Evening star., 1951-02-08
House Group Files
To Be Factor Only
In Doubtful Cases
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

q P044Ny IAllO N&OSA AlOb VAlS
mere appearance of a persons
name in the House Un-Americar
Activities Committee files a rea-
son for being banned.
The policy was adopted yester-
day at a lengthy but relatively
calm meeting on the recon-
mendation of School Supt. Ho-
bart M. Corning.
In another major policy deci-
sion the school board voted tt
meet only once a month during
the rest of this school year as ar
experiment. If business goe.
along fine the board will discon.
tinue permanently its long-t timt
practice of meeting twice a month
DR.. Corning entered the boarc
meeting still smarting from crit.
icism of the clearance policy. Hi:
critics have been hoy ling at the
undemocratic implications of the
Corning blacklist" since it was
revealed that Pearl S. Buck
writer who won the Nobel and
Pulitzer prizes, and Marquis
Childs. Washington columnist
were among a number of persons
banned from appearing in the
schools as speakers.
Two-Phase Policy.
DR.. Corning's new clearance
system, now a School Board
policy, is in two sections.
Concerning speakers who will
appear before the students, the
policy now calls for approval on
the combined judgment" of the
school principal, an assistant
school superintendent and DR.
Corning. The principals shall sub
nit the names of all prospective
speakers to DR.. Corning, certify
ing they are suitable.
The final decision shall be
reached by the committee OF
three after consulting all facts
available The House committee
files will be consulted "only il
there is uncertainty or doubt
about all individual"
These names will not be sub.
mitted to the Board of Educa.
tion. But, they must be cleared
before the person is approached.
In the case of speakers to ap.
pear before the teachers as part
of the in-service training program
they will be selected on the basi:
Of the combined Judgment of DR.
Corning and other school officials
concerned. The records of the
House committee will be consulted
and considered "only in relation
to all other findings"
Traces History of Practice.
Recommendations for these
speakers, because they are paid
out .of school funds, will be
brought to the Boards Personnel
Committee in executive session.
DR.. Corning reviewed the his
tory Of the clearance policy, stat
ing it had it's beginning in 1947
when a RusSian-born woman
spoke at Western High School ano
caused a walkout of four students
who thought she was too favor
able to the Soviet.
Since that time, all principals
have been clearing speakers with
Dr.. Corning. Later, when speakers
had to be obtained for the in
service training program fol
teachers, the House Un-Americar
Activities Committee files came
into the picture. g
DR.. Corning said he had beer
required, "by the insistence oi
board members" to obtain from
the committee report in writing
Since this process of checking
was required for outside speaker
before adult groups" DR.. Cornins
declared, "it seemed even more
important to. check with equa
diligence proposed outside speak
ers before student groups"
Records Not Evaluated.
DIR. Corning also said he did mo-
realize until recently that the re-
ports from the House Un-Ameri.
can Activities Committee are me.
chanical," that the committee II
no case clears the material ane
that the citations may or may not
be significant.
"Since the records are not eval-
uated and since they are mechan.
ical and may lack significance, any
action based entirely upon them
is subject to serious question:" he
told board members.
After DR.. Corning had made
his recommendations, the schoo
members revealed they were con-
cerned about what they con.
sidered unfair criticism of them.
selves.
Albert E. Steinem declared
"Any criticism that has been car.
ried to the board is not right"
"The criticism has been of tht
superintendent of schools, not tht
board" DR.. Corning stated.
"It's been of the board, def
nitely," Adelbert w. Lee, boare
vice president, put in.
Cannon Backs Corning.
And DR.. James A. Cannon said
1.-The criticism has been of DR.
Corning and unfairly so. Ever!
meeting he is asked by member
of the board if he has cleared thu
proposed speakers. And the boare
tacitly has agreed on the mat.
ter"
1--WE never heard of names be-
ing brought in here of speakers al
the schools" Mr.. Steinem de.
clared. 1T has been purely ar
administrative action"
DR.. Corning hastily agreed. "I've
never brought the names of speak
ers to appear before the students
in the schools. I hope I never
have to-"