vital speeches-ed for the new social order-rudd-1948-8pgs-edu

8/2/2019 Vital Speeches-Ed for the New Social Order-Rudd-1948-8pgs-EDU

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No. ' 2 35 cents a copy"

SEPTEMBER 15, 198By AUGUSTUS , G. RUDD

C h a i r m a n , G u a r d i a n s o f A m e r i c a n E d u c a t i o n , G a r d e n C i t y , N . Y .

A n A d d r e s s d e l i v e r e d b e f o r e t h e N a t i o n a ~ S o c i e t y o f N e w E n g l a n d W o m e n

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l i s h i n g C o . , N e w Y o r k

o r k 1 8 , N . Y .

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THE BEST THOUGHT OF THE BEST MIND ON


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E d u c a t i o n f o r t h e N e w S o c i a l O r

TRAGIC RESULTS NOW APPARENT

By AUGUSTUS G . RUDD, Chairman, Guardian s of Americ an FoundationDelivered b efore t he National Society of New England Women , New York, N

. Y . , F e b r u a r y 2 6 , 1 9 4 8

JA M v e r y h a p p y t o b e h e r e t o d a y t o t a l k t o y o u a b o u t a

s u b j e c t o f v i t a l c o n c e r n t o a l l o f u s - t h e e d u c a t i o n o f

youth . N o t o n l y a r e w e d e e p l y c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e e d u -

c a t i o n o f o u r c h i l d r e n a s a p e r s o n a l m a t t e r , b u t a l s o f r o m a

p a t r i o t i c s t a n d p o i n t f o r t h e d e s t i n y o f t h i s R e p u b l i c w i l l

s o o n b e i n t h e i r h a n d s . T h e y w i l l d e c i d e w h e t h e r i t r e m a i n s

a great Republic of free men and women or falls into the

totalitarian abyss of socialism, communism or any other

p o l i c e _ _ s t a t e .

I s h o u l d l i k e , h o w e v e r , t o f i r s t m a k e m y p e r s o n a l p o s i t i o n

c l e a r. I am not a teacher, nor do I hav e any personal or

m a t e r i a l i n t e r e s t i n t h e t e a c h i n g ' T r r o f e s s i o r r . I am not a

w r i t e r o f t e x t b o o k s a n d h a v e n o i n t e r e s t n o r c o n n e c t i o n w i t h

t h e p u b l i c a t i o n b r s a l e o f t h e m .

B u t I h a v e a d e e p f e e l i n g o f g r a t i t u d e f o r t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s

t h a t w e r e g i v e n m e a s a c h i l d , t o l e a r n a b o u t a n d u n d e r s t a n d

o u r g r e a t A m e r i c a n h e r i t a g e , a n d f e e l a s i n c e r e o b l i g a t i o n t o

d o w h a t I c a n t o s e e t h a t o u r y o u n g s t e r s h a v e e q u a l o p p o r -

t u n i t y . I s h a l l a t t e m p t t o e x p l a i n w h y t h a t o p p o r t u n i t y i s

, l o s t t o m i l l i o n s o f t h e c h i l d r e n o f t o d a y .

PUBLIC SCHOOLS' FINE RE CORD

F r e e p u b l i c s c h o o l s a r e d i s t i n c t l y a n A m e r i c a n i n s t i t u t i o n .

T h e p r i n c i p l e t h a t v e r y c h i l d i s e n t i t l e d t o a n e q u a l o p p o r -

t u n i t y f o r a s o u n d e d u c a t i o n w a s r e c o g n i z e d a l m o s t f r o m t h e

b e g i n n i n g o f c o l o n i z a t i o n i n A m e r i c a . It was on February

1 3 , 1 6 3 5 , t h a t t h e f i r s t f r e e p u b l i c s c h o o l w a s o p e n e d i n N e w

England, to become k nown as the Boston Latin School .

F o r a l m o s t 3 0 0 y e a r s , a n d u n t i l q u i t e r e c e n t l y , t h i s g r e a t

A m e r i c a n i n s t i t u t i on h a s b e e n a b u l w a r k o f f r e e d o m . I t h a s

d o n e a g r e a t j o b . I t h a s h a d o u r u n l i m i t e d c o n f i d e n c e . More

t h a n a n y o t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n , i t i s t h e o n e w h i c h t h e a v e r a g e

American would unqualif iedly say is thoroughly sound .

And why has the public ; school enjoyed such complete

c o n f i d e n c e ? B e c a u s e i t h a d b e e n f r e e o f p o l i t i c s a n d p r o p a -

g a n d a . I t h a d g i v e n p u p i l s a f a c t u a l k n o w l e d g e , w h i l e t r a i n -

i n g _ them in the homely virtues and developing mental

d i s c i p l i n e. I t s t e x t b o o k s h a d p r o v i d e d r e l i a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n

and encour aged sound thinking . No one doubted that the

t e a c h e r ' s m a i n p u r p o s e w a s t o e d u c a t e t h e c h i l d . B o t h t e a c h -

e r s a n d t e x t b o o k s t r u l y r e f l e c t e d o u r f a i t h a n d b e l i e f i n t h e

b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s u p o n w h i c h o u r l i b e r t i e s w e r e f o u n d e d . T h e

teaching profession may well be proud - o f t h i s r e c o r d o f

many generations . B u t a p r o f o u n d c h a n g e h a s b e e n a p p a r e n t

d u r i n g t h e p a s t 2 0 - 2 5 y e a r s .

STUDENTS LOSE FAITH I N AMERICAN WAY

A t a d e l i g h t f u l g a r d e n p a r t y n e a r t h e b a n k s o f t h e H u d s o n

River, there were present several students from a nearby

women's college, two of whom I engaged in conversation .

A l t h o u g h t h e s e y o u n g l a d i e s w e r e b o r n a n d b r e d i n t h e f i n e s t

A m e r i c a n t r a d i t i o n , I w a s ' a m a z e d t o h e a r t h e i r o p i n i o n s o n

e c o n o m i c a n d p o l i t i c a l p h i l o s o p h y . B o t h h e l d t h a t o u r A m e r -

i c a n f r e e e c o n o m y w a s o u t m o d e d , t h a t t h e p r o f i t m o t i v e w a s

b a d , a n d t h a t s o c i a l i s m w o u l d b e a n i m p r o v e m e n t . B o t h w e r e

lukewarm__a b o u t t h e v a l u e o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e U n i t e d

S t a t e s ; s a y i n g t h a t d _ ou t li v ed i t s u se f ul n es s i n , m a n y

respects and now retarded democracy . One said tha t com-

m u n i s m w a s a m o d e r n f o r m o f democracy from which we

c o u l d a d o p t m a n y d e s i r a b l e f e a t u r e s . I n s h o r t , t h e s e c o l l e g e

g i r l s h a d l i t t l e o r n o f a i t h o r b e l i e f i n our Americ an system

r e g a r d l e s s o f i t s g l o r i o u s r e c o r d o f m a t e r i a l a n d s p i r i t u a l

b l e s s i n g s , t h e e n v y o f o p p r e s s e d p e o p l e s a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d .

COLLEGE POLL SHOWS 63 PERCENT FAVOR SOCIALISMNo d o u b t a l l o f y o u h a v e h a d s i m i l a r e x e r i e c s a e , f o r _

l e a d i n g g i r l s c o l l e g e i s n o t u n i q u e . I t c o u l d b e a n y o f a b o u t

t w o - t h i r d s o f o u r c o l l e g e s , f o r m e n o r w o m e n , N o r t h , S o u t h ,

East, or West ; f o r a c a r e f u l l y c o n d u c t e d s u r v e y r e c e n t l y

r e v e a l e d t h a t n e a r l y t w o - t h i r d s o f o u r c o l l e g e s t u d e n t s f a v -

o r e d s o c i al i s m . D r . H e n r y L i n k p o s e d t h e f o l l o w i n g q u e s t i o n

to a cross section of 5,000 people : "If the Governmen

owned and managed industries, would you get more or less

f o r y o u r m o n e y t h a n y o u d o n o w ? " Amo n g t h e g e n e r a l

p o p u l a t i o n , 4 3 p e r c e n t s a i d t h a t t h e y w o u l d g e t a s m u c h ' o r

more under Government owner ship, and 63 percent o f t h e

c o l l e g e s t u d e n t s p o l l e d w e r e o f t h i s o p i n i o n .

B e w i l d e r e d p a r e n t s a l l o v e r t h e c o u n t r y h a v e b e e n A s k i n g

themselves in recent year s, "How do these youngsters g e t

t h a t w a y ? " T i m e a n d a g a i n I h a v e h e a r d a d i s t r e s s e d p a r e n t

s a y , " J i m c e r t a i n l y d i d n ' t g e t i t a t h o m e ." Or, "Jane was

a l l r i g h t b e f o r e s h e w e n t t o c o l l e g e . " S o , w h a t i s t h e a n s w e r ?

Is there a pattern or plan behind a widespread movement?

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h i s c o n d i t i o n h a s b e e n b r o u g h t a b o u t l a r g e l y

b y d e s i g n . B r i e f l y , t h i s i s t h e s t o r y .

DEBUNKING THE FOUNDING FATHERS

Thirty-five years ago, Charles A. Beard, then a y o u n g

p r o f e s s o r a t C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y , w r o t e a b o o k c a l l e d An

E c o n o m i c I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n o f the Unite

S t a t e s , in which he questioned the motives and thework o f

t h e f o u n d i n g f a t h e r s o f - t l ~ i D - . r h ' - ~ - g o o k -p r o p e r l y c o n s i d e r e d t h e p r i m a r y c o u r s e o f t h e "debunkers"

of American history . I t a d v a n c e d t h e t h e o r y o f " e c o n o m i c

d e t e r m i n i s m , " m e a n i n g t h a t a n y m a n ' s m o t i v e s a r e d o m i n a t e d

b y , h i s p r e s e n t o r e x p e c t e d w e a l t h , a n d t h e r e f o r e h i s a c t i o n

m u s t b e j u d g e d s o l e l y i n t h i s l i g h t . S i n c e m o st o f t h e s i g n e r

o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n w e r e m e n o f s o m e w e a l t h ( q u i t e n a t u r -

a l l y , s i n c e t h e y w e r e e d u c a t e d a n d e d u c a t i o n w a s r a r e a n d

e x p e n s i v e i n t h o s e d a y s ) i t f o l l o w s , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e b o o k ,

t h a t t h e i r i m p e l l i n g m o t i v e s f o r c r e a t i n g t h i s g r e a t c h a r t e r

o f f r e e d o m w e r e n o t n e c e s s a r i l y f o r t h e g o o d o f t h e w h o l e

p e o p l e b u t r a t h e r f o r t h e d e l e g a t e s ' o w n p e r s o n a l i n t e r e s t .

I n h i s 1 9 1 3 b o o k B e a r d s t a t e s : " S u p p o s e * * * t h a t s u b -

s t a n t i a l l y a l l o f t h e m e r c h a n t s , m o n e y l e n d e r s , s e c u r i t y -

h o l d e r s , m a n u f a c t u r e r s , s h i p p e r s , c a p i t a l i s t s , a n d f i n a n c i er

a n d t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l a s s o c i a t e s a r e t o b e f o u n d o n o n e s i d

i n s u p p o r t o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a n d t h a t s u b s t a n t i a l l y a l l o

the major portionof the opposition came from thenonslay

holding farmers and the debtors- would it not be pretty

c o n c l u s i v e l y d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t o u r f u n d a m e n t a l l a w w a s n o t

t h e p r o d u c t o f a n a b s t r a c t i o n k n o w n a s ` t h e w h o l e p e o p l e , '

b u t o f a g r o u p of e c o n o m i ' i n t e r e s t s w h i c h m u s t h a v e e x p e c t e

b e n e f i c i a l r e s u l t s f r o m i t s a d o p t i o n ? " T h e g r e a t e r p a r t o f


3/8

t h e b o o k i s t h e n d e v o t e d t o s h o w i n g t h a t t h e d e l e g a t e s h a d ,

e c o n o m i c i n t e r e s t s a n d p r o p e r t y , a n d t h u s h e p r o v e s h i s c a s e .

Seld om h a s a m o r e u n j u s t a n d d e s t r u c t i v e t h e o r y been

a d v a n c e d i n t h e h i s t o r y o f o u r c o u n t r y . A n d y e t t h i s b o o k

h a s be e n r e qu i r e d le a d i ng i n t h o u s a n d s o f -s c ho o ls an d c o l-

l eg es f or a g en e r a t i o n : " T h i s b o o k, " s a y s W a l t e r L i p p m a n n ,

" h a s h a d a n i m m e n s e i n f l u e n c e u p o n t h e w r i t i n g a n d t e a c h i n g

o f A m e r i c a n h i s t o r y a n d u p o n t h e o u t l o o k o f f ' t h e g e n e r a t i o n

t h a t V a s e d u c a t e d i n t h e i n t e r v a l b e t w e e n t h e t w o g r e a t w a r s .

I # w o u l d h a r d l y b e a r t e x a g g e r a t i o n t o s a y t h a t t h i s b o o k

i s t h e classic which set the fashion for the debunking

h i s t o r i a n s . "

`,BUILDING AMERICA" TEXTBOOKS

New` d o w e f i n d ' t h i s p r o p a g a n d a i n o u r s c h o o l c l a s s -

rooms? W e c e r t a i n l y d o . T h e r e i s a s e r i e s o f t e x t b o o k s c a l l e d

Building America sponso red by the National E d u c a t i o n

A s s o c i a t i o n . In ' C a l i f o r n i a t h e S o n s o f t h e A m e r i c a n ` R e v o -

l u t i o n , l e a r n i n g t h a t t h e S t a t e d e p a r t m e n t o f e d u c a t i o n i n -

t e n d e d t o i n t r o d u c e t h e s e b o o k s i n t o t h e p u b l i c s c h o o l s ,

v i g o r o u s l y o p p o s e d t h e p r o p o s a l a n d i n Q t i t n t e d c o u r t a c t i o n

t o p r e v e n t - i t , -I r k c w t 'O ~hdrn tbe'SAR c o i f c i p l a i n ta n d p e t it i o n i n t h e p r o c e e d i n g s b e f or e t h e l e g i s l a t u r e o f t h e

S t a t e o f C a l i f o r n i a :

" B u i l d in g A m e r i c a i s a s u b v e r s i v e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h a t i t

u n d e r m i n e s p r i n c i p l e s e s s e n t i a l t o o u r f o r m o f g o v e r n m e n t .

T h e f o l l o w i n g m a t e r i a l c o n t a i n e d t h e r e i n i s o f t h a t c h a r a c t e r :

" 1 T h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n t h a t . t h e Co n s ti t u ti o n of t h e U n it e d

S t a t e s w a s t h e w o r k o f w el l - t o- d o l a w y e r s , b a n k e r s , a n d

b u s i n e s s m e n , a c t i n g a g a i n s t t h e i n t e r e s t o f t h e c o m m o n p e o -

p l e , a s p a r t o f a p r o g r a m t o m a k e p e r s o n a l p r o f i t . "

On page 6 of v o l u m e I I o f B u i l d i n g A m e r i c a w e f i n d

t h i s t e x t :

" N e a r l y a l l t h e m e n w h o g a v e t h e i r g r e a t t a l e n t s t o t h e

j o b w e r e c a p a b l e , w e l l - t o - d o l a w y e r s , p l a n t e r s , m e r c h a n t s ,

b a n k e r s , o r b u s i n e s s m e n . S o m e - o f t h e m h a d l e n t m o n e y t o

c a r r y o n t h e R e v o l u t i o n . M a n y h a d C o n t i n e n t a l b o n d s a n d

p a p e r . m o n e y w h i c h w e r e a l m o s t w o r t h l e s s , b u t w h i c h t h e y

wanted the new government to make good . None of t he

d e l e g a t e s w a s a c i t y m e c h a n i c o r a small farmer who owned

l i t t l e o r n o p r o p e r t y . "

T h e r e y o u s e e t h e i d e a s f r o m P r o f e s s o r B e a r d ' s b o o k - a s

p l a i n a s d a y .

. T h e S A R p e t i t i o n c o n t i n u e s

" T h e b o a r d w a s p u t o n n o t i c e r e g a r d i n g t h e s u b v e r s i v e

on i n of Troppanda i n t h e B u ' America book s . I t w a s

s own that the__um t, ur o n s t , t u t i o n , h a d b e e n p r e p a r e d

in 1936 i n a F e d e r a l w r i t e r s ' p r o e c t , i n New Yor k City

with WPA fun ds ; t h a t a c o n s i d e r a b l e p a r t o f t h e m a t e r i a l

c o n s i s t e d o f h a n d - o u t s f r o m F e d e r a l p r o p a g a n d a a g e n c i e s ;

t h a t t h e e d u c a t i o n a l p a t t e r n w a s b a s e d o n p r o g r a m s o f l e f t -

w i n g r a d i c a l g r o u p s . "

F o r t u n a t e l y t h e S A R w o n a c o m p l e t e v i c t o r y i n C a l i f o r n i a

a n d t h e l e g i s l a t u r e r e f u s e d m o n e y f o r t h e p u r c h a s e o f t h e

b o o k s , B u i l d i n g A m e r i c a . I n c i d en t a l l y, w h o d o y o u su p p o s e

p u t u p a g o o d p a r t o f t h e m o n e y t o f i n a n c e t h e s e t e x t b o o k s ?

The General Educati on Board (found ed by John D . R o c k e

f e l l e r ) w h i c h a d v a n c e d $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 f o r t h i s p u r p o s e .

ORIGIN OF PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT

W i t h t h e r i s e o f c o m m u n i s m i n S o v i e t R u s s i a , t h e a l i e n

t h e o r i e s o f K a r l M a r x b e g a n t o t a k e r o o t i n t h e U n i t e d

S t a t e s . T h e y f o u n d p a r t i c u l a r l y f e r t i l e s o i l a m o n g t h e r a d i c a l

e d u c a t o r s a t T e a c h e r s C o l l e g e , C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y , w h e r e

a s m a l l g r o u p d e c i d e d t h e t i m e w a s r i p e f o r a n e w s o c i a l

o r d e r o f . a c o l l e c t i v i s t c h a r a c t e r .

G e t t i n g s t i m u l u s f r o m t h e i d e a s o f P r o f e s s o r s J o h n D e w e y ,

C h a r l e s B e a r d , a n d o t h e r s ; t h e I n s t i t u t e o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l

E d u c a t i o n ' w a s e s t a b l i s h e d i n C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y i n 1 9 1 9 .

I t s t a r t e d ` c o n d u c t i n g t r i p s t o f o r e i g n l a n d s , . a i d e d b y e d u c a =

t i o n a l f o u n d a t i o n f u n d s .

A n o t e d e d u c a t o r , D r . J o h n C . A l m a c k , p r o f e s s o r o f e d u - '

c a t i o n , S t a n f o r d U n i v e r s i t y , s a y s :

" M a n y t e a c h e r s a n d s t u d e n t s t o o k t h e p i l g r i m a g e t o t h e

O l d W o r l d , u s u a l l y i n c l u d i n g G e r m a n y a n d R u s s i a i n t h e i r i

i t i n e r a r i e s . M a n y o f t h e m r e t u r n e d c h a l l e n g i n g e v e r y t h i n g

A m e r i c a n , b r e a t h i n g f i r e a n d d e f i a n c e t o p r o p e r t y , t h e p r o f i t

s y s t e m , a n d t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n , a n d b e a t i n g t h e t o m - t o m s f o r a

n e w s o c i a l o r d e r . T h e y b e g a n t h e a c t i v e d i f f u s i o n o f e c o -

n o m i c r e f o r m i d e a s b y m e a n s o f p a m p h l e t s , p a p e r s , p a n e l

d i s c u s s i o n s , f o r u m s , l e c t u r e r s , t e a c h i n g , a n d b o o k s . They

w e r e f i l l e d w i t h t h e n o t i o n t h a t r e v o l u t i o n w a s j u s t a r o u n d

t h e c o r n e r , a n d t h a t t h e y m u s t d e c l a r e t h e w a y , a f t e r i n s u r i n g

t h e i r o w n s a f e t y , s h o u l d t h i n g s g o w r o n g , b y g u a r a n t i e s o f

academic freedom .

" T h e n e w s c h o o l s i n R u s s i a w e r e o r g a n i z e d a n d c o n d u c t e d

a f t e r t h e m o d e l l a i d o u t b y J o h n D e w e y i n C h i c a g o m a n y

y e a r s e a r l i e r . T h e c h i l d r e n r a n t h e s c h o o l s , w o r k e d w h e n

t h e y ' pleased, -~~ ere r u d e a m unmannerly, and showed nor e s p e c t f o r p a r e n t s o r t e a c h e r s . . N o r e a d i n g , w r i t i n g , a r i t h -

m e t i c , a n d s u c h o l d - f a s h i o n e d f u n d a m e n t a l s w e r e t o l e r a t e d i n

t h e s e m o d e r n s c h o o l s . I n s t e a d , t h e r e w a s a c o m p l e x s y s t e m ,

i n w h i c h , w i t h s o c i a l a c t i v i t i e s , s k i l l s w e r e s u p p o s e d t o b e

i n t r o d u c e d w h e n a n d i f t h e p u p i l s w a n t e d t h e m .

" I n ' t h e R u s s i a n s c h o o l s i n d o c t r i n a t i o n i n t h e p r a ct i c e o f

communism was included a s d i r e c t , i n s t r u c t i o n . A t e a c h e r

who would have introduced a doubt of its mer its would

h a v e b e e n l i q u i d a t e d b y a c o m r a d e o n g u a r d a s a . c o u n t e r -

r e v o l u t i o n a r y .

" A r d e n t A m e r i c a n t o u r i s t s s a w a n d h e a r d o n l y w h a t t h e

b o s s B o l s h e v i k w a n t e d t h e m t o s e e a n d h e a r . They m i s s e d

m a n y o f t h e - v i e w s t h a t w o u l d h a v e s h o w n t h e s y s t e m _ f o r

w h a t i t w a s .

" H o w e v e r , t h e y c a m e b a c k t o A m e r i c a b u b b l i n g o v e r w i t h .

' e v a n g e l i s m f o r t h e ` n e w ' e d u c a t i o n , a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y b a l l y -

h o o e d ` e d u c a t i o n f o r a n e w s o c i a l o r d e r . ' N e e d l e ss t o s a y ,

t h i s ` n e w s o c i a l o r d e r ' e m b r a c e d t h e t e n e t s a n d p r a c t i c e s o f

c o l l e c t i v i s m , a n a m e c a u t i o n t a u g h t t h e s e a p o s t l e s t o p r e f e r

to Communi sm . "

C h a l l e n g e t o A m e r i c a ? " I a m i n d e b t e d t o t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l

Institute of Teachers College for making both t r i p s t o

R u s s i a p o s s i b l e . "

COLUMBIA UNIVERSI TY LEADS THE WAY

S i n c e t h e s e a c t i v i t i e s w e r e l a r g e l y u n d e r t h e c o m m a n d o f

C o l u m b i a t e a c h e r s , i t w a s o n l y n a t u r a l t h a t T e a c h e r s C o l -

l e g e , C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y , s h o u l d b e c o m e t h e f o u n t a i n h e a d

o f t h i s n ew t y p e o f e du c a t io n . N o t o n l y w e r e t e a c h e r s w h o

w e r e l o o k i n g f o r a d v a n c e m e n t b e g i n n i n g t o c o m e i n g r e a t

n u m b e r s t o T e a c h e r s C o l l e g e , b u t t h e s u m m e r s c h o o l s w h i c h

t a u g h t t h e s e m o s t " a d v a n c e d " i d e a s w e r e s o w e l l a d v e r t i s e d

t h a t m a n y t h o u s a n d s c a m e e a c h s u m m e r , s w e p t o f f t h e i r f e e t

b y t e a c h i n g s - t h i n g s t h e y ' h a d n e v e r h e a r d b e f o r e . They

b e c a m e t h e v i c t i m s o f n e w t h e o r i e s o f s o c i e t y a n d t h e k i n d

o f " e d u c a t i o n " ( s o -c a l l e d ) , w h i c h w a s n e c e s s a r y t o p r o d u c e

a n d p e r p e t u a t e s u ch a s o c i e t y . C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e y w e n t b a c k

t o t he i r r es p e c t iv e c it i e s , t o w n s . a n d h a m l e t s w i t h t h e a b s o -

l u t e c o n v i c t i o n t h a t t h e y h a d d i s c o v e r e d t h e f o u n t o f a l l

e d u c a t i o n a l k n o w l e d g e ( T e a c h e r s C o l l e g e ) a n d t h e s u r e w a y

t o s a v e t h e w o r l d f r o m t h e p l a g u e , a n d c i v i l i z a t i o n f r o m i t s

w o r s t e n e m y , n a m e l y , i t s e l f .

N o w m u l t i p l y t h i s y e a r l y p e r f o r m a n c e b y t h e n u m b e r o f

y e a r s s i n c e t h e f i r s t W o r l d W a r a n d y o u c a n i m a g i n e h o w

m a n y m e n a n d w o m e n i n o u r - t e a c h i n g , p r o f e s s i o n h a v e b e -

c o m e i n n o c u l a t e d w i t h t h e s e s u b v e r s i v e d o c t r i n e s .

Professor George S . Counts says i n his " The Soviet

C7


4/8

Styling themselves the "Frontier Thinkers," these edu-

c a t o r ;xeformers and . t h e i r c o l l e a g u e s , t h e m o r e a g g r e s s i v e

s o c i a l r e f o r m e r s , e x p e r i m e n t e d i n " l i b e r a l " s c h o o l s a n d t e s t e d

t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f c a p t u r i n g o u r e d u c a t i o n a l . s y s t e m . T h e i r

methods and techniques were extremely subtle, and their

d o c t r i n e s w e r e a r t f u l l y c o n c e a l e d i n a n a t t r a c t i v e p a c k a g e

l a b e l e d " p r o g r e s s i v e e d u c a t i o n , " a n d d e c o r a t e d w i t h r i b b o n s

c a l l e d S o c i a l S c i e n c e . Socialis m? Of cours e not . This was

the new twentieth century streamlined model of "dem oc-

r a c y , " s a i d t h e F r o n t i e r T h i n k e r s . A s e v e r y o n e l i k e s t o b e

p r o g r e s s i v e , a n d e v e r y b o d y w a n t s d e m o c r a c y , l i t t l e o p p o s i -

t i o n d e v e l o p e d .

GRANT FROM CARNEGIE CORPORATION

In 1926 a gr oup known as the American Historical As-

sociation appointed a commission of liberal educators to

" i n v e s t i g a t e t h e t e a c h i n g o f h i s t o r y a n d o t h e r s o c i a l s t u d i e s

i n t h e s c h o o l s . " A f t e r b r i n g i n g i n a p r e l i m i n a r y r e p o r t i n

1928, this commission was enlarged, secured a gra nt of

$300,000 from the Carnegie Corporation and spent five

y e a r s i n d e l i b e r a t i o n s . F r o m a b o u t - t h i s t i m e t h e m o r e m i l i -

t a n t s o c i a lr e f o r m e r s , - o r - " h a r d - - p r o g r e s s i v e s , " ' - d o m i n a t e d

t h e

movement . I n 1 9 3 4 t h e c o m m i s s i o n p u b l i s h e d i t s r e p o r t , t h e

f i f t e e n t h v o l u m e o f w h i c h i s e n t i t l e d C o n c l u s i o n s a n d R e c o m -

m e n d a t i o n s , a n d c o n t a i n s t h e p r e m i s e a n d p h i l o s o p h y o f t h e

l e f t - w i n g e d u c a t o r s : O u r A m e r i c a n w a y o f l i f e i s a f a i l u r e

a n d m u s t m a k e w a y - f o r a c o l l e c t i v i s t f o r m o f s o c i e t y . E d u -

c a t i o n i s t o b r i n g t h e d a y o f t h i s u t o p i a n " i n t e g r a t e d o r d e r . "

From "Conclusions and Recommendations" we learn in

d e t a i l h o w t h i s i n d o c t r i n a t i o n t h r o u g h t h e s c h o o l s i s t o b e

accomplished . The propaganda vehicle is to be the new

S o c i a l S c i e n c e c o u r s e , s u p p l a n t i n g t h e t r a d i t i o n a l U n i t e d

S t a t e s h i s t o r y , g e o g r a p h y , a n d c i v i c s . T e x t b o o k s a r e t o b e

r e w r i t t e n , s p e c i a l c o u r s e s a n d t e a c h e r ' s g u i d e s a r e t o b e

Prepared and other teaching material is to- b e c a r e f u l l y

s e l e c t e d t o a c c o m p l i s h t h i s p u r p o s e o f e d u c a t i o n .

PROFESSOR LASKI CALLS IT SOCIALISM

P e r h a p s t h e m o s t f i t t i n g c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f t h i s b o o k i s

t h e s t a t e m e n t o f P r o f e s s o r H a r o l d L a s k i , p r o m i n e n t E n g l i s h

e d u c a t o r a n d M a r x i s t , w h o s a y s

" S t r i p p e d . o f i t s c a r e f u l l y n e u t r a l p h r a s e s , t h e r e p o r t i s

a n e d u c a t i o n a l p r o g r a m f o r a S o c i a l i s t A m e r i c a * * * ( It )

c o u l d b e i m p l e m e n t e d i n a s o c i e t y o n l y w h e r e s o c i a l i s m w a s

t h e a c c e p t e d w a y o f l i f e ; f o r i t i s a d i r e c t c r i t i c i s m o f t h e

i d e a l s t h a t h a v e s h a p e d c a p i t a l i s t A m e r i c a ." (New Republic,

July 29, 1940 . )

T h u s , w a s h a t c h e d t h e p l a n o f t h e c o l l e c t i v i s t s a t T e a c h e r s

- C o l l e g e t o propagate alien ideologies through the public

s c h o o l s f r o m c o a s t t o c o a s t .

Having formulated this ambitious plan, they found that

t h e m o s t d i f f i c u l t p a r t o f t h e p r o g r a m w a s t o i n t r o d u c e i t

i n t o t h e p u b l i c s c h o o l s . A f t e r a l l , t o c h a n g e t h e "c l i m a t e o f

opinion" of American citizens so that they will discard

m a n y t r a d i t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s i s n o s m a l l u n d e r t a k i n g . Who

knew what boards of education and parents would have to

s a y ? O b v i o u s l y t h e t a s k r e q u i r e d s k i l l i n p r e p a r a t i o n a n d

e x t r e m e t a c t i n p r e s e n t a t i o n .

PROFESSOR RUGG ' S SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSES

O n e o f t h e a b l e s t f o r t h i s t a s k w a s P r o f e s s o r H a r o l d R u g g

o f T e a c h e r s C o l l e g e , k e e n , r e s o u r c e f u l , t e a c h e r o f t e a c h e r s .

Rugg had long been an exponent of the "new social order"

and had experimented with courses developing the idea . I n

f a c t , i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 2 0 ' s h e i n t r o d u c e d h i s s o c i a l s c i e n c e

pamphl ets into the Lincol n School of New York City . W i t h

the strong support of radical colleagues, Professor Rugg

i n t r o d u c e d h i s s o c i a l s c i e n c e c o u r s e s i n t o o t h e r s c h o o l s , a n d

i n t i m e his whole comprehensive courses, i n c l u d i n g t e n

o r m o r e t e x t b o o k s a n d v a r i o u s a c c e s s o r i e s , w e r e i n . u s e i n

approximat ely 5,000 schools .

The work ing t o o l s o f t h i s s y s t e m a r e a s f o l l o w s : T e x t -

books, workbo oks, and Teacher's Guides . One or t w o e x -

amples will show the nature of this system, which em-

p h a s i z e s " a t t i t u d e s " a t e x p e n s e o f k n o w l e d g e .

In one of the pupil's workbooks the q uestion i s a s k e d

"Is the United States a land of opportunity f or all our

people? Why? This is the answer-the child . s h o u l d g i v e a c -

cordi ng to the Teacher's Guide For O u r Country and OurPeople (p . 3 8 ) :

" T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s i s n o t a l a n d o f o p p o r t u n i t y f o r a l l

our people ; for one-fifth of the people do not earn any

money at all . T h e r e a r e g r e a t d i f f e r e n c e s i n t h e s t a n d a r d s

o f l i v i n g o f t h e d i f f e r e n t c l a s s e s o f p e o p l e . T h e m a j o r i t y d o

n o t h a v e a n y r e a l s e c u r i t y . "

M o s t o f u s h o l d t h e b e l i e f t h a t o u r c o u n t r y i s s u p e r i o r

t o d i c t a t o r s h i p s o f o t h e r n a t i o n s . But apparently we are

wrong . F o r t h i s i s h o w t h e T e a c h e r ' s G u i d e f o r A m e r i c a ' s

March 'Towar d Democracy (p . 5 2 ) r u l e s o u t any such

a t t i t u d e

"Of the 315 pupils 88 per cent said that the following

s t a t e m e n t w a s t r u e , ` M y c o u n t r y i s u n q u e s t i o n a b l y t h e b e s t

country in the world . ' N o w t h e a t t i t u d e t h u s e x p r e s s e d i s

one that we decidedly do not want to develop in our

c l a s s e s . " -

A m o n g o t h e r t i p s t o t e a c h e r s , w e f i n d t h i s i n t h e T e a c h e r ' s

Guide for America's March Toward Democr acy (p . 6 8 )

"Treat the War for Independence essentially as an e c o -

nomic struggle between the ruling classes of England and

t h e C o l o n i e s . "

T h u s w e f i n d m a n y i n s t a n c e s o f t h e i n f l u e n c e o f B e a r d ' s

t h i n k i n g i n 1 9 1 3 . I n o n e o f P r o f e s s o r H a r o l d ' R u g g ' s s o c i a l

science textbooks, History -of American Government and

C u l t u r e , p a g e 1 2 7 , t h e f o l l o w i n g t e x t a p p e a r s :

"For land speculation later involved many leaders

Among them were Franklin, Gallatin, Patrick Henry, Rob-

ert Morris, James Wilson, and many less widely know nm en . T h e s p e c u l a t o r s s o o n s a w t h a t t o p r o t e c t t h e i r o w n e r -

s h i p t h e y m u s t h a v e t h e h e l p o f a r e c o g n i z e d C e n t r a l G o v -

ernment which would ' e s t a b l i s h l a n d o f f i c e s , m a k e a c c u r a t e

s u r v e y s , a n d e s t a b l i s h A r m y p o s t s t o p r o t e c t t h e s e t t l e r s

There was a second group of speculators who also wanted

a Central Government . , T h e y wexK. g a m b l g g h o w i r e , buxi n g u p t h e d e p r e c i a t e d p a p e r m o n e y . "

In Rugg's Teacher 's Guide f or America 's March Toward

D e m o c r a c y , p a g e 7 1 , w e f i n d t h e f o l l o w i n g :

" T h e c o n v e n t i o n , h o w e v e r , c o n s i s t e d o f a v e r y s m a l l s e l f -

s e l e c t e d - g r o u p o f w e l l - t o -d o , e d u c a t e d u p p e r - c l a s s A m e r i -

cans, many of whom were exceedingly conservative . T h i s

was the group that made the written Constitution of the

U n i t e d S t a t e s . "

A n d i n t h e s a m e T e a c h e r ' s G u i d e o n p a g e 7 2 i s t h i s :

" F u r t h e r m o r e , s h o w t h a t n o t m o r e t h a n t h r e e p e r c e n t o f

a l l t h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a c t u a l l y v o t e d o n

t h e r a t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e n e w C o n s t i t u t i o n . E m p h a s i z e t h a t t h u s

o n l y t h e s m a l l p r o p e r t y c l a s s w a s r e p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s c o n -

servative government . "

T h i s i s h i s t o r y a s t a u g h t b y t h e _ . Rugg system .

T h e s e e x a m p l e s i l l u s t r a t e t h e k i n d o f " a t t i t u d e " t a u g h t

b y t h e R u g g c o u r s e s . I n s c o r e s o f o t h e r i n s t a n c e s t h e . A m e r i ~

c a n w a y o f l i f e i s s u b t l y u n d e r m i n e d , d i s p a r a g e d o r o p e n l y

a t t a c k e d .


5/8

W h i l e B e a r d ' d i d n o t t e a c h s o c i a l i s m t h e a l t e r n a t i v e t o

c o n s t i t u t i o n a l f r e e d o m i n t h i s a g e i s s o c i a l i s m .

T h e p i t y i s t h a t t h e m i l l i o n s w h o h av e r ead an d a r e s t i l l

b e i n g - t a u g h t t h e e c o n o m i c i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n

o f t h e Un i t ed S t a te s w i ll n o t r e ad o r b e t a u gh t t h e h is t o r ie s

by- Charl es A . and Mary Beard, written' 30 and 35 years

l a t e r . They powerfully present the 'facts that reveal the

b l e s s i n g s o f a f r e e s o c i e t y a s , a g a i n s t t h e w o r k i n g s . o f t h e

s o c i a l i ze d o r a u t h o r i t a r i an s t a t e , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e R e p u b l i c ,

t h e F e d e r a l i s t p a p e r s , - Roosevelt and the Coming of the

War, and Basic History of the United States in which the

professor andsi s ' w i f e s a y :

"With this book we bring to a close our many year s of

c o o p e r a t i v e e f f o r t s i n s e e k i n g t o i n t e r p r e t t h e l o n g c o u r s e

o f A m e r i c a n h i s t o r y , , n e w l y w r i t t e n t o e x p r e s s t h e h i s t o r i c a l

judgment which we have reached after more than 40 years

devoted to the study of documents and the observation of

l i f e a t f i r s t h a n d i n a l l p a r t s o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , r u r a l a n d

u r b a n , a n d i n p a r t s ' o f - t h e O l d W o r l d a n d t h e O r i e n t . "

~SCHEMF,,i~F IIO(sT UNATit?N

S o o n t h e e n t i r e s c h e m e o f i n d o c t r i n a t i o n o f t h e F r o n t i e r

T h i n k e r s b e c a m e e n t r e n c h e d i n o u r e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m f r o m

g r a d e s c h o o l s , t o c o l l e g e s . B e a r d , D e w e y , C o u n t s a n d n u m e r -

ous others did the spade work . R u g g a n d o t h e r s w r i t e t h e

c o u r s e s f o r c h i l d r e n . t o f i t t h e s p e c i f i c a t i o n s o f t h e p l a n . T h e n

t h e y d e v i s e c o u r s e s f o r t e a c h e r s , w h i c h s e l l t h e m o n t h e &

philosophy and expect them to sell the comm unity through

the medium of the children . T h e n t e a c h e r s ' c o l l e g e s f a l l

into line by making similar courses mandatory for those

seeking advanced degrees . Qualifiying teachers then are

r a t e d a s s p e c i a l i s t s i n t h e s o c i a l s c i e n c e s a n d f a v o r e d i n

u s e

o f R u g g ' s a n d s i m i l a r c o u r s e s . A n d s o t h e c y c l e o f p r o p a -

ganda is complete . A l l o f w h i c h h a s b e e n f i n a n c e d b y m i l -

l i o n s o f g o o d c a p i t a l i s t i c d o l l a r s f r o m e d u c a t i o n a l f o u n d a .

t i u o n s a s s i s t i n g t o c u t t h e t h r o a t o f t h e v e r y e c o n o m i c s y s t e m

which created them!

B r i e f l y , t h a t / i s h o w i t h a p p e n e d - h o w t h e r a d i c a l t e a c h e r s

c a p t u r e dt h e c i t a d el o f l e a r n i n g , w h i le p a r e n t s d i d n o t r e a l iz e

w h a t w a s g o i n g o n , a n d c on s o li d a te d t h ei r p o s it i o n by m e a n s

o f g r e a t o r g a n i z a t i o n s s u c h a s t h e N E A .

N o w , w h a t h a s b e e n t h e r e s u l t o f 2 0 y e a r s o r m o r e o f t h i s

k i n d o f e d u c a t i o n ? A f t e r a l l , w e a r e n o t p r e j u d i c e d a g a i n s t

new ideas or methods and should judge any institution by

t s r e s u l t s i t s g g e t t t n ,g=_sac et -There have b e e n ' s o m e

b e n e f i t s o r g o o d . p o i n t s , b u t t h e y h av e b e e n s o m i n o r a s . c o m -

p a r e d t o t h e b a d o n e s t h a t t h e g e n e r a l e f f e c t o n m i l l i o n s o f

t h e y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n h a s b e e n l i t t l e s h o r t o f t r a g i c . A f a i r

a p p r a i s a l . o f t h i s e d u c a t i o n a l s c h e m e f o r a n e w s o c i a l o r d e r

w i l l r e v e a l v i t a l d e f e c t s , a s f o l l o w s : (1) It has caused

s h o c k i n g d e f i c i e n c i e s i n k n o w l e d g e o f m a t h e m a t i c s , h i s t o r y ,

c i v i c s , g e o g r a p h y , s p e l l i n g , g r a m m a r , a n d o t h e r b a s i c s u b -

j e c t s . ( 2 ) I t h a s g i v e n u n s o u n d c i t i z e n s h i p t r a i n i n g b y i g n o r -

i n g o r w e a k e n i n g d i s c i p l i n e , i n i t i a t i v e , r e s p e c t f o r a u t h o r i t y ,

w i l l i n g n e s s t o w o r k , a n d o t h e r a t t r i b u t e s o f g o o d t r a i n i n g .

(3) The social science in particula r has been used as a

c o v e r i n m a n y i n s t a n c e s f o r i n d o c t r i n a t i o n i n M a r x i s m a n d

o t h e r s u b v e r s i v e a c t i v i t i e s u n d e r m i n i n g f a i t h i n o u r A m e r i -

c a n i n s t i t u t i o n s .

Time w i l l not permit detailed reference to the many

i e s o f p r og r e s s i v e e d u c a t io n . W e a l l h a v e s e e n t h e s e

c o s t l y f a i l u r e s , i n c l u d i n g m a n y t o s h o w t h e d e f i c i e n c i e s n o w

a p p a r e n t i n b a s i c e d u c a t i o n . For instance, Mathematics- I

have a letter written during the war from an admiral of

our Navy to a professor of the University of Michigan . I t

s a y s i n p a r t :

" A c a r e f u l l y p r e p a r e d s e l e c t i v e e x a m i n a t i o n w a s g i v e n t o

4 , 2 0 0 e n t e r i n g f r e s h m e n a t 2 7 o f t h e l e a d i n g , u n i v e r s i t i e s

a n d c o l l e g e s o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . S i x t y - e ig h t p e r c e n t o f

the men taking this examination were unable to pass the

a r i t h m e t i c a l r e a s o n i n g t e s t . S i x t y - t w o p e r c e n t f a i l e d t h e

w h o l e t e s t , w h i c h i n c l u d e d a l s o a r i t h m e t i c a l c o m b i n a t i o n s ,

v o c a b u l a r y , a n d s p a t i a l r e l a t i o n s . T h e m a j o r i t y o f f a i l u r e s

were not merely border line, but were, far below passing

grade . Of the 4,200 entering freshmen who wish to e n t e r

the Naval Reserve Officer s' Trainin g Corps, only t e n p e r

c e n t h a d a l r e a d y t a k e n e l e m e n t a r y t r i g o n o m e t r y i n t h e h i g h

schools from which they had gr aduated . O n l y 2 3 p e r c e n t

h a d t a k e n m o r e t h a n o n e a n d a h a l f y e a r s o f m a t h e m a t i c s i n

h i g h s c h o o l . I n o r d e r t o e n r o l l t h e n e c e s s a r y n u m b e r o f m e n

i n t h e t r a i n i n g s c h o o l s , i t w a s f o u n d n e c e s s a r y a t o n e o f t h e

t r a i n i n g s t a t i o n s t o l o w e r t h e s t a n d a r d s i n 5 0 p e r c e n t o f t h e

a d m i s s i o n s . T h i s n e c e s s i t y ' i s a t t r i b u t e d t o a d e f i c i e n c y i n t h e

e a r l y e d u c a t i o n s o f t h e m e n i n v o l v e d . "

HISTORY : Wise men have long known that a knowledgeo f h i s t o r y i s i n d i s p e n s a b l e t o g o o d c i t i z e n s h i p , , f o r i t i s t h e

s ' - l e t c e o f man's experience through t h e a g e s . " N o t t o know

what happened before one was born i s a l w a y s t o b e a c h i l d , "

s a i d C i c e r o . No nation can be severed from, a preceding

generation, and history, therefore, becomes a Continuous

d r a m a w h e r e i n e a c h s c e n e l e a d s t o t h e n e x t .

In a survey made by the New Yor k Times i n 1 9 4 3 , c o l -

lege freshmen throughout the nation revealed a striking

i g n o r a n c e o f e v e n t h e e l e m e n t a r y a s p e c t s o f U n i t e d S t a t e s

h i s t o r y; "and knew almost nothing about many important

phases of their country's growth and development," said

Benjamin Fine . .

S e v e n t h o u s a n d s t u d e n t s i n 3 6 c o l l e g e s a n d u n i v e r s i t i e s i n

a l l s e c t i o n s o f t h e c o u n t r y w e r e e x a m in e d . A l a r g e m a j o r i ty

o f t h e s e c o l l e g e f r e s h m e n c o u l d n o t i d e n t i f y s u c h n a m e s a s -

Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferso n, Andrew Jacks on, or

Theodore Roosevelt . O f t h o s e q u e s t i o n e d , ' 1 , 7 0 5 , o r 2 5 p e r

cent did not know that Abraham Lincoln was President of

t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s d u r i n g t h e C i v i l W a r . T w e n t y - f i v e s t u d e n t s

listed George Washington as having been pr esident during

t h a t h i g h l y i m p o r t a n t p e r i o d ; 3 5 p e r c e n t l i s t e d A l e x a n d e r

Hamilton as being principally famous as President of the

U n i t e d S t a t e s . A g o o d l y n u m b e r o f s t u d e n t s l i s t e d H a m i l t o n

a s b e i n g h i s t o r i c a l l y i m p o r t a n t b e c a u s e o f h i s w a t c h e s !

T h e s u r v e y r e v e a l e d t h a t m o s t o f t h e s e s t u d e n t s h a d t a k e n

c o u r s e s i n s o c i a l s t u d i e s o r s o c i a l . s c i e n c e , b u t t h a t 8 2 p e r

cent of the colleges of this country do not require the

t e a c h i n g o f U n i t e d S t a t e s h i s t o r y f o r t h e u n d e r g r a d u a t e d e -

g r e e . F e w o f t h e s t u d e n t s h a d a n y n o t i o n o f t h e g e o g r a p h i c a l

a n d h i s t o r i c a l f o r m a t i o n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .

C i v i c s : F o r m a n y g e n e r a t i o n s , t h e c o u r s e k n o w n a s c i v i c s

was an important one in American schools, featuring a

s t u d y o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s C o n s t i t u t i o n , i t s h i s t o r y a n d p h i -

losophy . B u t u n d e r t h e s c h e m e o f t h e f r o n t i e r t h i n k e r s , c i v i c s

as a separate course was dropped along with history and

geography to make room for social service . F i g u r e s o f t h e

U n i t e d S t a t e s O f f i c e o f E d u c a t i o n s h o w t h a t o n l y 5 . 9 7 p e r

c e n t o f h i g h s c h o o l s t u d e n t s , o r o n e i n s e v e n t e e n , t o o k c i v i l

g o v e r n m e n t , a n d m a n y o f t h e s e c o u r s e s s t r e s s e d p o l i c e , f i r e -

m e n , g a r b a g e m a n , f l y c o n t r o l , a n d s i m i l a r m a t t e r s o f l o c a l

government. S u c h i n f o r m a t i o n i s d e s i r a b l e , b u t h a r d l y a t t h e

e x p e n s e o f t h e k n o w l e d g e a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f o u r c h a r t e r

o f f r e e d o m a n d t h e b a s i c l a w o f t h e l a n d .

A l t h o u g h t h e B i l l o f R i g h t s a n d t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a r e s i g -

n i f i c a n t m i l e s t o n e s i n t h i s n a t i o n ' s l i f e , t h e s t u d e n t s q u e r i e d

i n t h e N . Y . Times s u r v e y w e r e o n l y s l i g h t l y f a m i l i a r w i t hb o t h o f t h e s e g r e a t d o c u m e n t s . L e ss t h an h a lf o f t he s e co l -

lege freshmen could name two of the many specific powers


6/8

g r a n t e d t o C o n g r e s s b y t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n , w h i l e o n l y 4 5 p e r

cent could name four specific freedoms guaranteed in the

B i l l o f R i g h t s .

GEOGRAPHY : " I n a s mu c h a s A m e r i c a ' s h i s t o r y u n f o l d s i n ag e o g r a p h i c s e t t i n g , w i t h o u t s o m e c o n c e p t o f t h i s s e t t i n g - a n

understanding of local and sectional trends would appear

i m p o s s i b l e , " s a y s B e n j a m i n F i n e i n Ti m e s s ur ve y . T h e s t u -

dents were asked to name the States starting with Massa-

c h u s e t t s i n t h e i r g e o g r a p h i c o r d e r f r o m n o r t h t o s o u t h . Only

three per cent of the students-193 out of 7,000 could

l i s t t h e S t a t e s a l o n g t h e e a s t e r n s e a b o a r d w i t h a n y d e g r e e

o f a c c u r a c y .

M o s t o f o u r s t u d e n t s d i d n o t h a v e t h e f a i n t e s t n o t i o n o f

w h a t t h i s c o u n t r y l o o k s l i k e . S t . L o u i s , l o c a t e d o n A m e r i c a ' s

m o s t f a m o u s r i v e r , t h e M i s s i s s i p p i , w a s p l a c e d o n t h e P a c i f i c

Ocean, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, the Atlanti c Ocean, Ohio

R i v e r , S t . Lawrence- River, and almost every plac e else .

O n l y 1 5 p e r c e n t o f t h e c o l l e g e f r e s h m e n h a d a n y i d e a w h e r e

Portland, Oregon, was l o c a t e d . Two hundred and f ifty

s t u d e n t s t h o u g h t t h a t P o r t l a n d , O r e g o n , w a s o n t h e A t l a n t i c

Ocean .

As you may know, Scarsdale, N . Y . , has long been as t r o n g h o l d o f " p r o g r e s s i v e " e d u c a t i o n . L o n g a f t e r i t s f a l -

l a c i e s h a d ` b e e n e x p o s e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e N a t i o n , t h e F r o n t i e r

T h i n k e r s w e r e a b l e t o h o l d o u t a t S c a r s d a l e , u n t i l a com-

mittee of alarmed parents m ade their own survey, viewed

t h e r e s u l t s a n d i n s i s t e d o n c l e a n i n g h o u s e . On t h e s u b j e c to f s o c i a l s t u d i e s v e r s u s t h e s e p a r a t e t e a c h i n g o f g e o g r a p h y ,

history and civics under their own names, their report,

w h i c h s h o u l d b e r e a d b y e v e r y s c h o o l b o a r d i n t h e c o u n t r y ,

s t a t e s : " S o m e f a t h e r s a n d a p p a r e n t l y m o t h e r s h a v e b e e n s u r -

p r i s e d a t t h e i g n o r a n c e o f s o m e S c a r s d a l e . S c h o o l g r a d u a t e s

about geography ; a n d t h e r e i s a c o u n t r y - w i d e r e c o g n i t i o n o f

d e f i c i e n c i e s i n h i s t o r y . "

A sample question illustrating the way geography is

t a u g h t , i s o f f e r e d a s a p o s s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e d e f i c i e n c y

i n t h i s s u b j e c t . T h e q u e s t i o n i s " P e t r o l e u m i s g e t t i n g m o r e

important because- ." These four possible answer s are

p r i n t e d f r o m w h i c h p u p i l s a r e t o m a r k o n e a s b e i n g c o r r e c t :

( 1 ) M u c h m o n e y i s i n v e s t e d i n i t . ( 2 ) T h e r e a r e m a n y o i l

w e l l s . ( 3 ) O i l w e l l s a r e ' v a l u a b l e . ( 4 ) G a s o l i n e i s n e e d e d

f o r a u t o s . ` J u s t w h a t e l e m e n t ' o f g e o g r a p h y , ' s a y s t h e c o m -

m i t t e e , ` w o u l d t h a t i m p l a n t i n s i x t h - g r a d e p u p i l m i n d s ? " '

READI NG AND SPELLING : I t w a s f o u n d t h a t 3 9 p e r c e n t o f

t h e p a r e n t s w e r e d i s s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h e p r o g r e s s o f t h e i r c h i l -

dren had made in reading, a n d 77 . 3 p e r c e n t o f p a r e n t s

w e r e d i s s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h e i r c h i l d r e n ' s a b i l i t y t o s p e l l . T h e

c o m m i t t e e s a i d

" S i m p l e s u b j e c t s s i n g l y t a u g h t a c c u m u l a t e m o r e u l t i m a t e

knowledge than any potpourri which is `predomina ntly

s o c i a l ' . "

The following recommend ations were made :

1 . We urge that the term "social studies" be dr opped

c o m p l e t e l y f r o m t e a c h e r i n t e r c o u r s e w i t h p u p i l s a n d p a r e n t s

and from their reports .

2 . W e r e c o m m e n d t h e t e a c h i n g o f g e o g r a p h y a s a d i s t i n c t

c o u r s e o f s t u d y in t h e e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l s , w i t h e m p h a s i s o n

map or space geography as distinguished from econom ic

geography .

3 . We recommend the teaching of a continuity of un-

d i l u t e d h i s t o r y . By "undiluted" we mean what a m ost emi-

n e n t e d u c a t o r e x p r e s s e d t h u s : More teaching from history

and less from contemporary scenes . "

I f t i m e p e r m i t t e d , a s i m i l a r c o n d i t i o n c o u l d b e s h o w n i n

w r i t i n g ; s p e a k i n g , g r a m m a r , s o u n d e c o n o m i c s a n d o t h e r s u b -

j e c t s n e c e s s a r y t o a b a s i c e d u c a t i o n , a n d a l s o d e f i c i e n c i e s i n

g e n e r a l c i t i z e n s h i p t r a i n i n g .4

ENGLISH : The average American high-school graduate is

i l l - p r e p a r e d t o r e a d , w r i t e a n d s p e a k t h e E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e ,

a c c o r d i n g t o t h e r e p o r t p r e p a r e d b y P r o f e s s o r A l b e r t Elsasser

o f P r i n c e t o n U n i v e r s i t y a n d P r o f e s s o r A l b e r t H . ' T h a y e r o f

B o w d o i n C o l l e g e , a n d s u b m i t t e d r e c e n t l y t o t h e S c h o o l a n d

' C o l l e g e c o n f e r e n c e oh E n g l i s h a t t h e H o t e l N e w Y o r k e r .

Based on a p o l l o f E n g l i s h i n s t r u c t o r s i n 1 0 6 c o l l e g e s a n d

u n i v e r s i t i e s w h i c h t r a i n e d A r m y a n d N a v y s t u d e n t s - d u r i n g

the war, the report made 15 recommendations to modify

E n g l i s h t e a c h i n g p r a c t i c e s i n s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s .

O f t h e 1 0 6 c o l l e g e s a n d u n i v e r s i t i e s p o l l e d , o n l y 7 d i s -

a p p r o v e d o f t h e c o m m i t t e e ' s i n d i c t m e n t o f t h e t r a i n e e ' s p r e p -

a r a t i o n i n E n g l i s h . One i n s t i t u t i o n r e p o r t e d t h a t a : t h i r d oi t s t r a i n e e s w a s s o " g r o s s l y d e f i c i e n t a s t o m a k e i t " i n -

c r e d i b l e t o u s t h a t a n y s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l w o u l d p e r m i t t h e i r

graduation . "

DEMOLISHING LOYALTIES AND TRADITIONS

A n o t h e r s e r i o u s o b j e c t i o n t o t h i s e d u c a t i o n f o r , t h e " n e w

s o c i a l o r d e r " , i s t h a t i t , i s a philosophy o f p u r e m a t e r i a l i s m

T h e t h e o r y i s t h a t t h e r e l i g i o u s i n f l u e n c e w h i c h f i t s c e r t a i n

s t a n d a r d s o f m o r a l i t y , h o n e s t y , i n t e g r i t y a n d l o y a l t y i s a

s h a m a n d a d e l u s i o n a n d h a s n o p l a c e i n e d u c a t i o n . I n s h o r t

t h e s e t i m e - t e s t e d v e r i t i e s m u s t g i v e w a y t o a "philosoph

o f c h a n g e " i n w h i c h n o t h i n g i s c o n s t a n t o r s t a b l e . I t i s

s i m p l e s t e p f r o m t h i s t o t h e a c c e p t a n c e o f a m a t e r i a l i s t i c

philosophy which is the Marxian doctrine .

E f f o r t i s c e n t e r e d o n d e m o l i s h i n g l o y a l t i e s a n d s h a t t e r i n g

o u r o b j e c t s o f a l l e g i a n c e . T h i s i s c l e v e r l y t e r m e d " c h a n g i n

o u r a t t i t u d e " w h i c h i s a n e s s e n t i a l s t e p t o t h e . u p r o o t i n g o

m a n y t i m e - h o n o r e d l o y a l t i e s a n d r e s p e c t e d c u s t o m s a n d t r a -

d i t i o n ' s o f p a t r i o t i s m a n d c u l t u r e w h i c h h a v e b e e n the f o u n

dations upon which our Republic was built .

C o u p l e d w i t h t h i s , t h e c h i l d i s d e p r i v e d o f h i s t o r y , g e o g

raphy and - c i v i c s a s s e p a r a t e c o u r s e s . These time-honore

a n d v i t a l l y i m p o r t a n t s u b j e c t s a r e l o s t i n t h e s e s o c i a l s c i e n c e

c o u r s es o f i n d o c tr i n a t io n . A s a c o n s e q u e n c e , t h e , s t u d e n t s

e d u c a t e d i s c u t l o o s e f r o m t h e p h i l o s o p h i e s o f l i f e w h i c h t h

a g e s h a v e p r o v e d ' o f v a l u e .

H e i s t a u g h t t h a t t h e r e a r e n o p e r m a n e n t v a l u e s o r s t a n d

a r d s a n d t h a t h e m u s t h a v e n o c o n c e p t b u t o n e o f " c h a n g e ,

i n e v i t a b l e c h a n g e . T h u s t h e c h i l d i s s u b m e r g e d i n a p r o p s

ganda of disbelief and cast adrift in a sea of doubt an

cynicism . H e i s l i k e a s h i p w i t h o u t a r u d d e r .

This whol e - sc_heme,is sq _ s k i l l f u l l yJi g g e d t h a t , it haf o o l e d m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e . I n f a c t , m a n y , , a d u l t s a n d e v e

teachers have been deceived by this program which mas

q u e r a d e s c l e v e r l y u n d e r t h e a t t r a c t i v e b a n n e r o f " l i b e r a l

i s m , " " p r o g r e s s i v e e d u c a t i o n , " a n d a n e f f o r t t o i m p r o v e o u

"democracy . "

A s e r i o u s a s p e c t i s t h e r a d i c a l t e a c h e r ' s c o n c e p t o f h i

f u n c t i o n i n o u r s o c i e t y . According to a co mmittee of th

Progressive Education Association, of which Professor

George Counts was chairman, our teachers should conside

t h e m s e l v e s a s " t h e s p i r i t u a l l e a d e r s o f . t h e m a s s e s of t h

people " ( A C a l l t o T e a c h e r s o f t h e N a t i o n , p . 1 9 . ) T h e c o m

m i t t e e e x p l a i n s t h a t t e a c h e r s s h o u l d n o t c o n s i d e r t h e m s e l v e

" t o o l s o f t h e S t a t e ; nor does it mean that-they are con

strained to defend the existing social system ." (Ibid

" E v e n t h e t a x p a y e r s , " i t s a y s , " h a v e n o s p e c i a l c l a i m o n t h

s c h o o l s ; t h e y a r e b u t t h e t ax c o l l e c t o r s o f s oc i e t y . " ( I b i d

M o s t c i t i z e ns a r e u n a w a r e o f t h i s a t t i t u d e , b u t i t e x i s t s i

many places and fortunately the Scarsdale (N .Y. ) p a r e n t s

h e r e t o f o r e m e n t i o n e d , d e a l t w i t h i t i n t h e g o o d o l d A m e r i c a

t r a d i t i o n . T h e y s a i d :

" O u r c o n s i d e r e d p o s i t i o n i s t h a t , g r e a t l y a s w e a d m i r e o u r


7/8

s c h o ol l e ad e r s, w e b e l i e v e o u r s e l v e s c a p a b l e a s a c o m m u n i t y

of debating educational methods on an even footing- We

accept no inferior status for parents in counseling with

s c h o o l a u t h o r i t i e s o n t h e e d u c at i o n - o f o u r c h i l d r e n .

" M a n y o f o u r c l u b m e m b e r s i n t h e p r o f e s s i o n s , a r t s a n d

i n d u s t r i e s a r e m o r e t h a n a d e q u a t e l y e d u c a t e d f o r t e a c h i n g

requirements, but find other callings more attractive or

c o n g e n i a l . "

~o, when we review this revolutionary educational plan

o b j e c t i v e l y a n d s e e t h e r e s u l t s o f 2 0 y e a r s i n o p e r a t i o n , w e

f i n d t h a ton-balance

i t i s d e f i n i t e l y b a d . To sum up, I can

do n o b e t t e r than to quote from that keen student of our

titnw=D r . Henry Link-who said :

" O u r c a p i t a l i s t i c s y s t e m s u p p o r t s t h e l a r g e s t , I w i l l n o t

s a y t h e , g r e a t e s t , e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m i n h i s t o r y , b u t i t s l a c k

o f a n a d e q u a t e i d e o l o g y e n c o u r a g e s t h a t s y s t e m t o t u r n o u t

m o r e a nd m or e . S o c i a l i s t s w h o w o u l d d e s t r o y t h e v e r y s y s t e m

which made their education possible . That is one re ason

w h y I , h a v e d e a c ~ i l > e S l o e .

" S l O i e o f i l l ) y w r i t i n g s a s " T h e m o s t e l a b o r a t e p l a n e v e r c o n -

c e i v e d ' f u r o b s c u r i n g a n d e v e n d e n y i n g t h e e l e m e n t a r y f a c t s

of l i f e . " B u t l e t us n o t , b l a m e t h e e d u c a t o r s , l e t u s b l a m e

o u r s e l v e s , b e c a u s e while we h a v e _ s u p p o r t e d e d u c a t i o n w i t h

our d o l l a r s , w e h a v e n e g l e c t e d t o g u i d e i t w i t h o u r

p r i n c i p l e s .

MANY ABLE EDUCATORS FIGHT PLANN o w , i n t h e s e r e m a r k s , I h a v e d e a l t r a t h e r r o u g h l y w i t h

o u r e d u c a t i o n a l s e t u p b e c a u s e i t d e s e r v e d i t . B u t I w i s h t o

m a k e i t v e r y c l e a r t h a t I a m n o t c o n d e m n i n g a l l o u r s c h o o l s

a n d c o l l e g e s a n d c e r t a i n l y n o t t h e t e a c h i n g p r o f e s s i o n a s a

whole ; ' f o r w h i c h I h a v e t h e h i g h e s t r e g a r d . Thousands of

s c h o o l s h a v e r e f u s e d , , t o a c c e p t - in whole or in part this

: i n s i d i o u s p a t t e r n o f e d u c a t i o n , a n d o t h e r s h a v e t h r o w n i t

6 u t w h e n i t s t r u e n a t u r e w a s r e v e a l e d .

G r e a t c r e d i t m u s t b e g i v e n t o t h e t e a c h e r s w h o h a v e f o u g h t

f o r y e a r s w i t h o u t o r g a n i z a t i o n o r r e c o g n i t i o n , a g a i n s t t h e

a p p a r e n t l y o v e r w h e l m i n g i n f l u e n c e o f t h e r a d i c a l e d u c a t o r s .

A g a i n s t a l l k i n d s o f p r e s s u r e , t h e y h a v e h e l d t r u e t o t h e i r

p r i n c i p l e s a n d n o w s e e t h e i r j u d g m e n t v i n d i c a t e d :

ENGLAND'S DR ESS REHEARSAL FOR UNITED STATES

t

N o w , i f you w o u l d s e e t h e p a t t e r n t h a t t h e s e p o l i t i c o - e d u -

c a t o r s h a v e f o r t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s y o u s h o u l d f o l l o w w c l o s e l y

he p r o g r am . of t h e S a l i s t . , , l goYernment in England .- - -T a o r g 0 X er i im e n t i e c h i l d o f t h e Fa b i a n S o c i e t y , ,

pioneered b y Sidney a n d Beatrice Webb in London i n 1884 .

As y o u s e e o n e i n d u s t r y a f t e r a n o t h e r b e i n g n a t i o n a l i z e d , t h e

f a r m e r s b e i n g t o l d w h a t t h e y m a y s o w , h o w t h e y m u s t r e a p ,

an d c i t i z e n s g e n e r a l l y o r d e r e d t o w o r k w h e r e d i r e c t e d a n d

under conditions prescribed by the state-all under heavy

p e n a l t y o n r e f u s a l - y o u c a n s e e l i b e r t y r a p i d l y d i s a p p e a r i n g

a n d t h e h o l l o w m o c k e r y o f B r i t a i n ' s p r o u d b o a s t o f c e n t u r i e s

t h a t e v e r y , m a n ' s h o m e i s h i s c a s t l e .

A n d w h e n y o u r e a d t h a t t h e n a t i o n a l i z a t i o n o f t h e m e d i -

c a l p r o f e s s i o n , w i t h a l l t h e e v i l c o n s e q u e n c e s , i s b e i n g r u t h -

l e s s l y p u s h e d a g a i n s t t h e v i o l e n t p r o t e s t s o f 8 7 p e r c e n t o f

E n g l a n d ' s d o c t o r s a n d s u r g e o n s , y o u s h o u l d s h u d d e r a t t h e

h i l l s n o w p e n d i n g i n o u r C o n g r e s s f o r s o c i a l i z e d m e d i c i n e ,

f o r i t i s t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e s a m e p l a n .

Y e s , y o u a r e n o w b e i n g a f f o r d e d a d r e s s r e h e a r s a l o f w h a t

t h e s e p r o f e s s o r s h a v e p l a n n e d f o r o u r c o u n t r y a n d a r e s u c -

c e s s f u l l y c a r r y i n g o u t . A year or so ag o, George Bernar d

Shaw,, a , l e a d e r o f t h e F a b i a n S o c i e t y i n E n g l a n d , d e c l a r e d

t h a t - t h e o b j e c t i v e s o f t h i s o r g a n i z a t i o n w e r e b e i n g a c c o m -

p l i s h e d i n , E n g l a n d , a n d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s w a s n e x t .

When the Frontier Thinkers conceived their elabo rate

a n d c l e v e r p l a n m a n y y e a r s a g o , t h e y e s t i m a t e d t h a t i t w o u l d

take one complete generation to accomplish their purpose

by means of education . They hav e now a b o u t t w o - t h i r d s o f

t h e a l l o t e d t i m e . They have comp leted the job in England

a nd y o u may judge for yourself how nearly they have

r e a c h e d t h e i r g o a l i n o u r c o u n t r y .

T h e s e l e a d e r s a r e a b l e , i n t e l l i g e n t a n d d e t e r m i n e d , a n d

they are using your money and your s chools and your

c h i l d r e n t o b r i n g i t a b o u t . And if and wh en that sad day

e v e r s t r i k e s t h i s g l o r i o u s c o u n t r y y o u w i l l f i n d e m e r g i n g

f r o m t h e i r p i n k i v o r y t o w e r s a s t h e r e a l h e r o e s o f t h e m o v e -

ment, several radical educators just as Professor Harold

Laski took the plaudits in England when the Socialists

t o o k o v e r .

"EMOTIONALIZED SOCIAL REFORMERS"

A noted educ ator, Dr . J o h n L . T i l d s le y , f o r m er A s s i s t an t

S u p e r i n t e n d e n t o f S c h o o l s , N e w Y o r k C i t y , h o l d s t h i s v i e w

of these Frontier Thinkers : "I h ave c ome_ t o - b e l i e v e t h e

g r o u p -i n t i e m a i n f a v o r s a society not dominated by the

p r o f i t m o t i v e , a s o c i e t y l a b e l e d a s a d e m o c r a t i c c o l l e c t i v i s t

s o c i e t y * * * t h e y a r e p r i m a r i l y s o c i a l r e f o r m e r s , n e w w o r l d

m a k e r s r a t h e r t h a n s c h o o l m a s t e r s , a n d a r e t h e r e f o r e s e e m -

i n g l y i n d i f f e r e n t t o t h e q u a l i t y o f e d u c a t i o n t o d a y . * *

T h e e x t r e m e F r o n t i e r T h i n k e r s p l a n t o c a p t u r e t h e c o l l e c -

tivist society by exploiting (not really educating) the

c h i l d r e n t h r o u g h t h e a g e n c y o f t h e t e a c h e r s a n d e n r o l l i n g

t h e m i n a m o v e m e n t a p p r o v e d b y p r o b a b l y n o t f i v e p e r c e n t .

o f t h e p a r e n t s . S u c h a p l a n i s b o t h i m m o r a l a n d i m p r a c t i -

c a b l e . * * * A s I s e e i t t h e y a r e n o l o n g e r S c h o o l M a s t e r s ,

they are just emotionalized social reformers . The world

n e e d s b o t h s c h o o l m a s t e r s a n d r e n o v a t o r s o f s o c i e t y ; b u t w h y

mix the labels? Why employ the very expensive machinery

o f t h e s c h o o l f o r a n e n d t h a t i s n o t e d u c a t i o n b u t m e r e l y

c o n v e r s i o n ?" ( T h e S o c i a l F r o n t i e r , J u l y 1 , 1 9 3 8 . )

At long last, many people are be coming alarm ed and

endeavoring to do something about this serious condition

i n e d u c a t i o n , b u t t h e y l a c k l e a d e r s h i p a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n . T h e

g r e a t m a j o r i t y a r e t o o e n g r o s s e d i n t h e i r o w n a f f a i r s t o v i s i t

t h e i r s c h o o l s , r e a d t h e i r c h i l d r e n ' s t e x t b o o k s a n d f i n d o u t

what they are being taught . I t i s t r u l y a m a z i n g t h a t m o r e

p a r e n t s a r e n o t e n r a g e d a t t h o s e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h i s s h o c k i n g

betrayal of our youth . Have we lost our great American

tradition of righteous indignation? Sometimes I think we

have. Perhaps we are punch-drunk . I f s o , w e h a d b e t t e r

sober up - a n d s o o n , f o r t i m e i s f a s t r u n n i n g o u t , a n d h u g e

numbers of the younger generation have been educated to

w o r s h i p f a l s e g o d s .

W e s h o u l d k n o w b y n o w t h a t a l l o u r e f f o r t s t o r o u t C o m -

munism amongst adults will only be a temporary victor y

a t b e s t , i f s o m a n y o f o u r s c h o o l s a n d c o l l e g e s c o n t i n u e t o

s p a w n c o l l e c t i v i s t s a n d s o c i a l i s t s , f o r t h e s e a l i e n f o r m s o f

s o c i e t y a r e b a s e d o n t h e . e c o n o m i c a n d p o l i t i c a l p r i n c i p l e s o f

Ma r x i s m, w h i c h p a v e t h e w a y f o r C o m m u n i s m . We have

s e e n p r o o f o f t h i s a d o z e n t i m e s i n c o u n t r i e s t h a t h a v e f a l l e n "

b e h i n d t h e i r o n c u r t a i n .

L e t u s n o t f o r g e t t h a t w h e n C i c e r o ' s l a s t e f f o r t f a i l e d a n d

the gates of the Roman Republic were opened to the bar-

b a r i a n s f r o m t h e N o r t h , i t p e r i s h e d i n t h e d u s t a l o n g w i t h

the hopes and aspirations of mankind . A n d i t w a s , n e a r l y

1 , 5 0 0 y e a r s t h e r e a f t e r b e f o r e a r e p u b l i c a n f o r m o f g o v e r n -

ment worthy of the name dared to rear its head in Italy .

Wealth may come, wealth may go ; m a t e r i a l s e c u r i t y m a y b e

a f a c t t o d a y a n d a f i c t i o n t o m o r r o w , b u t o n c e t h e l i b e r t i e s

o f m e n a r e d e s t r o y e d n o o n e c a n t e l l w h e n o r i f t h e y w i l l

e v e r b e r e s t o r e d . -


8/8

WHAT YOU CAN DOTI f y o u h a v e c h i l d r e n , , , y o u e x i s h f r e e d o m , ` + i f y o u c a r e , m e n t s t h a t t h e p a rt y I n p o we r co n t r ol s w ha t i s t a u g h t i n t h

w h a t h a p p e r i t t o m o r r o w , r t a d ' c t h i s d o m e n t a r y r e p u b l i c s c h o o l s . Consider t h e s e c o m m e n t s ' - f r o m r e s p o n s i b l

p o r t o f t h e c g n s p r a e y W i t h i n o u r p l i c s c h ( t o I t which in t h i n k e r s :

3 0 y e a r s h a s . , u ' ! I e r m i n e d Y o u n g A m e r ic a ' s f a i th i n t h e C o n - SUPREME COURT, 1 94 2 : " T h e G o v e r n m e n t h a s t h e r i g h t t o r e g u l a t

s t i t u t i o n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d o u r d e m p c r a t i c p r o c e s s e s .t h a t w h i c h i t s u b s i d i ze s . " ,

NATIONAL GRANGE " I n t h e l o n g r u n , f e d e r a l l a p p r o p r i a t i o n s fo

Act immediately t o a i d o u r s c h o o l s b y d e f e a t i n g F e d e r a lt h e . p u b l i c s c h o o l s a n d f e d e r a l c o n tr o l w o u l d g o h a n d i n h a n d . "

Aid to Educati on : w r i t e , get your family and f ri en ds t o DWIGHT EISENHOWER (Pie s.,olumbia University) : "The Federawrite to your Senators and Congressmen . W r i t e l e a d e r s o f Governm ent has n o - r i g h t t o t a k e t a x money out 'of our pockets an

a l l p o l i t i c a l ; - conomic and educational groups to which you` I p t h e n g i v e i t b a c k t o u s w i t h o u t s o m e s o r t o f s u p e r v i s i o n . "

b e l o n g ' . P r e s e n t t h e m p e r s o n a l l y w i t h a c o p y o f " E d u c a t i o n

;

ROBERT A. MILLIKAN ( C a l i f . I n s t i t u t e o f Technology) : "Anything Personay w py o a lod'al community gets from Federal Goverhnx It it itself pays'fo

For The Ne w S o c i a l Order"-a fter r e a d i n g i t s o c a r e f u l l y a n d a t a n u n n e c e s s a r i l y e x c e s s i v e r a t e - It is robs y that very f e

y o u r s e l f t h a t y o u a r e c a p a b l e o f d i s c u s s i n g i t c o m p e t e n t l y . o f t h e p r e s e n t p r o p o n e n t s o f F e d e r a l A i d t o E ~ d u c a t t o n a r e c a r e f u l l

Urge the lo cal PTA, your School Boards, the League ofw e i g h i n g t h e l o n g - r a n g e e f f e c t s o f t h i s k i n d o f p o l i c y . They a r e merel

i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e n e e d o f i n c r e a s e d s a l a r i e s f o r t e a c h e r s , -fn whicWomen Vot ers, Profe ssion al Women's Clubs, AAUW, etc . ,

m a t t e r I , a m i n a g r e e m e n t w i t h t h e m . I t i s m e r e l y a n o t h e r o n e o f t h o s

t o p r e s e n t both s i de s o f t h e i s s u e a n d o f f e r p e r s o n a l l y t o e f f o r t s t o ` c l e a r o u t t h e c o c k r o a c h e s b y b u r n i n g t h e h o u s e d o w n ' . "

p r e s e n t t h e f a c t s . a g a i n s t f e d e r a li z e d e d u ca t i o n . T o d a t e , b o t h SENATOR HARRY BYRD : "When local education is assumed by th

s i d e s h a v e n o t b e e n p r e s e n t e d o n t h e F e d e r a l A i d B i l l : Many F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t a s a F e d e r a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , t i t h e S t a v e s , w h i c h

have been doing so much to improve their school system w i l l s awell-intentioned people have been deluded into believing

'Let the Federal Government do it' . S t a t e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y w o u l d b

t h a t t h e r e i s o n l y o n e s i d e . .An inf ormed, a lert PTA a l o n e undermined and indifference encouraged. "

c o u l d - d e f e a t l i i s b i l l . DR . GEORGE S . BExsON (President of Harding College) : "ThI f t e a c h e r s ' s a l a r i e s i n y o u r a r e a a r e i n e q u i t a b l e , d i s c u s s

s t a t e s ( e v e n A r k a n s a s , M i s s i s s i p p i a n d L o u i s i a n a ) a r e L i r d c h _ s i * r d ;

t o t a k e c a r e o f t h e i r o w n e d u c a t i o n a l n e e d s t h a n i s t h e F e d e r a l G o v e r n

with your School Board and other local authoriti es howm e n t > , ( Dr . B e n s o n h a s r e c e n t l y c o m p l e t e d a survey showing that man

funds may be reallocated, without raising taxes, so that s t a t e s a l r e a d y h a v e c o r r e c t e d t h e g l a r i n g b u d g e t i n a d e q u a c i e s s t i l l b e

t e a c h e r s m a y b e f a i r l y p a i d . F a i r s a l a r i e s m u s t b e o n e m e a n s i n g c i t e d b y N a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n A s s o c i a t i o n p r o p o n e n t s a n d l o b b y i s t s .

o f s e c u r i n g t e a c h e r s w h o b e l i e v e i n o u r A m e r i c a n R e p u b l i c.

STATE OF INDIANA Concurrent Resolution 1945 : "We have taken g o o d l o o k a t s a i d d o l l a r ( t a x e d d o u t o f o u r p o c k e t s a n d s e n t t o Wash

Impress upon y our School Boards, teachers and par entsi n g t o n ) . W e f i n d t h a t i t l o s t w e i g h t i n i t s j o u r n e y t o W a s h i n g t o n ' a n d

a t t h e t e a c h i n g o f A m e r i c a n i d e o l o g y , b a s e d o n G o d - g i v e n back . T h e p o l i t i c a l b r o k e r a g e o f t h e b u r e a u c r a t s h a s b e e n - d e d u c t e d

r i g ht s o f i nd i v id u a ls a s e x p r e s s e d . i n t h e D ec l a ra t i on o f I n- W e h a v e d e c i d e d t h a t t h e r e i s n o s u c h t h i n g a s F e d e r a lAid . "

d e p e n d e n c e , t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a n d t h e B i l l o f R i g h t s , s h o u l dDR . DONALD J. COWLING ( P r e s i d e n t E m e r i t u s , C a r l e t o n C o l l e g e )

" T h e b a s i c a r g u m e n t a g a i n s t F e d e r a l A i d f o r s c h o o l s i s t h a t i t w o u l d

b e r e e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e c u r r i c u l a a n d t e n e t s o f t h e s c h o o l sp l a c e i n t h e h a n d s o f t h o s e i n p o l i t i c a l a u t h o r i t y t h e p o w e r t o t r a p

i n your community . F r e e d o m o f e d u c a t i o n i s t h e f o r e r u n n e r form our whole way of life . "

o f a l l o t h e r f r e e d o m s . K e e p o u r A m e r i c a n s c h o o l s f r e e f r o m National Association- of ProAmerica,

Federal thought-control . I t i s o n l y i n t o t a l i t a r i a n g o v e r n - Miller Building, Yakima, Washington .

N. A . P . A .Yakima, Washington

POLICY OF V ITAL SPEECHES

T h e p u b l i s h e r s o f V i t a l S p e e c h e s b e l i e v e t h a t t h e i m p o r t a n t a d d r e s s e s o f t h e r e c o g n i z e d l e a d e r s o f p u b l i c o p i n i o n c o n s t i t u t e t h e b e s t e x p r e s s i o n s o f c o n t e m p -

orary thought in America, and that it is extremely important for the welfare of the notion that these speeches be permanently recorded, and disseminated . Thepublishers have no axe to grind . V i t a l S p e e c h e s w i l l b e f o u n d a u t h e n t i c a n d c o n s t r u c t i v e .

I t i s , t h e p o l i c y o f t h e p u b l i s h e r s t o c o v e r b o t h s i d e s o f p u b l i c q u e s t i o n s a n d t o p r i n t a l l s p e e c h e s i n f u l l . Where it is necessary to condense a speech for

r e a s o n s o f u n u s u a l , l e n g t h o r t h e u s e o f e x t r a n e o u s m a t t e r , i t w i l l b e s o s t a t e d w h e n p r i n t i n g . T h e y f e e l t h a t i t i s o n l y i n t h e u n e d i t e d a n d ' u n e x p u r g a t e d ' s p e e c h ,

that the reader can best obtain the views of the speaker .

This material gives the reader the best thought of the best minds on current national problems. I t a l s o of f e r s t h e s t u d e n t of p u b l i c speaking examples of

t h e e f f e c t i v e s p e e c h o f t o d a y o f t h o s e w h o h a v e a t t a i n e d l e a d e r s h i p i n t h e f i e l d s o f e c o n o m i c s , p o l i t i c s , e d u c a t i o n , s o c i o l o g y , g o v e r n m e n t , c r i m i n o l o g y , f i n a n c e ,

b u s i n e s s , t a x a t i o n , h e a l t h , l a w , l a b o r , e t c . Thus the student of public speaking obtains the fine text-book material with a sound knowledge of public questions .

Subscribers are urged to call the Editor's attention to any speeches which have impressed them as outstanding so that copies may, be secured for review :

VITAL SPEECHES O F TH E DAY i s published twice a month by the City News Co . ( I n c . , 1 9 1 1 ) , 33 W. 42nd St., New York 18, N . Y . Telephone LOngocre5-4040. Thomas F . D a l y , Jr . , P r e s i d e n t a n d T r e a s u r e r , M . P . D a l y , V i c e P r e s i d e n t , K . D . H o e y , S e c r e t a r y .

S u b s c r i p t i o n R a t e s : $ 5 .00 a year. Two years o r 2 s u b sc r i p ti o ns $9 . 0 0 . (Special group rates to students for period of 4 months ; $ 1 .00 each-for ten or more ;

75 cents each for 25 or more . A l l t o b e s e n t t o o n e a d d r e s s . ) S i n g l e c op i e s 2 5 c e n t s . B a c k i s s u e s , i f a v a i l a b l e , 3 0 c e n t s a c o p y .V i t a l S p e e c h e s i s I n d e x e d i n T h e R e a d e r s ' G u i d e t o P e r i o d i c a l L i t e r a t u r e . An annual Index is printed each November and distributed to all subscribers .

V o l u m e ' B i n d e r s f o r V i t a l S p e e c h e s $ 2 .00 each. Vital Speeches will be found on file in thousands of public and college libraries throughtout the United States .

SEC. 5 6 2 , P . L . & R

vital speeches-ed for the new social order-rudd-1948-8pgs-edu

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