Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
URGES EDUCATORS
. TO SCORE UTILITIES
D. c. Man CenSureS Publicity
Work With Texts and FaCuI-
ties Before National Meet.

By the Associated Press.
MINNEAPOLIS, June 30-Denuncia-
ton of the efforts of the public utility
information and service bureaus ito
carry propaganda into the schools" was
recommended today TO the annual con-
vention of the National Education AS
ISOLATION In the annual report OF j. w.
Crabtree Of Washington, secretary of
the association
In his report, Mr., Crahtree, who
strongly censured the activities of the
utility agencies especially in employing
college professors to make addresses and
in revising text books recommended
that the convention appoint commit
tee TO investigate the propaganda ques-
ton,
Scores Blacklist" Spread.
The report also took to task the
agencies which distributed the So
called speakers blacklist" of the
Daughters of the American Revolution,
because of its mention of David Starr
Jordan, president emeritus of Leland
Stanford University but expressed the
view that the d. A. r.. was not fully
aware" of the blacklist distribution
While the evidence in the hearing
of the Federal Trade Commission Is
not yet complete" Mr.. Crabtrees re-
port declared in criticiZing the utili-
ties, 1T appears to show that these
utility service bureaus have attempted
10 carry out the definite purpose of
getting propaganda into the schools.
that they employed scores of college
professors to lecture In schools and
colleges: that they used their influence
through school channels and through
publishers Of text books TO force changes
in texts satisfactory to their purpose.
The selfish end Is shown in
forcing a text book to omit reference
TO Samuel Insults gift of thousands TO
political parties.
Insults Intelligence.
ITO overlook this insult on the in
telligence OF school authorities would
open the gates for food Of propa~
ganda. The political party In
power may not be condemned for it's
failure to go after the sins and crimes
of It's previous political managers and
Office holders, but the standards and
ideals OF profession would not Justify
our associations soft-pedaling mat
ter as grave as this. even though there
may be the danger that a few educa~
tors chance to be involved. Owing to
the power OF these agencies In some
localities and States it may be unwise
and dangerous for a given educator
TO raise his voice against what is going
on, but there Is no such handicap on
the actions Of this association as a
whole.
Mr. Crabtree in his report cited a
discussion of the utility agencies actiV-
tiles by superintendent of Schools
Threlkeld of Denver Colo, who de-
clared the propaganda is vicious and
should not go under the guise OF
education"
The report In reviewing the past
years activities In the educational IN
stitutions OF the country declared that
progress had been realized and among
teachers there had been "a gain in
professional spirit and ideals. 1t added
that there had been pronounced con-
structive tendencies In American educa-
ton and an improved relationship be-
tween the secondary schools and coll
eges had been accomplished,
Among the associations accomplish
ments during the past year, the report
mentioned the award of life MEM
bership key 10 Mrs Eyangeline Lind
bergh, mother Of the famous aviator
and Detroit school teacher, at It's
Boston meeting last March