Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-07
Thomson AssaiIed
On Textbook Probe

In Arlington
Voice Protests
Three Arlington legislators
today sharply criticized the
controversial Thomson Racial
Activities Committee for its IN
quiry into local school text
books.
The committee has asked
principals Of all secondary
schools in the four nearby Vir-
GINA communities for lists OF
textbooks used
DELEGATE Harrison Mann tod
the committee bluntlv to stay
out Of Animation schools.
IN 1886. Mr. Mann headed a
subcommittee Vrica reused
legisla ION ESTABLISHING the
Thomson group as part Of the
package OF so-cslled anti
NAACP' bills at the special
session Of the Virginia General
Assembly
Letter Quoted
In letter to Mr. Thomson,
Mr. Mann said
Our School Board is we'll
qualified to conslde the matter
Of Arlington curriculum and
library books r any citizen
has criticism Of such books,
the proper place to take mat
criticism IS the School Boa d.
If they a.e dissatisfied with
curriculum then they may ap-
peal TO the State Board OF Edu-
cation or may come 10 their
representatives Of the General
Assembly.
4 am protesting the exceed
ing OF authority ov your COM
m.ttee to the Spear ana 70
the Lieutenant Governor. II
necessary l am prepared 70
take further action 70 step un-
authorized and unwaryanted
action Of your committee
Delegate William l Winston
said that the committee has
gone beyond the scope Of its
authority The legislature spe-
officially excluded TINS type OF
.nQu.rv from the committee
Provision Eliminated
Nj Winston explained that
the original bill setung up the
Thomson committee provided
for AT investigation Of the
school system However this
authority, he SAID vas ellml-
mated from the bill N commit
tee
Mr. Winston said he voted
for the bill after The committee
had eliminated the provisions
for a probe Of the schools
Ms Kathryn Stone SAD that
the Thomson committee # II
wanted 10 check on text books,
should have directed its atten-
ton 10 the State Board OF Edu-
cation $ methods for certifying
the text books. In this way. she
saiG. the committee would have
gotten TO the source
Ms. Stone voted against the
legl station setting up the Ihom-
son committee. ard also on
posed the other so-called anti
NAACP bills
Il vas rot clear what the
commlttee-ne8QeG D. A,eXan-
dria DELEGATE James NJ Thom-
Son-hoped to accomplish by
the inquiry
In Arlington. School Board
Chairman James G Stockald
SAID he was Shocked and sun
p,iSed" by the committee : ac-
ton
Mr.. Stockagd said School
Superintendent 7 Edward
Rutter has soften IN touch With
the boards attorney. James H.
SimmondS. or the question OF
the committee function as II
relates to the school
The letters went out last
week to the principals Of the
Junior and senior high schools
in Arlington. Fairfax AleNan-
drla and Falls Church The
Thomson committee asked for
the names. authors. editions
and publishers OF textbooks IN
the basic subjects.
Counsel Declined Explanation
Asked why the committee hss
turned is attention 10 the local
schools. committee counsel Les
lie Hall replied that the lnNes-
tigatorS luSt want 70 De able
to report II there Is snythlng IN
the textbooks that bears on
the committee assignment
In answer to the question
now textbooks would Tie u with
the Scoue OF the committee 5
work Nj Hal replied that
TINS information WOULD have to
come from Chairman Thorn
son
The committee counsel was
asked wha, authority the myeS-
ugatorS had 10 lequeSt the text
book data Nj Hall replied
that he thought this was COW
cred bv the committee power
to investigate the effect OF M
teglation or the threat Of lnte-
grafton on public schools OF the
general welfare
Agent Visiting Libraries
MI. Hall also reported that
an agent of the committee has
been VISITING schools IN The
nearby Virginia area to take a
LOOK at the library shelves He
identified the investigator as
Mrs Louise X Parent ot
Washington a former school
teacher ana a resident Of Nc
Lean, Va