Evening star., 1948-08-16
Speed in Residential Streets

Speed in Residential Streets
To the Editor of The Star:
have little girl. To me she is a very dear
little girl. Tuesday evening she was playing
on the sidewalk across the street from her
home. She often plays there. She knows she
is not to cross the street alone. Instead, she is
to call me and I will come to get her. Once
in a great while, though, she forgets. Big
folks forget, too, sometimes.
Tuesday evening, maybe Mr.. Driver forgot
that there is reason for limited speed in
residential section. He came down our street
at 8:05 pm. at q speed far in excess of the
limit imposed. Bystanders estimated the speed
at between As and so miles an hour.
What would Mr.. Driver have done had my
little girl forgotten at the same time? Could
he have stopped? Could he have avoided her?
Neither sorrow nor remorse could have re-
turned her.
Please remember, Mr.. Driver, only a few Sec
onds are saved by excessive speeds on city
streets and in those same few seconds life
may be endangered. G. s. M.
Education and Miss Bentley"
To the Editor OF The Star:
In re "Educstion and Miss Bentley" your
editorial OF August 10: As public school
teacher, am astonished to learn of ones
having completed public school and college
education without some basic training in civics
and /or American history
do not know when Miss Bentley completed
her high school education, but do know that
before finished mine in 1922, American His
tory was required course in the D. c. public
schools I attended.
As rich as our American heritage is-with
our victories for liberties, both civil and reli-
gious-there is question in my mind as to
whether highly trained person gets clearer
picture of American democracy as it is prac-
ticed than he receives from a textbook where
he learns the ideals Of American democracy
SO beautifully set forth in our Constitution and
Bill OF Rights, ideals for which America is still
striving. There is some doubt in my mind as
to whether the flaw lies in our educational
system or whether it lies in the experiences
many dutlful American citizens share daily;
Tor when one sees Negro graduates of our
finest institutions, including Harvard and Vas
sar, who cannot sing in Constitution Hail here
= in the Nations Capital, who cannot enjoy
certain type of cultural entertainment offered
by the National Theater, who cannot sit down
and be served in restaurants located in public
parks one SCOTS at the type of democracy
America practices. Today $4,000 900 Negroes
are challenging America to live up to the
pursuit OF happiness guarantee, liberty and
justice for all" and the fine ideals that, ac-
cording to our Constitution and Bill of Rights
America should practice.
Many white Americans are farseeing enough
to put democracy into practice. as witnessed
by the long line of Negro voters in South
Carolina.
We are hoping to see the day when man
agements will bar persons who are ill-man-
nered, dirty Intoxicated, or in some other way
Objectionable, but not persons who are of dif-
ferent races and/or religions.
ELAINE J. DEAN.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Me too! Let me add vigorous me tool"
to your editorial advice for more adequate his
tory and civics programs in high schools and
colleges. F...'' '.'-
Your criticism is mid, suggesting that our
crop Of woody minded theological illit-
crates" might have been diminished by appro-
pirate instruction in American history and Gov
ernment. Sure, it would! Let's prove it by
trying the experiment. Many of us engaged
in classroom work in history and related fields
have long Wondered why the public waits for
Red scares and infiltration of colectivistic dog
levels.
With a humanized program and suitable
reading materials, students find in history
stories OF adventure, romance, the courageous
examination of social phenomena and the rec
ord of material achievement; fascinating thrills
for everybody. Here we meet with wild adven-
ture itself personifled in superman Sam
Houston, for instance, or in the willy Crazy
Horse on the plains with the Oglallas On
the higher levels who could wish for a more
diverting experience than to examine human
affairs through the penetrating intellect Of
Henry Adams? Or look down on the passing
scene from Olympian heights with Marshall
and Holmes? American history: A magnificent
continued story! All through its tremendous
dramatic scenes moves the central theme, the
American dream of equality, of opportunity for
all, the story Of the journey Of the common
man over the toilsome road of progress ever
towards better and more satisfying existence.
Me too, again! I want in on some of the
wondrous prosperity runaors of which currently
are going around. So do several hundred
thousand other teachers.
I suspect the chances Of obtaining highly
skilled, artistic, scholarly teaching service, for
all fields and all levels, would be improved If
returns were more attractive. Poor pay at
tracts poor talent. The vitality important job
OF transmitting the American heritage cannot
be left to f1fth-rate talent, If We to survive
the strife of the modern age. The Congress
can appropriate adequate funds for teaching
service In this city. It ought to do just that.
1t can find dollars by the millions for other
purposes not more worthy. Teaching personnel
in the District are not interested in sympa-
thetic expressions Of sweet charity. They would
like to have fair pay for hard work The
average annual take-home pay of 81, 100, for
1919, is not enough. EBER JEFFERY,
President, High School Teachers Association
Religion in the South
To the Editor of The Star: