Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-15
Mckay Sees Schools
Continuing 10 Meet
Challenges Of Times
BY the Associated Press


ATLANTIC CITY, Feb. is
Secretary Of the Interior Mckay
expressed confidence today that
Americas teachers will have
courage to resist what he des-
cribed as pressures of the times
cynicism. false prophecies and
demagoguery.
ut is not enough to know and
appreciate our American way of
life" Mr.. Mckay said in a speech
before the American Association
of School Administrators.
Society is Threatened.
1--WE must examine and ap-
praise our way of life against
the background of a world that
is ceaselessly changing and. in
changing, threatening the foun-
dations of our society.
I'm this appraisal the leaders
of our educational system must
be prepared to encounter OPP
position. But if we are to be
prepared to meet the challeng-
es of today, we must know and
understand the dangers that we
face.
"As President Eisenhower has
said, We must in these times be
intelligently alert not only to
the fanatic cunning of Com
munist conspiracy. but also to
the grave dangers in meeting
fanaticism with ignorance
Are we prepared to press a
positive attack on the problem?
Confident in Education.
II am sure that American
education will continue to choose
this course, despite the difficult
ties that it will entail.
1.-THE schools of America have
profound responsibility to in
culcate the basic truths which
have formed the keystone of the
American system of living.
"We are living in a period of
cyniclsm. We are bombarded by
false prophecies. Demagoguery
is used increasingly in an effort
to distort our purest ideals.
II am certain that in their
selfless dedication to the ideals
of their profession the teachers
OF this Nation will have the
courage to resist these pres
Sures."
Urges Freedom of Inquiry.
Benjamin C. Willis, general
superintendent of schools at
Chicago, followed Mr.. Mckay
with a plea for freedom of in
quiry in the Nations public
schools.
1.-The American public and
American educators >. are now
agreed that a member of the
Communist Party has no more
right to hold a position in our
schools than would-be assassin
has to hold a job in the White
House." Mr.. Willis said.
Graduating Communists from
our schools, however, must be
sharply distinguished from in
curing into the nature of the
Communist state. Just as med
ical students study cancer in
order to learn how to deal with
it, so must pupils and teachers
be free to examine communism
in a clinical fashion, to under
stand its detectives and how it
operates and to see through its
propaganda claims.
This is essential to combat
ting it effectively"
Myrna 10y speaks.
Myrna 10y, former movie star,
addressed the convention last
night and told of her efforts to
promote freedom of thought in
education and other fields.
Now a housewife living in
Washington. she is member OF
the United States National Com
mission for the United Nations
Educational. Scientific and Cul-
tural organization.
She said she trusts" Congress
soon will remove tariffs from
educational films and books ana
recordings and other educational
materials so that they can circu-
late more freely across national
boundaries"
This would be in accordance
with an. international agreement
signed in Florence, Italy, some
years ago by UNESCO nations.
The intent of the agreement is
for all countries that sign it to
take similar action regarding
-