Evening star., 1942-10-31
Hearing Opens
On High School
Alcohol Study /.
Federation Of Churches
Leader Sees Attempt .
To 'GIorify' Drinking

A charge of careless use Of the
truth" was laid to the new revised
high school course on alcohol and
narcotics today by Wilbur La Roe,
jr., chairman of civic affairs for the
Washington Federation Of Churches.
Mr.. La Roe led off group of 81
speakers appearing at a special COM
mittee in the Thomson School to
protest a proposed revision of the
course by DR.. James A. Cannon,
physician member of the Board Of
Education.
Inclusion in the course Of the
chemical properties of several types
Of alcohol and emphasis on its for
mer use as an anesthetic, MIR. La Roe
said, tends to "glorify" the use Of
alcohol.
Sees Drinking Encouraged.
''The law doesn't mention teach
ing the chemistry Of alcohol" Mr..
La Roe said, "only its properties in
alcohol beverages. I think this course
gives the students the idea that al
cohol is pretty good sort of thing"
Alcohol is not characterized as a
drug and poison until page OF the
new course, which is too "inconspicu-
Gus" place for this important
statement" he said.
Mr.. La Roe summarized the whole
course as encouraging" rather than
"discouraging" consumption of al
coholic drinks. He charged that the
new approach to the subject OF al
cohol beverages was highly danger
ous."
Reads Committee Report.
Reading the conclusion of seven-
page document filed with the COM
mittee after it had been unanimous
ly adopted by the Board of Direc-
tors of the Washington Federation
of Churches, Mr.. La Roe said:
Parents are not in the least in
terested in the academic and techni-
cal phases of this matter.
Our parents want the children
taught the truth about the dangers
of alcohol and they want those
dangers stressed. =
"Our suggestion that the report be
completely rewritten so as to oc-
complish the purpose intended by
Congress. This will require much
more emphasis on the dangers in
volved in the drinking of alcohol
and will require subordination or
elimination of the highly technical
details which now occupy such a
prominent place in the report.
Purpose Of Statute.
"The whole purpose of the statute
! will be defeated unless there is a re-
arrangement of the subject matter
We must agree, of course, that any
statements in the present curriculum
which are not in accord with moderr
scientific truth should be modified tt
reflect the best information nov
available. But the slight inaccura'
cies should not be used as a level
to upset the whole curriculum ant
j substitute the teaching of irrelevan
technicalities for the teaching of thj
dangers of alcohol as contemplate,
by the statute
E. S. Brossard, of the Church o1
Jesus Christ OF Latter Day Saints
said his organization was in com,
plete agreement with the Federation
of Churches that the new course
should be completely revised.
This present document" he
charged. sis an attempt to justify
the use of alcoholic beverages in
moderation, and attempt to ration
alize its use by adults. This course
is wholly and totally inadequate ano
in no way suitable to be taught ir
the public schools
Audience of 300 Applauds.
This declaration was created with
an outburst of applause by the grour
of about 300 people present.
Objecting to the revision as pre-.
sented by the committee, August
Gutheim appearing as a Citizen,
said he had been raised in German
home where the use of alcoholic
beverages was taken for granted
But, he added, II learned that ths
best thing for me to do is to abstain
and I usually do"
OSAAAk1 AAA6 o4IOllO41C UCNCldkcS U
lions in the zoo, DR.. Ellsworth Car
penter vice president of the Anti.
Cigarette Alliance, Inc, charged
these lions have broken loose every
where to destroy our children anc
our adults, not only by the scores
but by the millions. 1t is time tc
capture them, put them back ir
cages, kill them"
These lions are everywhere" HI
warned, some of them may be right
here in this room right now. They
are in the grocery stores right where
you send your children for loaf OF
bread and bottle of milk"
Others Sit In.
Sitting with DR.. Cannon were tive
other members of his committee, DR.
Joseph A. Murphy OF the D. c
Health Department, and DR.. Carol
r. Reed, First Assistant Superin.
tendent of Schools Other member.
OF the School Board also were pres.
ent to sit in on the hearing, includ.
ing Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, boarc
president.
Twenty-on persons had requested
permission to speak, although tn,
list had not been specifically closed
DR.. Cannon had requested that onI,
persons directly concerned" shoule
attend to prevent overcrowding O.
the auditorium. The United DR.,
Forces had circularized many citi
zens, however, inviting them t,
attend this public hearing"
The United Drys had character.
lied the revised course as "thi.
reactionary proposal to weaken
compromise and confuse this teach.
ing in our public schools, misleac
students and violate the intent o1
our anti-narcotic instruction law
DR.. Cannon was prepared to de.
fend the revised course, which h,
had characterized as much more
factual than the present course
The latter had been criticized b,
him as telling only the horror
story Of alcohol, emitting man,
, facts.
i Following the hearing the com
mittee plans to present the plan t,
| the Board of Education at It's meet