Evening star., 1935-03-07
DIR. WV. CHARTERS
BACKED BY BOARD
Explanation of Russian Con-
nection Accepted Despite
Protest.

Over the protest of Gen. Amos A..
Fries, U. S. A., retired, the Board OF
Education has given Or. w. w. Char
tiers, special consultant on character
education, a vote of confidence in his
= Americanism and patriotism.
Gen. Fries appeared before the
board yesterday afternoon to protest
in behalf of three organizations against
DR.. Charters retention by the Dis
trict public school system. The edu-
Gator had been asked to explain what,
If any, were his connections in Rus
sia or with the University of Moscow,
after his name appeared on list of
members Of an American advisory
committee on special Summer course
there.
Correspondence Presented.
The retired Army officer said he
represented the American Legion of
can Revolution and the National So
journers, and that they are unani-
mously opposed to the employment in
the public schools Of any one with
any connections with Russia or Com
munist schools, whether here or
abroad
He made his protest after DR.. Frank
w. Ballou, superintendent of schools,
had presented file of correspondence
on the subject. The letters and tele-
grams showed that DR.. Charters had
been named to an advisory commit
tee of the Institute of International
F61rafiOn hv nr Cfonhor,
director. Duggan acted as the repre-
sentative of the Anglo-American In
stitute, which plans a special course
at the University Of Moscow during
the coming Summer.
In a telegraphic statement DR..
Charters explained that he has no
connection whatever with the Soviet
government and that the American
form of government suits me fine"
Not Interested in Politics.
II am a vigorous opponent of in
doctrinatlon and propaganda in
Schools DR.. Charters message stated.
II do not want teachers to tell STU
dents what to think. 1 want them to
teach students how to think.
Following recognition of Russia by
the United States Government, salts
fled myself about the Summer school
of the University of Moscow as a
place where American travellers would
get a more accurate picture of the
Soviet educational system in a short
time than by wandering about Rus
Sla.
MY slight connection with the
washington schools is made to help
the faculty in their constant effort to
develop fine characters in boys and
girls of washington. Political theories
are outside my field"
Gen. Fries asserted that the course
to be offered at Moscow includes
complete indoctrination of Soviet
IDEALS before students are allowed to
study anything else.
Protests Publications.
Taking advantage of the discussion
OF communism. the general protested
against the circulation in the public
schools of the Weekly News Review.
My Weekly Reader and other current
events publications used by Washing
ton school children in their studies
Of current history. He charged that
the publications are biased, pro-Rus-
sian and don't give a fair picture of
communism"
i want to protest on the ground
that the Communist party is an
enemy of our country" Fries declared,
"and is back of most of the strife
In this country"
He asserted that Prof. George S.
Counts is one of the editors and he,
TOO. is member of the Ad-
vlsory Committee, associated with DR..
Charters.
Henry I. Quinn asked if he had any
specific pro-Russian articles to point
out.
1T appears that only the good side
Is put forward, the bad side is left out"
the general replied.
DR.. Ballou explained that the pub
locations objected to are prepared
under the supervision of the Amer
lean Council on Education, 744 Jack
son place, and that the Russian
articles appeared at the time the
United States recognized Russia.
Truth Is BalIou's Aim.
"The truth is what we are after"
Ballou asserted. Russia is not ade-
quately covered in our text books.
think somehow we should get before
the pupils some information about the
countries of the world. This is Just
as important in the study of geography
as it is in the study of government.
If these publications are not the way
to get the information, then we should
discontinue authority to use them and
find something else to take their
place"
Fries insisted that special COM
mittee be set up to study the publica-
tons.
DR.. Ballou vigorously defended both
Dr. Charters and Prof. Counts.
Later, President Hayden johnson
pointed out that until Gen. Fries had
made his protest there were no
charges against DR.. Charters before
the board. Mrs. Philip Sidney Smith
moved for the vote of confidence,
which was given unanimously.