The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-04
WORKERS SCHOOL
OF new YORK CITY
BRINGS RESULTS
Had Difficult Start Three
Years Ago
BY DAVID GORDON.
worker correspondent)

struggling with the birth pangs Of
mastering pupils to study in it's
classes. 1t was not a prolific mother;
it only bore some four classes. And,
as often happens in the case of the
poor, the children were all under
nourished. The classes were fed with
the few crumbs of never more than
ten comrades. That was the Work
ers' School three years ago.
Today, a night in the year 1925, the
school is in its kicking adolescence,
attracting all those who are interested
in active life. Now it has some fifty
classes running.
THE school is criticized. Comrades
L complain that not enough classes
are given. Is it the fault of child
that it cannot answer the questions
that are to be asked one much older?
One Is inclined to think the contrary.
Other comrades complain that they
are not allowed to take more than a
certain number Of courses, except in
special cases. The complaint Is a
compliment to the school. 1t is the
policy of the school to have comrades
study while they are fighting, not to
give up fighting and study alone. That
is not to be encouraged. The class
rooms are often packed to capacity.
One feels with the poor walls that
must be squeezed to death in order to
have the necessary comrades where
they belong The partitioned rooms
look like futurist art when the class
is in session. (True, this was not
the intention of the carpenters.) The
partitions flow like regular waves, but
they are not disturbing to that degree
where comrades find cause to COM
plain.
An unusual complaint was lodged
by certain comrade. She is busy at
day with work and her nights are
taken with Communist activity. She
is able to find some spare time, which
she employs with studying in the
Workers School. Even Sunday is ex-
plotted by her. A class was to be
given Sunday mornings. 1t was very
favorable for her, and so she joined
that class. After the class she in
tended to devote the remainder OF the
day to studying her other courses. 1t
came about that the class could no
longer be given on that day because
the instructor found that he could not
devote himself to that class unless
the party relieved him of some of the
responsibilities he assumed. One is
hardly able to find another more dis
appointed than this comrade. 1t
meant just so much more learning in
the flood of practical activity. The
comrade could not be helped, but her
tone proved the work of the school.
Here are comrades almost on the
verge Of tears wanting to take up GER
tain courses but unable to do so. The
school has made itself felt as a neces-
sity for workers. education.
TT is interesting to note the attitude
L of the comrades with respect to
their classes. In public speaking, the
instructor found it impossible to come
to teach his class. The students were
in no way excited by this. They elect
ed chairman to take the instructors
place. This elected comrade kept or
der while the others delivered the
speeches that they were to have pre-
pared for that lesson. The end of
the season found each and every COM
rade wholly satisfied with the class.
Then, in the former Sunday class In
historical materialism, after some
waiting, the instructor called on the
telephone to announce that he finds
himself unable to be at the class.
The comrades did not want to have a
morning wasted. They therefore held
the class themselves. One comrade
read from Capital" and was always
interrupted when a special point
needed emphasis or explanation. In
this manner two hours Of reading and
discussion were gone thru. The COM
rades were smiling at each other after
the class was over, for each one felt
that the time was not wasted.
That is the Workers School today.
II has aroused an almost inconceiv-
able enthusiasm for learning. II has
been able to meet the majority of
things desired by its students despite
the fact that it could use to great ad-
vantage more forces. The school is
filing an historic role-the training
Of a better leadership and better
membership for the American labor
movement.