The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-01-05
LETTERS
;SS3llI1N
County Jail
Manteo, n. G.
January 1, 1850

Manteo, N. G.
January 1, 1850
To the Editor,
One of the main jobs of news
paper, / imagine, is to give a full
and accurate account of the news.
This newspaper has failed to do
so in my case. Not once did you
come to me to verify any state
ments made about me in your
paper. Not once did you come to
me to ask me my side of the
story. Now / would like to have
you print something of my feel
ings so that the public may have
fuller understanding of what
this is all about.
There is nothing mysterious, or
confidential or strange, about my
past. / am willing to discuss it
with anyone who wants to talk
to me like a man. The hack Ii
cense board in Washington, D. C.
is ashamed to reveal that it de-
MED me my job because am a
conscientious objector. Between
1916 and 1947 1 spent time in
prison for being a conscientious
objector. In 1947 l reapplied for
license to drive taxi. l was turn
ed down because of my conscien-
tious objector beliefs. AS result
my wife had to continue driving
taxi to support the family.
Ny wife and l have tried to
raise our children to give and to
take, to be happy, to respect 9th
er people, no matter what their
color, origin, or background, 10
love the simple things, and to ap-
preciate the wonders of the
world. All this involves a good
deal of patience, love and a de-
sire to have children grow with
character and principles. The
prosecuting attorney, whether he
intended to or not, asked ques-
tions that tended to belittle the
efforts we put into raising our
children. Naturally / considered
it insulting and dishonest. There
fore / refused to accept any fur
Their indignities from the prose
cutting attorney, and for standing
up to my honor, was cited for
contempt of court.
When a child is born a new pat
tern establishes itself Il in the
home. Into this pattern go the
efforts of love, care, training and
education. This is a natural re-
sponsibility. With the proper out
look, a harmony is created that
defies any other arrangement be-
tween child and parent. My wife
and / want to. continue that har-
mony by desire to assume the
entire responsibility of educating
our children thru these formative
years. And so we made an appli-
cation to teach our children at
home. Certain provisions of the
North Carolina law make such an
arrangement possible. In our in
quiries we were assured that per-
mission from the state educational
officials in Raleigh would be all
that was needed. Mr.. Clyde Err
win, State Superintendent of Pub
lie Instruction, said no, it could
not be done, that such a request
is left to the discretion. of the
state. 1t seems then that the state
has no discretion since it feels it
is more discreet to arrest a man
for wanting to do his best by his
children than to bless and encour-
age the bond of love and learn
ing between parents and children.
God is higher than the state and
a child is the product of God. A
parent is closer to his child than
the state can ever be. In a spiri-
tual way then, the parent has a
better right to educate and guide
his child than the state. My wife
and l are capable, therefore we
are asking for the right to teach
our children.
Frank J. De Febio