Evening star., 1937-05-25
EDUCATORS LAUD
RED RIDER REPEAL;
AWAIT SIGNATURE
"GIad Attention Can Be
Turned to Something Prof.
table," BaIIou Says.
MRS. NORTON Thanked
FOR PART IN ACTION
House Vote, 1872 to 90, Sends Bill
to End Anti-Communism Scheme
to White House.

With the presidential signature on
the outright red rider repeal Bill the
only thing needed to erase the contro-
Versial legislation from the statute
books, District educational leaders to-
day expressed pleasure at House vote
yesterday completing congressional ac-
ton on outright repeal.
Or. Frank w. Ballou, superintendent
OF District schools, was pleased, espe-
clally to be relieved of the admin.
istrative load.
Teaching of the social sciences in
District schools never has contem-
plated the advocacy Of communism
and there never will be authorization
to do so. I am very happy that the
administrative machinery set up to
carry out the provisions OF the rider
can now be scrapped and our atten-
ton turned to- something else more
profitable" he said.
Members Of the School Board
stressed the fact that advocacy Of
communism in the schools would not
be tolerated.
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, presi-
dent OF the board, declared.
The conference report with its
prov1so that the repeal should not be
construed as permitting advocacy Of
communism is completely in accord
with the position that the board has
maintained from the start. The
Board Of Education never has and
never will tolerate advocacy of COM
munism.
The Board of Education will con-
tlnue to expect teachers of the Dis
trict OF Columbia to render services
as the loyal American citizens that
they are, imparting to their pupils
patriotic support and understanding
OF our constitutional form of govern
ment"
Bringing Out U. S. Benefits.
There is no better way Of bringing
out the privileges we enjoy In this
country than by contrasting our sys-
tenn OF government with others, she
added.
Best of ALL" she continued, "the
patriotic action Of the House and
Senate in repeating the red rider DEM
onstrates what we of the board have
been confident Of from the beginning.
America is still America and there is
no place in it for European ideas of
political interference with education,
religion and individual rights, Of
which the un-American red rider
might have been the opening wedge. !"
Mrs. Doyle also expressed gratitude
to Chairman Norton of the House Dis
trlct Committee and Representative
Kennedy of Maryland for their lead
ership in working for the repeal
That's fine" said Mrs. Philip Syd-
ney Smith, another member of the
board, on learning fthe House ac-
ton 1T is great qualification to
think that the teachers will be re-
lieved OF the embarrassment caused by
the rider" Mrs Mary A. McNeill a
strong opponent of the red rider,
could not be reached for comment.
DR.. Robert A. Maurer, vice presi-
dent OF the board expressed pleasure,
but declared this does not mean that
there will be any advocacy of COM
munistic propaganda in the District
public schools"
Said Henry l. Quinn, president OF
the District Bar Association and q
member Of the School Board:
We all detest communism and have
differed only as to the best method OF
combating 1t. 1T is to be hoped that
never again will un-American meth
ods be resorted to for the avowed pur-
pose OF protecting American institu-
tons. Communism cannot stand the
light OF day. Behind it is an idea
that cannot stand up in the open
competition of the market"
DR.. johnson Delighted.
DR.. ]. Hayden Johnson, board mem.
Der for over two decades, who will re.
tire this July. declared: Naturally, ]
am delighted at the action of Con.
gress. The rider should never have
been on the books in the first place"
George M. Whitwell, who also plan.
retirement in July. asserted the repea
would be "a great benefit and a help.
I'VE owe debt of gratitude to the
citizens associations and parent
teacher groups who have co-operatec
with U.s." he added, "as we'll as to the
Congress. We must now do every.
thing In our power to have the viciou.
clerical rider contained in this year.
appropriation bill removed"
John H. Wilson, another lawyer
member of the board, declared "the
whole board is against communism
What We wanted was academic free.
DOM" Gratz E. Dunkum, newest
member Of the board, could not bt
reached for comment.
!. Also pleased with the repeal wa.
Willard E. Givens, executive secretary
Of the National Education Association
. The action Of Congress puts and enc
to the most significant threat eve,
made to freedom Of learning in the
United States, he said, and congratu.
lated Congress .on behalf Of the coun.
try's million teachers.
A two-year battle to junk the high
ly controversial rider, which forbie
District school-teachers to teach o.
advocate communism, virtually endee
yesterday when the House adopted
the conference report on the repea
bill, 1872 to 90. The Senate last weel
approved the report.
Both the House and Senate, IL
killing the rider. did so with declara.
ton that such action shall not b,
construed as permitting the advo'
eating OF communism"