The daily worker., 1924-09-08
TEACHERS Plan
FOR Ne " WAR
ON NC ANDREW
Fight Attempt to Kill
Council Meetings

"ln refusing to call the meet
ing of the high school teachers
councils, which has been sched-
uled for the third week in Sep
tember, William McAndrew,
superintendent of Chicago's
schools, is simply taking into
his own hands the authority
which has been given to the
organized teachers of Chicago, 4"
Ely F. Downey, president of
the councils, told the DAILY
| WORKER today.
''It is very obvious that the
superintendent is renewing the
war which he waged on the
teachers last spring, when he
refused to call the councils of
the elementary schools to-
gether.
FIagrant Abuse Of Power.
THAT he has no legal basis for such
action, and that he is flagrantIy abus-
ing his power, is obvious wnen we re-
call the opinion of the school attor-
ney last year, that the rules of the
councils are orders of the school
board, and that they must be obeyed
by the superintendent as well as by
the teachers.
"A meeting of the executive board
of the high school teachers group
will be held this week to decide on
the action to be taken to meet this
new move of the superintendent"
The reason given by Mr.. McAndrew
for his action is that the work of the
teachers councils occupies school
time. To the DAILY WORKER, Nc
Andrew admitted that the time oc-
cupied by all of the meetings of the
councils during the school year, add
ed together, amounts to less than one
school day
At the same time, the superinten-
dent indicated, he is glad to have
celebrations in praise of the Boy
Scouts, of the Girl Scouts, and of the
Campfire Girls, occupy the time of
the children.
"But | can see no benefits derivable
from the councils which depend on
their taking teaching time" said Mr..
McAndrew.
Aids Old Parties.
Whether or not the Chicago Teach
! ers' Federation will make an active
fight for the continuation of the
teachers councils, is problematical.
No hint as to the course of action
planned by the Federation could be
obtained from its officials. The fed
GRAFTON is one of the few teachers
organizations in the country which
has been active against the rule of
the schools by a business autocracy.
1t has won for the teachers great
gains in wages and in working con-
ditions. 1t has many times made a
successful fight against school graft.
But it has openly avowed its policy
: of refusing under any conditions to
call a strike-an attitude which has
the hearty approval of the American
Federation of Labor-and it has TAX
en- part in political campaigns as the
ally of the democratic party.
That propaganda of the American
Legionaires will be spread in the
schools not only on the days given
over to the Boy Scout and the Girl
Scout movements, but also during the
course Of the entire year, is indi-
Gated by an article published in the
last issue of the Chicago Schools
Journal, praising the platoon system
in use in Detroit. Courses offered in
the Detroit Teachers College. MEM
bership in which," says the article,
was by invitation only" and which
were designed to prepare teachers for
executive jobs, are in high favor with
the author. They include a course in
Boy Scout Leadership, a course ir
iGirl Scout Captainship a course in
Camp Fire Guardianship, one in Com.
munity Civics, and one in Auditorium
teaching.
Postpone Injunction Hearing.
The significance of the course in
Auditorium teaching can be appre-
ciated when it is remembered that
Charles L. Spain, reporting on the
benefits Of the platoon system, proved
that the auditorium is one of the most
effective means which the platoon
school affords for spreading propagan-
| da.
Hearing on the Injunction to re-
strain the Board of Education from
Transforming the Harper school into
Junior high school, partly on the
ground that the traffic hazards en-
countered by the children who have
been forced to go to other schools
will be greatly increased, has again
been postponed. 1t will be resumed
on Wednesday morning.
New York Open Air Meetings.