New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-20
Schools Plan
Civics Course
To Fight Reds
Authorities Take Drastic
Measures to Counterfeit
Propaganda of Anarchy
Hearst Papers Blamed
From Them Children Get
Erroneous Impressions of
Life, Says DR.. Tildsley

The Board of Education is preparing
TO fight Bolshevik propaganda among
The school children of this city with it's
own weapons. This announcement was
made by Dr. John L. Tildsley. Assistant
Superintendent of Schools. yesterday.
We are thoroughly alarmed at the
situation that has developed" said DR..
Tildsley. at would be folly to deny
IS gravity"
DR.. Tildsley concurred entirely with
the statement made by Robert Maisel
on Tuesday, in which the head of the
American Alliance for Labor ana De-
mocracy declared that if the dissemina-
ton of radical ideas among schoolboys
to be stopped q start should be made
outside the schools
For some time" said DR.. Tildsley,
We have been aware that agencies out
side the schools have been systemat-
icsllv training schoolboys in Bolshevk
doctrines. However, the school author
tres have no right or power to die
tate what pupils shall do, where they
Shall 60, what they shall read or think
outside Of school hours.
What Can Be Done
What we can do. though. is to pre-
sent them with a truly American view
during school hours of precisely the
problems which the Bolsheviki now
distort in order to influence these I'M
mature minds.
This is the plan, Dr. Tidslcy said,
which is to be put into execution.
After next September no pupil will
receive a diploma from any high school
unless he can pass a satisfactory ex-
animation in economies. Beginning
with next September, or earlier if
possible. courses in community civics
arc to be established in all the schools.
Every pupil will be required to take
live periods a week in these courses
for at least one term. Eighty new
teachers arc to be engaged to give
instruction in civics. Their presenta-
ton Of the courses, DR.. Tildsley en-
nhaslued. Will be absolutely and I'M
qualifedly from the American point
of view.
This he said, 'is now the only
shevik propaganda. We have got TO
confront the Bolshevik theories with
~old, hard facts. The difficulty is that
the radical element has got such a
long start on us. There can be no
denying that the schools have been
wofully lacking in this matter"
Hearst Papers Blamed
Responsibility for much of the vague
radicalism which school authorities to-
day discover in the themes and CON
versations of their pupils Dr.. Tildsley
placed upon "The New York Ameri
can The New York Journal" and
The New York Call"
"All these papers, he said, are to g
greater or lesser degree socialstic
they are all read widely by the present
generation .of schoolboys. From them
they get infamed, erroneous impress
sions of the life and community about
them. These impressions are further
worked upon by the extra-scholast or
CARNATIONS seeking to form the opln
ions of our youth"
The new community civics courses
Dr. Tildsley explained, will seek tc
show the students exactly how much
the city and government arc now doing
for them, unnot'ced, every day. They
will deal with the water supply. The
collection of garbage, the Police Dc
partment, etc. he said. The more ad
vanced economies courses Will sup
plement this elemental work.
The chief difficulty which the depart
mont is encounterng in initiating th'
new courses centres IS the dearth of fl
teachers. said DIR. Tildslev.
"However," he added, this will b.
overcome. Men Will be specially trainet
for the work perhaps at Columbia
Meanwhile teachers who are found t.
he actively engaged in encouraging
wrong points of view will be weede(
out whenever they appear