settled administrative construction,
and the other circumstances surrounding the statutes in question to
adhere to the existing interpretation of them."[19-88]

[Footnote 19-88: Memo, Asst Secy of HEW for Secy of
HEW, 4 Oct 58, sub: Payments of Segregated Schools
Under P.L. 815 and P.L. 874, Incl to Ltr, Asst Secy
of HEW to ASD (M&P), 10 Oct 58, OASD (M&P)291.2 (10
Oct 58).]

Richardson might be "constrained" to accept the _status quo_, but some
black parents were not. In the fall of 1958 matters came to a head at
the school near the Little Rock air base. Here was a new facility,
built by the local school board exclusively with federal funds, on
state land, and intended primarily for the education of dependents
living at a newly constructed military base. On the eve of the
school's opening, the Pulaski County school board informed the Air
Force that the school would be for white students only. The decision
was brought to the President's attention by a telegram from a black
sergeant's wife whose child was denied admission.[19-89] The telegram
was only the first in a series of protests from congressmen, civil (p. 497)
rights organizations, and interested citizens. For all the Defense
Department had a stock answer: there was nothing the Air Force could
do. The service neither owned nor operated the school, and the impact
aid laws forbade construction of federal school facilities if the
local school districts could provide public school education for
federal dependents.[19-90]

[Footnote 19-89: Memo, Dir of Pers Policy, OSD, for
Stephen Jackson, 29 Aug 58, sub: Air Force
Segregated School Situation in Pulaski County,
Arkansas (San Francisco _Chronicle_ article of Aug
26, 58); Memo for Rec, Stephen Jackson, OASD (M&P),
8 Oct 58, sub: Integration of Little Rock Air Force
Base School, Jacksonville, Ark., attached to Memo,
ASD (M&P) for SA et al., 10 Oct 58. All in OASD
(M&P) 291.2.]

[Footnote 19-90: See, for example, Ltrs, Dir of Pers
Policy, OSD, to Sen. Richard L. Neuberger, 10 Sep
58, and ASD/M to Congressm