The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1952-01-03
HORSE SENSE!

M as was TO be eX-
xApected, there are, strangely
enough, some people who hit the
roof at the thought of opening pub
lie school sessions with a prayer.
and a salute to the flag, the re-
Spouse of millions to the suggestion
is an amazed why all the de1ay?"
When we were a kid every session
back home was begun with a pray
er and MY Country 'Ts of Thee"
There was almost every race, col
or and creed in the neighborhood.
Mothers and fathers seemed wholly
unafraid it would do the small fry
any harm to show devotion to a
Supreme Being and to America.
And the need wasn't what it is IN
these days of corruption, crime
lax morals and ratty behavior.
Imagine a fuss being made
over letting God into the
schools at q time when all the
agencies In modern life which
glamorize loose conduct, GRIM
inality and contempt for stand
ards of human behavior are
q wholly unhampered! Little VIII
. lie spends the early evening at
; a mobster movie, watching a
yfdeo throat-slitting, or listen
ing to a radio sex crime. At
the breakfast table he hears
nom and pop discuss a Holly
wood fen-day marriage, the
latest gang-slayings, red-hot
revelations of bribery in top
places, stickups, assaults, bank
~defaIcations and scandals In
police departments and anna
teur sports. On the way to
3 school he may find a new
school-bus driver, due to the
fact the old one got shot in a
restaurant robbery.
The school bus carries him past
movie houses with huge signs blat-
antly advertising the latest crime
movie picture with such screaming
lines as Should He Have Killed To
Keep Her Lover" and .sWas The
Garroting The Only Way to Happi-
ness?" At one crossing the bus is
held up by a collision between
autos driven by two DRINKS who
are yelling. "Gwan va bum!" and
"Call a cop and see If I care"
The tie-up is finally broken to let
a Black Maria full of mobsters
get to court on time for fresh pro-
baton sentences. II
Arriving in the schoolyard, the
kid hears that Johnny Whoziss,
one of his playmates, won't be at
school today because he was ar
rested for vandalism, and that the
, father of "Stinky'' Smith threw
.'Stinky's" mother off the roof the
night before after a wild house
party. When he gets into the school
room the regular teacher is miss
ing. He finds a substitute who ex-
plains that the other n was run
over by a hit-and-run driver flee
ing from a police car.
Everybody gets into the act
except God and country. Yet
when it is suggested that it
might be a good thing if we
returned to the fundamental
belief and dependence Of the
founding fathers on faith there
are people who hit the ceiling!
Their cry that to open a school
session with a prayer to a SUI u
preme Being violates a c0nsti-
tutional clause against "teach-
ing religion in the public
sch0ols'' is like holding that
asking the kids to sing ''The
Star-Spargled Banner" teaches
music. Or claiming that when
teacher accepts a red apple
frem a pupil she is teaching
cider production.
.>,
No kid has ever been harmed by
a prayer, even by one in the
other fellows faith. The trouble
with the prayer recommended by
the Board of Regents in New York
is thati'it is ice cold, too greatly
tailored and far too casual. Nothing
in the line of evil Influence is be-
ing shortened these days. Let God
into the schoolrooms. The kids
might even bring Him home to the
adults.
Senator Estes Kefauver, asked
If his hat is in the ring. said. ST
am not seeking the nomination. On
the other hand, I am not running
away from it." Why, Estes! Aren't
you the man who always demands
a yes or no answer?
Roger L. Putnam, of Spring
field, Mass, is in Eric Johnston's
job as economic stabilizer. There
was a famous Putnam in wartime
history who rode a horse down a
steep flight of stone steps dashing
into action. In the job taken by
Roger the horse rides the man. And
the steps are spiral.
i.Phi Beta Kappa IT'S Years Old"
headline. This is a key" point,
of course. in its career.