The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-13

New York, April u - A great stir
has been created through published
results on o New York Times Amer
lean History test for college youth,
Net comment seems to be that a
good Job Of instruction has not been
done generally In late high schools
or early college grades.
This column has repeatedly mem
toned student matters that should
have caused parental concern for
over ten years. II has been my priv
tlege to observe writing, spelling and
figuring Of many boys and girls In
the twelve to twenty year age group.
Several have stated they were In.
Structed to print their written mess
ages on the theory that penman-
ship was useless motion. Memorized
multiplication tables enabling auto
matte answers Of one to twelve Is
considered childish by quite o few
though ! have failed to see any
demonstrated valuable substitute or
replacement method,
School pupils have been tutored
and propangani1ed In some public
schools on subjects which are In my
estimation beyond their understand
ing. Past Breeding" clippings re.
veal o pattern Of things TO come.
Quoting one from l940-"Thousands
Of people have seen students popped
upon academic freedom, pushing
law.abiding citizens from sidewalks
while they paraded In protest over
things they know very little about.
They interfere in labor situations
entirely strange TO them"
Three years ago there was O stu.
dents petition urging reversal Of
court notification of DR.. Bertram
Russell's appointment to College Of
New York staff that had been OBJ
tained on O challenge Of morals by
a watchful mother O. a S.L~~...
affirm our faith In academic free
dom and deplore ecclesiastical
method Of metdling In our public
school system" read the youthful
proclamation.
The following year this column
commented on q prevalent wave Of
killings, mutilations and tortures by
school children also remarking that,
1T Is not the young people who are
to blame. Most every pursuit with q
dollar involved seems to have a
racket angle to 1t somewhere. The
boys and girls apparently get
"wised up" quicker than their elders.
It is hard to believe that young
boys and girls Of thirteen years can
be so hard boiled as to resort to
murder for pennies and thrills"
Children In grades and high
schools have been victimlzed by their
classmates, on shakedownS which I
have been told continue undated
after more than three years of their
known existence. Years have pass
ed since the exposures of Red
Feather Gang activities requiring
use Of two automobiles by students
being initiated. These were to be
driven one on each side of an I'M
suspecting adult driver. Problem
was to see how close they could hedge
AhC bNOAkAA uhOtOAAoOp WAtAAOu6 6Cb1lhAAy
locking bumpers or tearing away
tenders. It always threw a good
scare into the third party regardless
Of other results.
Experiments by school authorities
trying to force High school students
to engage In social dancing irrespec-
tive Of home, racial or color ties
during regular class hours, In place
Of assigned subjects. seems to have
failed.
The New York Times fact finding
started near the finish line. That
can do q great national
service by making sectional checks
Of educational progress from kinder
garten through the grades and high
Fundamentals Of American
History should be instigated with
the youth Of our National who may
never attend college.
A revealing test Of acquiring
knowledge ought to include ability
to read. write and spell the Eng
lish language. Further insight on
straight thinking could be had by
quick tests on simple multiplication,
division, and addition, along lines
that have TO be figured out on