The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-02-09

New York, Feb. 9-Thls is National
Boy Scout Week. There are many
programs to keep all troups and
individual scouts on their toes ell
joying what has been prepared for
them by volunteer workers who APP
prove the precepts Of Scout Oath
and Law.
The writer has been associated
with Scout work for number of
years. One outstanding fact has
been noticeable through the eXper-
fence. There is a tremendous lack
of interest on the part of parents
in what their boys are doing and
thinking. Boys do not speak freely to
oder people until they have earned
their comradeship. Time and the
method of that accomplishment are
entirely individualistic.
Public apathy to all youthful
problems go beyond individuals. 1t
is responsible for certain conditions
that exist in some of our schools
that ought to be wiped out.
1 believe this column renders par
ents service by calling readers at
tention to any unusual public oc-
currences. where motives can be
viewed with suspicion if the plan Is
to be repeated elsewhere. Here is
the latest verbal dynamite.
Members of a High School Glass
in American History were given a
home work assignment 10 prepare
fn, oral dicp,1ccioy, nf al
prejudices from newspaper, maya
zine and radio stories.
Think of it, young people in teen
age asked to get up a collection of
current material on hate, color, re-
ligion and race by teacher paid
from public tax funds to teach
American history. A man deliberate
ly spending whole evening of q
studious persons time on a vague
and amending problem of mankind
followed by class period to discuss
absolute products of international
propaganda machines as fact, push
ing American history out of the pic
ture entirely.
Maybe I'm wrong in believing his
yearly earnings are in payment for
explaining the relation of facts in
chronological order of the formation
of our Nation to date, with a phil
osophical instruction of their causes,
arranged by one or more expert ac-
credited analysts who by research
have calmly sifted as neal the truth
as possible from biased stories that
appear in publications and through
verbal descriptions when such topics
are in the making.
fail to see any place in Amer
lean History classes for oral discus
sion of radio gossip, highly inflam-
atory magazine articles and news
paper stories that have to do with
racial prejudices in these trouble
some times that are not history but
history in the making"
1t seems to me this man has se-
lected volatile subject for discus
sion that is sure to create a smoul-
dering resentment or hate in the
hearts of individuals, which regard
less OF race or color-have been get
ting along together on amiable
terms of mutual respect.
There are in this particular class
some refugees, in addition to Amer
leans OF distinctly recognized Eng
liSh, German, Italian, Jewish, Negro
Spanish and other racial origins.
Aside from the fact that the pro-
posed discussion has no place in
past American History, it must be
dLstasteful to any students WING
claim their classmates as friends tC
have to discuss the persecution OF
one side or the other.
The assignment Is disgrace
tirely contradictory in probable re-
suits to The tolerance and good
neighbor policy asked for by ouI
President, who believes the FBl
quite capable of investigating prop
uganda racial prejudice stories tc
their bitter end.
Exhortation of public leaders
have been to watch for insidious in
filtrations of ideas on racial rela-
tons to credulous persons. This
seems to be one of them.
Buyers for local stores will soor
be home to tell Of new articles tc
l. Il r.. I.