Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-06-16
EDUCATING FOR REVOLUTION.

In an article Just published in a popular magazine.
President Coolidge deals in his accustomed force
.ful manner with the determined effort that has been
made in recent. years to make of our schools breeding
places of revolution. He cites from the correspondence
of instructors who have been connected with several OF
the prominent colleges Of the country to show that the
forces Of radicalism, have been at work seeking to fill.
as many college chairs as possible with men committed
to radicalsm in, its most extreme form. He shows that
this work has been going on, not alone where the col
:leses are concerned, but in and around the public
schools. ~
I'm the city Of New York" says Mr.. cooldse,
there are about twenty-five thousand public school
teachers. 81 - s:&..S@
AT the wars outbreak the Inhabitants Of that
great municipality signed and sent to President Wilson
a sincere and patriotic pledge OF loyalty. All save thirty
teachers Joined in this. They refused to sign.
About the same time eighty-six teachers signed
and sent to the board of education . protest against
subscribing to the pledge Of loyalty.
1.-THE president of the Teachers union Of the city
of New York headed the protest. 1t was also signed
by the secretary-treasurer and the recording secretary OF
the union and by three. teachers later dismissed.
IAN these conditions came to public notice in the
De witt Clinton high school case when, on a charge of
conduct unbecoming a teacher six instructors were
transferred and three were dismissed from service. On
appeal this decision was confirmed by the state educa-
#9The-New york Times, referring to- the. De Witt
Clinton high school case, said:
That school, dishonoring a revered name, has been
too ong7eonspicuous as a--senninary OF sedition, anti
Americanism, Socialism. The teachers desk mas
been made a soapbox platform. Pacifism, opposition to
the war, attacks upon the government, have pre-
vailed.
1T is intolerable that the city should pay for Its
own Decentralization. for the perversion of the children
to false and fatal doctrine, for the denial and contem-
plated destruction of free government, for the education
sot traitors. It is intolerable that the. schools should be
turned into factories of internationalism.
III connection with this subject the colleges Of the
country generally have come. in Tor: much. severe crhi-
cism. In many cases that criticism has been merited.
Butt must not be forgotten that while some college
authorities have lent themselves, either willingly or neg
lgentiy ito this work of destruction" no more effective
work has been done anywhere for the promotion OF the
sound principles of sturdy Americanism than has been
done by American colleges. The attitude Of the majority
Of our colleges is s%plendidly indicated in the spoken and
written utterances apd in the personal character Of those
responsible for the training given In those institutions,
and there could be no finer or more Satisfactory ev1-
dence Of the value of that training than was given duf-
inuy the war.-'whens thousands upon thousands Of college
Students suspended their scholastic work TO volunteer
Tor service III the armies of their country.
Nothing too severe could be said IN denunctation OF
the destructive spirit which has been exhibited BY some
~ our college men, but we must not permit the ohenses
81 these men to obscure the services which have been
apssaeorsssd " another group at coilegs men far more
nurnefeus.s ...z