The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-17
BY HELEN KAY

The public school has been put at
the disposal of the blue eagle. The
simple elements of reading, riting
and rithmetic have been showed
aside, and brazenly the sham of the
school as an institution for primary
learning has been lifted to meet new
times.
THE times show US plainly that
the schools are social institutions
organized and supported by society
for its improvement, and that, there
fore, the schools must develop social
attitudes and concepts among the
pupils" openly declares mimeo-
graphed release to school teachers
from the Board of Education.
Even as the school bells were
ringing their first call to class, the
$4,000 teachers in the New York
public schools we're instructed by
Superintendent O'Shea as to how
they should propagandize the 1,100,
900 pupils on the MIRA.
1--WE should inform ourselves Of
the essential features of the impor-
tant steps and undertakings of the
present movement, and impart the
information clearly and sympathet-
ically, particularly in teaching his
tory, geography, civics and current
events" said Dr.. O'Shea.
Teachers, Pupils, a Check Up
The teachers and the pupils are
being incorporated as part of the
gigantic propaganda machine and
publicity apparatus Of the N. r. A.
Aside from it's mere publicity value,
the children and teachers are being
employed as means Of check up.
So-called Consumers Statement
Of Cooperation" cards have been
issued to the school children of New
York. They come from the Hotel
Pennsylvania, city Office of the MIRA.
The card states: 81 will cooperate
in unemployment and supporting and
patronizing employers and workers
who are members of the MIRA"
Then there is room for the signature
of the parent and the address.
Each pupil is instructed to return
the cards signed from each parent.
In return the child receives a blue
buzzard sticller to hang in his Or her
window, along with shiny N.R.A.
buttons.
If the child does not return the
card, the teacher is to report this
incident to the authorities in charge.
If the card is not signed, the reason
for the non-signature must be given
by the teacher. In this way, the
pulse Of the parents in their reac-
ton to the MIRA. can be checked by
the school authorities.
While the school authorities YER
bally claim mo coercion" still dis
elimination in the very fact that the
child who does not return the card
will be given no blue button, and no
blue buzzard, besides being lectured
by the teacher, shows the mere word
mess of that statement.
It is in this way that the children
are employed as propaganda con-
yeyors to the home for the MIRA.
In order to be sure Of what the
teachers will say to their students
all school officials and principals re-
ported to Washington Irving High
School early in September, where
Grover Whalen instructed teachers
on what to tell their pupils, and how
the schools can cooperate in sell
ing the MIRA TO the children.
It is emphasized in one of the
many nlimeographed sheets with
which the public school teacher is
now barraged that the teachers are
expected to realize that all members
Of tire supervising and the teaching
staff are citizens, as well as teachers
4 and 1T is therefore duty to act as
good citizens at this time, as st al
times, and to support the efforts fol
national recovery in every possible
way"
Teachers are openly threatened
with the loss of their jobs, by the
statement of There is no place fol
such persons in our schools" in one
Of the releases dealing with the
present crisis which has given those