Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-06
An Ad Is Answered

All fAO - hAuSWGsSO
I wish it to appear in the public
record that disagree in general prin-
ciple and also In almost all details with
the Miller Welding Supply Co. adver-
tiSement on Elementary School Edu-
cation" which appeared in The Star on
March 2.
Samuel EngIe Burr, Jr.,
Chairman, Department of Educa-
ton, American University
After reading Mr.. Miller's advertise
ment, I am glad never attended q
school system where relying upon my
elders for guidance and authority I
picked up my little graduated speller
and having orally spelled and pro-
nounced the word. sat UP in my seat.
holding the paper with my other hand,
and wrote legibly, "chauvenistic" (sic)
The school attended did not indoc-
trinate me in socialism. but it did man.
age to teach me how to spell chau-
vinism while at the same time encour-
aged me to be less chauviniStic.
think the best answer to Mr.. Miller's
views was the story on the first page
of the same section of The Star describ-
ing the awards made to talented young
people in high school for independent
work in science Three of the young
sters. including the winner of the first
prize, were from the same high school
in the Maryland suburbs. school which
makes use of many of the practices
mathematical by Mr.. Miller.
Harrison SaSscer.
After looking over B. M. Mil!er's full
page ad. the only short description OF
it that can think of is total stupid
ity." You could mix his columns UP in
any order. and have just as much logic
to his conclusions, which is none at
all.
Carrel /. Tod.
The obvious and exaggerated bias Of
the B. M. Miller advertisement is well
illustrated by one or two examples. In
advocating the traditional" education.
1t is suggested that textbooks have 81. d.
a degree of nationalistic bias" That
Is exactly what the textbooks in Russia
have now! Another advantage" Of the
traditional" system is that the teach
err is an authoritarian Who wants
to live among people trained by authori-
tarians and what country is now the
best example Of this type of develop
ment?
O. M. Ray.
The full-page ad published in the
public interest" by B. NJ. Miller at first
made me curious, then amazed, then
auo,,Sed and fnaIlv anualled
I became appalled, when it dawned
on me how cleverly this piece Of propa-
ganda is put together. The first five
columns are factual and fairly objec-
tive. except that the column stating
the aims of progressive education is
headed "Purported Aims" and the list
ings underneath are in quotes. The
sixth column, headed Real Aims" is
a tumble of distortions. personal opin-
ions. and plain misstatements: but,
after five columns of facts, it is easy
to assume that the sixth column is also
factual. The clear implication in this
column is that any one who favors pro-
gressise education also favors social
ism OF communism.
Ray Roberts.
don't have the money to buy full
page advertisement like B. M. Miller did
to trumpet his defense of traditional"
education, but that is what it would
take to reply adequately to his expen-
sive effort. If indeed it deserves to be
dignif1ed by a reply. Outside of dis
playing an entirely profound and quite
impressive ignorance of the Arlington
County School system. the advertise
ment which did not have the candor
to say that it was directed against the
Arlington School Board. was a MASTER
piece of prodigious nonsense. OF course.
it represents the point of view of the
educational Eeanderthals of Arlington,
who find it quite simple. by fantastic
gyrations of logic. to equate the Airing
ton school program with disloyalty,
"one- wor!ders," subversion. sexual i'm
morality. the proletarian state, John
Dewey and above all socialism B"
Sorry to say. Mr.. Miller is not even
original. Somebody long time ago
thought up the idea Of calling anybody
or anything you don't agree with so
cialiSt." 1SadOre Perlman.
The advertisement by RED" Miller
explaining the progressive" education
some of our children have been receiv-
ing affected me as any horrible crime
story does, for it is crime. The peo-
pie perpetuating this system may be
sheep, or misguided fools. but they
also must be people of malevolent in
tent. Most certainly this must have
been the motive of those or the one
who started it.. I can only thank God
that my child has never been under this
system. However, he will have to live
and work with this generation who
has. They can be considered only as
unfortunates who have not been pre-
pared for adult life. But they will lead
adult lives, and what will they do to
this wonderful country of ours? One
awful thing is that during the last 10
years our family has contributed nearly
one thousand dollars to the ''educa-
ton" of children in this system in
Montgomery County through taxes.