Evening star., 1951-06-13
School Officials
Draft Reyiisiions
For Text Book
Rep. Miller Agrees
With Lee on Slant
Toward Socialism
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

By Colt Hendley, Jr.
School officials have drawn up
suggested revisions of textbook,
approved by the Board of Edu-
cation over objections by Adelbert
w. Lee, board vice president, that
the text is slanted toward So
cialism.
The book, American Govern
ment." by Frank Abbott Ma
gruder. was subject of another
blast yesterday in personal re-
port sent to the House District
Committee by Representative
Miller, Republican, of Nebraska.
DR.. Miller is a member of the
House District subcommittee that
held secret hearings on the text
book controversy last month.
DR.. Miller specified his report
was not the official report of the
subcommittee, which is headed by
Representative Morrison, Demo-
crat, of Louisiana.
In his report, DR.. Miller agreed
with Mr.. Lee that the book is
"slanted toward socialism"
No startling" Changes.
Norman j. Nelson, first as
sistant, superintendent of schools,
said about a dozen changes to
the Magruder text are being stud
led for forwarding to the pub
fishers of the book.
None of them is particularly
startling" he added.
Mr.. Nelson said the suggestions
for revisions were drawn up after
the secret subcommittee hearing
last month. He said some of the
changes to be suggested to the
publishers involve giving a better
balance to several questions dis
cusSed in the book. In one case,
the changes involve the deletion
of a discussion of tax problem
which is beyond the senior high
school level"
I'VE expect to do more of this
In the future" Mr.. Nelson ex-
planned. when we find things
in the texts that we feel can be
improved, we will make sugges-
tions to the publishers.
Some Objections in All.
School Supt. Hobart M. Corning
elaborated by saying. There is
no perfect textbook. We find
might something Objectionable I'M
any book we pick up."
He explained that the objectionsI
would not necessarily mean that
the book was socialistic or COM
munistic. but "unteachable." In
such cases, he added, suggestions
to the publishers could improve
them eventually.
I'VE have said it is our RESPONSE
bility If any parts of a text are
not good, we should notify the
publishers. DR.. Corning said.
In releasing his report yester-
day, DR.. Miller said, This is my
report on the textbook situation
IN the District" He added:
IT sent 1t to Mr.. Morrison's Of
fice on June 4. had hoped to
have some word from him on his
acceptance. I understand he will
not be back in town until June 1s.
He has had ample opportunity to
review the report but am not in
a position to say whether 1t cor
responds with his views"
Instituted Inquiry.
1t was DR.. Miller who instituted
the House District Committee
probe into the textbook contro-
versy, after Mr.. Lee failed to get
the Board of Education to sup
port him in ban of the book.
Mr.. Lee started the whole thing
some months back by charging
that a number of textbooks in the
schools were slanted toward So
eialism and not fit to be used in
the school system. In all, five
books were mentioned by Mr.. Lee,
but the main criticism centered onl,
the Magruder text.
DR.. Miller declared American
Government" was the principal
book examined by the subcommit-
tee. DR.. Corning. Mr.. Lee and
MIR. Nelson were among the wit
nesses called to testify.
"Tf dnav coora fhof 1Eaor.lz-l
American Government attempts
10 spread arguments Slanted to-
ward socialism" he said.
ut present a considerable de-
parture from the usual thinking
on our American traditions. It
seems that quotations cited previ-
osuly are propaganda and hostile
to the American way of life. There
B a subtle and determined effort
10 spread a good measure of So
cialism. in different forms,
throughout the book"
Several Revisions Suggested.
Dr.. Miller said that, during the ,
hearing, Mr.. Nelson told subcom-
mittee members he felt several
statements in the Magruder text
should come in for revision" 1
Another complaint that DR.. Mil
Ter brought before the subcom-
mittee was that unrevised copies
of Building Citizenship" by R. o.
Hughes, were still used in the sys-
tenn. Three years ago DR.. Miller
headed subcommittee that in
vestigated similar charges leveled
by Mr.. Lee against this text. The
publishers made revisions at the
subcommittee's suggestion.
DIR. Miller said DR.. Corning
testified the books were replaced
gradually to the point where only
about 80 per cent of the unre-
vised editions are now being used
These will be eliminated this year
DR.. Miller said DR.. Corning re-
ported.
MIR. Lee said he was gratified
that DIR. Miller had summarized his