New-York tribune., 1919-06-17
QUESTIONABLE to Pupils
of High Schools Shows
Loyal Americanis1n Pre-
dominates by 800 to l
Radicals Show Ignorance
Answers Will Be Used by
Authorities to Combat
Spread of Red Ideals

Americanism defeated Bolshevism
by an overwhelming majority in the
poll of high school pupils taken by
the Board of Education in a question:
naire submitted to students at an ex-
animation Thursday.
Although the results have not been
fully tabulated, the early returns indi-
cate, as one principal expressed it,
that "the high schools of the city went
American by more than three hundred
to one"
Principals and teachers throughout
the city expressed pYeased surprise at
the comparatively small proportion of
pupils who evinced Bolshevik leanings
in their answers. They agreed that
the few who openly espoused Bolshev-
ism showed a remarkable lack of cor
rect information on the subject.
Loyalty Course Planned
While they asserted that no action
will be taken against the self-con-
fessed radicals, Dr. William L. Felter.
principal of Girls High School, and
Dr. Gilbert j. Raynor, principal of
Commercial High School, declared
that these few pupils would be given
especial instruction at the new course
of economics to be instituted in all
high schools in September. Begin
ming with the class of June, 1920, they
announced, no pupil will be gradual
ed without having satisfactorily COM
pleted at least six months instruc-
tion in this new branch of the cur
riculum An understanding of the
present economic and social system
will be required of each pupil before
a passing mark is given, DR.. Felter
said.
The interest of the inquisitors cen
tered on the response to the questions
concerning the sources of information
on Bolshevism. From the $500 papers
examined at Commercial High School
and from a large number marked at
other schools, the following sources
were most frequently cited: "The New
Republic" "The Nation" "The New
York Call" the Rand School of Social
Science, "The Liberator," John Reeds
Communist" Albert Rhys Williams's s
book, "The Soviets at Work"
Curb Speeches Cited
A few Of the pupils gave "speeches
they heard at Madison Square Park
as the source of their knowledge OF
Bolshevism. At two schools Dewitt
Clinton and Commercial, instructors
who have been dismissed for Bolshevik
tendencies and preachings were cited
A number of Commercial High School
students, according to Principal Ray
nor, mentioned Samuel Glassberg, the
history teacher recently excluded after
public trial, as responsible for theil
Bolshevik leanings.
The verbosity Of the replies varied
from that of the thirteen-year- old
girl in Girls High School who wrote
across one sheet of her paper: 81
think l am too young girl to know
about such things" to that of leader
of the radical element in the Boys
High School who used thirteen closely
written pages to answer three ques-
tions. The girl gave as her sources OF
information on economic problems
"My teachers and dear honored prin-
cipal." The boy gave a page of as
sorted literature and personages.
Principals and teachers declared
with unanimity that the avowec
Bolsheviki, the "so-called intellect.
uals," are among the mediocre anc
poorest students.
Radicals Poor Students
"Out Of $500 students in this
school," said DR.. Raynor, mot more
than ten papers show rabid Bolshevism
and those are the product of indif
ferent and otherwise less desirable
students. The students who pay at
tention in class show the effects O.
the Americanizing type Of instruction
given by our teachers. Few of th'
Continual ON nn0e nine