The Philadelphia experience very strongly indicates that at least in Philadelphia, and very probably in most large cities in the northeastern U.S., several factors--notably the geographic separation of the races within the city and the existence of a sizable non-public school system (Usually (Usually parochial)--preclude the effective desegregation of the public schools without large scale busing of the pupils or without some kind of mixing of white suburban populations with black central city populations. Thus, those who espouse the use of desegregation tools such as changing feeder areas, pairing adjacent schools, and offering voluntary magnet programs at particular locations to achieve racial balance in the public schools of such cities may well be deluding themselves. As of mid-February 1975, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is attempting to develop a desegregation plan for the Philadelphia schools. At the same time, the school district staff committee is also preparing a plan which will contain several elements from previous plans as well as the 'Academy' concept. The situation at the present time represents a significant departure in that this is the first time that the Commission has been ordered to prepare a plan. Previously, the Commission's role has been simply to review the plans prepared by the school district. (Author/JM)