Evening star., 1951-04-06
Miller 10 Push Probe
OF School textbooks
Attacked by Lee

/ Il H .
Representative Miller, Repub-
|lican. Of Nebraska, said today he
planned to push for an immediate
investigation of text books used
in the District public school sys-|
tenn.
DIR. Miller declared he was in
favor of questioning School Supt.
Hobart M. Corning and other
school officials under oath and
i'm closed session" in an attempt
Ito get to the bottom Of the con-
troversy which the Board Of Edu-
cation attempted to close on
Wednesday.
The School Board at that time
backed DR.. Corning in his con-
tention that books criticized by
Adelbert w. Lee. board vice presi-
dent, were not slanted toward
socialism or subversive. Mr.. Lee
was the only board member voting
to ban three texts he had ques-
toned.
Conferred With Lee.
DR.. Miller made his statements
after q conference with G. Melvin
Sharpe. board president. and Mr..
Lee.
Chairman Mcmillan OF the
House District Committee already
has authorized the subcommittee
on health, education and recrea-
ton to take up the matter. How
ever, the matter is still up in the
air to some extent and that is
what DR.. Miller wants to settle
today.
Representative Abernethy, Dem
ocrat, of Mississippi is chairman
of the subcommittee. But he said
he was so busy with two other
subcommittee Of the House Agri-
culture Committee that he might
not have the time to handle the
textbook investigation.
To Ask Definite Time.
Mr.. Mcmillan said If that was
the case, he would ask Repre-
sentative Morrison, Democrat, Of
Louisiana to serve as head Of the
unit to quiz the school officials on
the books.
DR.. Miller said he planned to|
confer with Mr.. Morrison and see
if a definite time could be set for
the first hearing. Whether it
would be open or closed would
depend on the subcommittee, he
added.
He said he favored executive
sessions and then possibly open
sessions If the matter was not
settled satisfactorily.
I'VE are not going on a witch
hunt" DIR. Miller declared. But
we want to keep every one on their
toes"
It was DR.. Miller who headed q
similar inquiry into a textbook.
Building Citizenship. by Hughes.
in 1948. The Board Of Education
in that incident also had backed
DR.. Corning in clearing the text,
with Mr.. Lee the only yobjector.
After the hearings the author
agreed to make changes and the
revise dedition was approved for.
school use.
5 Social Science Books. Banned. ]
Another result Of that hearing
was that five social science books
were removed from the schools.
DR.. Corning said the books have.
not been in use here since that
time.
The texts now In dispute are
American Government. by Frank
Abbott Magruder: Roots OF Po-I
litical Behavior" by Richard CARL
ton Snyder and II. Hubert VIII
son, and Workers atSHome and
Away" by Alta McIntire and VIII
helmina Hill.
Building Citizenship" appar-
emily is in dispute again also. At
Wednesdays Board Of Education
meeting, MFR. Lee charged that he
knew that the unrevised edition
was in use in some schools.
Mr.. Miller also said he had "per-
sonal knowledge" that this was so.
He said he plal1hed to quiz several
teachers who would confirm this
fact.
Concerning the text. American
Government" Mr.. Miller said a
number of school systems in diff
ferent parts of the country have
banned it. He added:
1--WE should have no books in
use in our schools that are under
suspicion"
Ship Salvage Plan
r Al ell A-.la