Evening star., 1948-09-11
PuIIen Demands
ProofofSchoo|
Charge by Miles
Says Critic Must Back
Under Oath Statement
That Books Are Red

14oAlh11l i muEo, UlIUST CT1UlC OF
the Montgomery County Board OF
Education, may be required to SUBJ
stantiate under oath recent state
ments concerning the use of Com
munist textbooks in the Montgom-
cry public schools.
He was so notified publicly last
night by Dr. Thomas G.. Pullen,
superintendent of the Maryland
schools, who has been instructed by
Gov. Lane to investigate Mr.. Miles
charges.
Appearing in Bethesda as prin-
cipal participant in forum on
Montgomery school problems, DR..
Pullen bluntly told Mr.. Miles that
he expected full proof of the charges
presented to the Montgomery Coun-
ty Commissioners and forwarded to
Gov. Lane.
Il want you to be sure to under
stand the seriousness of these
charges" the State official said,
because you will be required under
oath to substantiate them"
Instructed by Governor.
Mr.. Miles, a Bethesda lawyer, has
accused the Board of Education of
authorizing the use of Communist
textbooks in the schools.
In a question -and-answer period
at the forum, Mr. Miles disclosed he
had called on Gov. Lane to act upon
his charges and he demanded of
DR.. Pullen what the State school
authorities intended to do about
them.
Obviously prepared on this point,
DR.. Pullen replied that he had just
been instructed by the Governor to
investigate the charges. He prom
ised Mr.. Miles a frank answer to
the question but said that to give
the answer, he would first need to
know whether the lawyer believed
there could be ANY subversive
teaching without there being sub
versive thinking" on the part of the
Board of Education.
Reply Described as Unclear.
Mr.. Miles reply was described as
unclear by the State school chief
ard he called for a restatement.
After an exchange, Dr.. Pullen said
he understood Mr. Miles to be ac-
cusing the board members OF
carelessness constituting subversive"
thinking
MIR. Miles later told a reporter
specifically:
Il charge the Board of Education
with carelessness and negligence in
approving subversive books to the
extent it constitutes subversive &C
ton on their part"
DR.. Pullen said after the meeting
he wanted the charges proved or
withdrawn. AS head of the State
school system he is charged with
the responsibility of removing school
board members for cause, with con-
sent of the Governor.
Stine Present.
Among those who heard the dis
cussion last night was H. Stanley
Stine of Silver Spring, president of
the Montgomery County Board of
Education. Mr.. Stine was another
member of the forum panel ar
ranged by w. Prescott Allen, pub
Usher of the Bethesda Chevy Chase
Tribune.
E. M. Douglass, assistant super
intendent of schools, told the audi
ence of approximately 500 that i'm
provements had been made in coun-
ty school curricula as the result Of
recent workshops" but he said the
high school courses still need more
variety.
He said educators in Montgom-
cry, as elsewhere, are constantly
striving to find curricula within the
ability range of pupils, yet worth
while and challenging. He assert
ed. in reply to critics, that gradu-
ates of Montgomery schools stand
well above the average for the
country
The other speakers included Irv-
ing G. McNayr, county supervisor;
Nathan r. Gilbert. president Of the
county Parent-Teacher Council;
Brooks Johns, president Of the
Board of County Commissioners,
and State Senator Roy Tascoe
Davis.