COMPULSORY RACIAL SEGREGATION IN BALTIMORE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS ABOLISHED AT THE START OF THE FALL SEMESTER IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SUPREME COURT DECISION OF MAY 1954. THE DESEGREGATION QUESTION WAS SETTLED ENTIRELY BY THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS OF BALTIMORE, AN UNPAID, NONPOLITICAL LAY GROUP APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND ENDOWED WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IN DETERMINING EDUCATIONAL POLICIES. THE CITY SCHOOL BOARD BELIEVED THAT THE SUPREME COURT DECISION HAD TAKEN THE SUBJECT OF DESEGREGATION OUT OF THE AREA OF PUBLIC DEBATE, AND THEREFORE DID NOT SEEK THE ADVICE OR OPINIONS OF CITY HALL, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE PTA, OR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE PLAN ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSIONERS ALLOWED FOR A TYPE OF OPEN ENROLLMENT POLICY. ALL STUDENTS ENTERING THE FIRST YEAR OF ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY SCHOOL WERE ADMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF THEIR CHOICE, WHITE OR NEGRO. THERE WAS NO COMPULSORY INTEGRATION, AND STUDENTS ALREADY IN SCHOOL WERE FREE TO TRANSFER EXCEPT WHERE A SCHOOL WAS DECLARED OVERCROWDED. TEACHER ELIGIBILITY LISTS WERE MERGED, AND POSITIONS WERE FILLED ON A NONDISCRIMINATORY BASIS. ALTHOUGH BOYCOTTS, PICKETING, AND OTHER DEMONSTRATIONS BY HARD-CORE SEGREGATIONISTS FOLLOWED THE OPENING OF DESEGREGATED SCHOOLS, THE SCHOOL DISTURBANCES CLEARED THE AIR OF OPPOSITION FEELINGS AND, ONCE QUELLED, LEFT THE MAJORITY OF CITIZENS WITH A STRONG DETERMINATION TO HELP INTEGRATION SUCCEED. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE CONVINCED THAT THE BALTIMORE DESEGREGATION POLICY WAS RIGHT FOR THAT CITY.