Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-05
Board Studies
Corning Report
On Text Books
School Head Denies
Charge Un-Americon
Ideos Are fought
By Colt HendIey, Jr.


an unequivocal denial by School
ISupt. Hobart NJ. Corning.
The board deferred action on a
report, presented to the regular
board meeting yesterday by DR.,
Corning, at the request of Adel-
bert w. Lee, board member, who
started the controversy several weeks
ago with charges against two speci-
fic publications. He asked for fur
|ther time to study DR.. Corning's re-
port.
In the discupssion which followed
Dr. Corning's report on his. investi-
CATION, which he had volunteered to
make for the board, DR.. James A.
Cannon, another board member. ac-
|cused Mr.. Lee of making reckless
and unfounded" charges.
Responsibility in Post.
"TIis position as member of the
Board of Education carries with it
a responsibility which calls for ma
Iture Judgment and sympathetic I'M
Outstanding of school affairs" DR.
Cannon declared. These were not
apparent in this case"
Mr.. Lee contended a text book
entitled, Building Citizenship" by
|R. o. Hughes, and weekly news
letter, the American Observer, car
ried material which attacked Ameri-
can institutions.
The House Un-American Activi-
ties Committee also has promised to
look into the text book question
when they hold their full investiga-
ton of Mrs. Shura Lewis speech at
Western High School. which
prompted four students to walk out
of the student assembly on the
grounds she was too "pro-Russian.
Nothing Objectionable.
DR.. Corning told board members
/ he found nothing Objectionable in
| the book. The newsletter, he said
definitely should be retained in our
schools for intelligent use by our
teachers.
Dr.. Hughes has written some 20
texts which are used widely in
schools through the Nation, DR.
Corning said. Building Citizenship
is used in 1,066 out of 1882 of the
largest cities in the United States
and has been used in Washington
for the past Is years, DR.. Corning
said.
His report, complied in part by
George j. Jones and william M
Brewer, history department heads
said: q
I'VE feel Mr.. Lee has taken many
brief statements from the context
of good text book and that he has
drawn from them and presented
to the Board Of Education infer
ences which fail to set forth a true
picture of the book"
/ 81 Refers to Editors Letter.
In clearing the American OBJ
server OF any fault, DR.. Corning re.
ferred to letter written to him by
the editor, Walter E. Myer, which
pointed out:
ut is our conviction that the fret
airing of vital issues Is in keeping
with the American tradition. 1t /!
the democratic way of doing things
1t is our further belief that paper!
| which serve the schools should mo-
dodge such issues but should give
their readers the opportunity to set
both sides of controversy"
Mr.. Lee objected to a reprint Of
a story from Look magazine which
criticized the educational system Of
the Military Academy at West Point
and the Naval Academy at Annapo-
lis. The following week, the paper
printed story rebutting this.
Mr.. Myers letter also said: "Free
discussion does not endanger Amer
lean institutions. The sitting OF
issues does endanger them, for II
denies to young citizens training
which promotes independent think
ing and critical judgment"
Sees Injustice" Done.
DR.. Cannon maintained Mr.. Lee
had done an injustice to the editor
of the American Observer, to the
author of Building citizenship tc
the superintendent and officers OF
the public school system and to the
Board of Education" by his accuse
tons.
Mr.. Lee told the board he had INC
apologies to make whatsoever on the
textbook.
I'm still convinced un-Americar
ideas should not be taught to ou1
students" he declared. IF the men,
bers of the board choose to disre-
gard 1t, it is their privilege. I still
object to the book"
He said. the editor Of the news
letter had admitted to him it was
mistake to reprint the article from
Look magazine and had promised
certain changes in policy.
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, boarc
president, agreed with other mem
bers that the publications were sat
isfactory texts but asked boare
members to study them carefully
before taking action at the next
meeting.
Report on School Crowding.
A report by DR.. Corning on steps
being taken to relieve crowded con.
ditions in all colored schools, anG
the Browne Junior High School ir
particular, as accepted over protest!
Of two colored board members.
Mrs. Velma Williams refused tx
vote, saying she feels the report doe.
not offer any solution, although the
superintendent is doing all he can.