Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-11-02

many OLHeT LliIlBS, At ichoJ
once a week during my five
minutes I read poetry ana
talked about it as I would to a
Columbia class. I think I may
be the only person who ever
read 18th Century poetry on a
network television program-a
far cry from the usual diet OF
mayhem, murder and rape.
I hoped that television view
ers would judge me on what !
did on the Garroway show and
forget my role on Twenty-One
Continued to Teach
All the time I was appearing
on television I continued to
teach at Columbia. People told
me was impractical to do so
but teaching seemed to me
much more important. ] had
always wanted to be a teacher.
and I hoped to be one when my
quiz show experience was for
gotten. I completed the re-
quirements for a Pho. last
spring, and on July II was
made an assistant professor Of
English. This was the fulfill
ment Of a lifelong desire. I
hoped that it would be possible
to slide slowly from my public
life back into the life of teach
ing and writing that ! had al
ways wanted. But things didn't
work out that way.
In August, 1858, Stempel and
others charged that some quiz
shows, including Twenty-One,
had been rugged.
News Fell Like Blow
I was at that time appearing
on the Garroway program as a
replacement for Mr.. Garroway,
who was on vacation.
The news of Stempel's
charges was like a blow. I was
horror struck. / have said ]
received many letters. Thou
sands were from teachers, all
over the country. Thousands
more were from school children
and students. All expressed
their faith in me. their hope
for the future, their dedication
to knowledge and education
These letters and all they stood
for were like q vast weight.
could not bear to betray that
faith and hope. I felt that
anything that might happen
to me was preferable to betray-
ing them.
! felt that I carried the whole
burden of the honor of my pro-
fession. And so I made a
statement on the Garroway
program the next morning to
the effect that I knew of nc
improper activities on Twenty.
One and that 1 had received M
assistance. I knew that mos
people would believe me. Mos
people did. I honestly thought
I was doing the right thing
Incredibly Naive"
I was,S of course. very foolish
I was incredibly naive.
couldn't understand why Stem
pei should want to proclaim hi
own involvement. I coulC
hardly believe what he said
though I knew it must be true
from my own experience. In
sense, I was like a child wht
refuses TO admit a fact in TIT
hope that it will go away. o.
course it did not go away. anC
an investigation was begun BY
the Office of the district at
torney of New York.
I was called by Mr.. JOSEPH
Stone of that Office and inter
rogated. I denied any knowl
edge of improper activities
After my interview with MI
, Stone, I engaged a lawyer, Car
Rubino. In my folly I did no
/ even tell him the truth. I sup
posed that an attorney coul'
, defend me if he did not know
. what I had done. I appeare'
/ before the grand jury in Janu
, airy, 1859. and still denied, an
r involvement. I guess I did no
: fully understand the serious
ness of this action, but even |
I had, I am not sure I woulO
, have been physically able II
t admit what I had done.
r Before my testimony I ha
J. lunch with Freedman. He aske
Y me not to reveal the facts, sine