The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-09-07
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

THE beginning of another school year and
i the eve Of political campaign give special
importance to the report of the American Civil
Liberties Union on School Buildings as Public
Forums"
It is platitude that we can have our choice
between progress by education and progress by
revolutionary violence. Even a conservative, if
pressed on this issue, would admit that he pre-
ferred the former
Yet we do our best to favor revolution through
trying to make education an obstacle to inteln-
gent progress.
This is not the place to discuss the absurd
curriculum and the intimidation of progressively
inclined teachers. We are here concerned with
the possible use of school buildings as public
forums which might offer illuminating sugges-
tons not only to students but also to their par
ents and other members of the community.
School buildings usually are not occupied for
formal instruction at night. 1t is real service
to the community to use school auditoriums for
forums addressed by speakers who have diverSi-
fed suggestions to offer as to how we may move
forward to better days. There seems to be little
inclination, the country over, to take advantage
| Of such opportunities.
THE Civil Liberties Union gathered the mate
Il rial for its report from the missionaries
submitted to the school boards of ninety-three
cities each with a population of more than
100000, to local officials of minority groups and
cities
1t was revealed that in only twenty-one states
are there legal provisions for holding political
meetings in public schools, and in only five of
these are there legal safeguards against dis
elimination by local school Observation-Disclosures
Kansas, Michigan, North Dakota and Oregon. In
thirteen states there is statutory provision
whatever for the community use of school build
ngs and in the fourteen remaining states there
is no provision for their use in holding political
meetings.
In twenty-one large cities each with pop-
ulation of more than 100000 no political meet
ings whatever are allowed in school buildings
Eighteen cities of more than 100000 permit po-
lltical meetings but discriminate against minor
ity and progressive groups: San Diego, Cal;
Denver, Colo; Bridgeport, Conn; Washington,
D. c.; Atlanta Ga. Peoria, Ill; Evansville, Ind
Springfield and Worcester Mass; Grand Rapids,
Mich; Minneapolis Mimi; New York City; Ak
ron, o.; Youngstown, o.; Erie, Pa Houston,
Texas, and Richmond, Va.
4 LMOST without exception in every city
where these minority groups were discrimi-
mated against, use of the schools was accorded
freely to the Republican and Democratic parties.
In the few places where minority groups were
allowed to use school buildings for forums little
or no disorder or damage was reported-cer-
tainly no more than would have been Incl
dental to meeting held by Fundamentalists or
Republicans
"A notable example of the use of public
schools for community forums is furnished by
Des MONIES, Ia, where under a grant made by
the Carnegie Corporation of New York in 1888
a five-year experiment in adult education is con-
Quoted.
Forums in public school buildings all over
the city were started with discussion of all
sorts of public issues, and with speakers rep
reSenting all points of view. Even wel-knoWn
Communists have spoken on the programs.
The forums are under the direction of the
superintendent of schools. The response is re-
ported as most enthusiastic. In addition to
these forums, radical organizations are permit
ted to use school auditoriums in Des Moines
without discrimination and apparently with full
community approval"
There is no evidence whatsoever that Des
Moines has been headed toward Soviet by this
excursion into civilized adult education.