Evening star., 1949-07-17

(The Educational Policies Commission
OF the National Education Association
recently issued a report. "American Edu-
cation and Internal Tensions" on the Job
Dhich the schools OF the United States
must do in helping to ,Din the cold ,Ddr.
Ttoenty of the Nations top educators,
including President Dpight d. Eisenhower
OF Columbia University and President
James Bryant Conant of Haruard Uniuer-
sity, serDed on the commission. The fol-
lo,Dino excerpt is reprinted from the report
1Dith the permission of the con1mission.)
How will continuing international tensions,
involving both theological conflict now and
the threat of armed conflict in the future,
affect American schools?
If the schools develop programs that con-
tribute to the Nations needs in this time Of
crisis, and If they can convince the public
that these contributions are useful, then edu-
cation can command the support 1t will de-
serve as an instrument Of national policy.
The national interest requires that educators
take a candid view of the world about them
and shape school programs to help discharge
the obligations which that diSordered world
presents.
This does not mean that the schools must
abandon their traditional purposes The
schools responsibilities for transmitting the
social heritage. for building in children and
youth the skills, attitudes and appreciative
capacities requisite for effective and satisfy
ing living will continue. But other RESPONSE
bilities, deriving from the hard fact that
continuing international tensions and the
threat Of war place all our traditional values
in jeopardy, must also be assumed.
To Strengthen National Loyalties.
The schools OF the United States will GER
tainly be expected and required to continue
their work in developing strong national
loyalties. Their task, however may reach be-
yond present typical practice to include
more penetrating understanding of the ele-
the greatest devotion, of the qualities of our
national greatness that are most worthy to
be admired and fostered. and of the histo-
rical background and reasonable national as
pirations of other peoples.
To develop the kind of patriotism that is
true to the best ideals of America is major
educational task. The schools must act upon
q reasoned conviction that patriotic citizen
ship involves responsible action with respect
to the international duties and commitments
of the people of the United States.
With the prospect of continuing theological
conflict before us, the main lines of strategy
for American education seem clear.
/. Young citizens should have an oppor-
tunity to learn about the principles and
practices of totalitarianism. including those
represented by the Soviet Union and by the
Communist Party in the United States.
Study of such topics should be accurate
and objective. and should make use OF basic
official documents. These studies should
increase civic intelligence with reference to
fascistic and other tyrannical governments
come to power? Why do some people in all
parts of the world embrace Communist ide-
ology? How do dictators manage to gain and
hold political power in other countries? How
does the Communist Party of the United
States operate?
+ 2. Teaching about communism or any