Montana labor news., 1938-01-20
School Board Should
Accept Open Forum

Vii ooiiboi Il d SiOuP VI Suu-
Gators from Dillon, Deer Lodge,
Anaconda, Helena, and Butte, met
in Superintendent Colds office to
discuss the ACCESSIBILITY of estab-
fishing a Public Forum in these
cities, with Butte as a nucleus.
The plan was presented by DR..
Corrie from the offices of Com
missioner of Education Mr.. Stude-
baker in Washington, D. c., and
Mrs. Griswold of Portland, Oregon,
also a worker in the field of Public
Forum education.
The Forum issues definitely from
the Department of Education, and
while it has the whole-hearted APP
proval of President Roosevelt, it is
not part of the New Deal program
and promotes no New Deal propa-
ganda, Its purpose is to give the
public opportunity to openly dis
cuss and become acquainted with
any topic of cultural, economic, or
political interest under the leader
ship of experts in these fields.
This is done at very little expense
to the communities concerned. The
government pays the salaries and
travelling expenses to the state of
the Forum leaders. The only ex-
pense to the community is that of
providing a meeting place for the
Forum and of Transporting the lead
ers to and from the cities in the
circuit. In the ease of Montana,
expense to each of the five cities
concerned would be less than forty
dollars.
The Commissioner of Education,
Mr.. Studebaker, makes this stipula-
ton: The Forum must be author
lied by the school boards of the
districts involved. The school dis
trict does not necessarily have to
take the responsibility of the small
expense. This can be handled
through civic clubs, public spirited
citizens or in any way most adj
vantageous to the community; but
in view of the fact that the Public
Forum is distinctly a branch of
adult public education in the United
States, Mr.. S%tudebaker requires the
commentator of the school boards
concerned.
The Public Forum seems to pre-
sent an opportunity that Butte peo-
pie cannot afford to miss, and our
school board should be prevailed
upon to take this advantage of
furthering adult education in this
community. 1t would seem that any
school board elected to the cause
Of education would not hesitate to
support such an offer.
The Forum would extend for a
period Of nine weeks beginning Tin
Montana) in April and ending early
in June. Each town in the circuit
would be entitled to one Forum a
week for the nine-week period.
Each leader would conduct three
Forums in each town, each Forum
to consider any subject which the
committee selects from a list of
topics submitted by that leader.
The committee would be headed
by the superintendent of schools in
each district, the other members of
the respective committees to be
chosen by the superintendent.
The Forum leaders available for
Montana are: Leide- Tedesco, a lead
er in the field of music and art;
John Duval, and Norman Coleman,
noted economists.
Some of the topics submitted are:
Is the struggle in Asia our bust
ness? What will Japanese victory
mean to us? The cases for and
against the National Labor Relations
Board, lawless enforcement of law.
Can public education help prepare
young people for marriage? Labor
unions-help or hindrance to indus
trial peace. How can we cut our
crime bill? Are class lines being
drawn in America? Can the gov
eminent be fair to both Labor and
Industry on their own terms? Jazz
and American folk music. Can a
small community have good music?
Is culture highbrow? Are music
and art education expensive thrills.
At the meeting Jan. 4, Douglas
Gold was elected chairman of the
Committee of School Superintend-
ents, Each superintendent will re-
port within two weeks of that date,
the reaction of his board.
1t remains to be seen whether or
not the school boards of these five
cities are seriously interested in the
course of education.