Evening star., 1936-06-10
SCHOOL TURNS OUT.
4 LUDKE CHILDREN.
Father Brands Action of
Board as Religious
Intolerance"
Pys Stan Cor, espondent ol The Star.


OXON HILL. Md. June l0.-Dis-
barmert of his four children from
the local grammar school for their
refusal to salute the American flag,
ordered yesterday by the Prince
Georges County Board of Education,
was branded as religious intolerance"
today by A. A. Ludke, member of the
Jehovah's Witnesses sect.
Action of the board concluded sew
eral weeks deliberation following the
childrens failure to comply with daily
patriotic exercises at the school.
The boards ruling, believed the first
of its kind in Maryland, will permit
the youngsters to attend classes until
the close of the current semester. but
they will not be permitted to enroll in
any county school after September l.
Choice Left to Children.
Pending the boards decision the
schildren. Esther 7; Walter. g.; Anna
Louise, 10, and Fred. II, have not been
permitted to attend the ceremonies
(which open the school routine each
day They will continue to remain
Sises until the end of the term.
Insisting they have left choice of
action entirely at the children's discre-
stion Mr. and Mrs. Ludke said today
3hat they certainly will not ask the
youngsters to salute the flag if the
Echlldren feel they should not"
Z. Ludke's explanation of his off,
stpring's action is based on the COM
ssnandment: Thou shalt have no 9TH
Ter god before Me"
> Fundamental Principle.
= People have no right to worship
anything or anybody except God" he
sdeclared. That is not only a funda-
mental principle Of the 'Jehovah's
Witnesses religion, but is clearly set
forth IN the Bible Freedom of reli-
gious thought is guaranteed in the
Constitution. I don't know what will
do. l don't want to get hot headed
about this thing. I'm not able to say,
until after much thought, whether I
will appeal this TO higher body, fight
1t through the courts, or what"
Under the Maryland school attend
ance law, Ludke must provide educa-
tion for his children equivalent to"
public school standards until they
are IA years old, when they may be
excused if lawfully employed, or until
they are Is if not so employed.
A clerk in the Washington Post
office. Ludke said he might send the
children to District school or mght
attempt to teach them at home. They
have all had wonderful grades" he
said.
The boards ruling, given on advice
of its attorney, Waldo Burnside, was
transmitted to Ludke in a letter by
County Supt. Nicholas Orem.
1t read;
Ruling of Board.
IT have been instructed by the Board
of Education of Prince Georges County
to notify you that your children will
Be refused enrolment in the Oxon Hill
or other school in Prince Georges
County after September 1st next
unless they agree to comply with the
intent of that section of the schoo
law of the State of Maryland reading
as follows:
1t shall be the duty of boards Of
education to prepare for the use Of
the public schools of the State pro.
gram providing for the salute to the
flag and such other patriotic
exercises from time to time as may
be deemed by them to be expedient
and under such regulations and in
,struction as may best meet the
various requirements of the different
'sgrades in such schools; all to the end
,that the love Of liberty and democracy
signified in the devotion of all true and
,,patriotic Americans to their flag and
ITO their country, shall be instilled in
''the hearts and minds of the youth OF
america
- Two other Ludke children, Frances
i13. and Ruth, IA, students at high
.Bchool here, said they were not re-
l.quired to salute the flag since no such
exercises were held in their class
rooms. They declared they complied
with patriotic exercises in grammar
school because I'VE didn't know what
it was all about then. We didn't
understand. We we're too young"