The Sidney herald., 1963-04-17
Teachers Saw
The Editor
Goofed
To The Editor.

AD44 IL q OAI IL OlllG I1oI l.
the Sidney Herald of April 3rd
you devoted several columns
to the fine job one of our public
school teachers is doing in
teaching American History and
in another short paragraph,
Cbut large type) you intimate
that the teachers of Montana
are unable to teach American
ism?
One of the precious freedoms
of our country is Freedom of
the Press. This freedom does
not give license to misquote,
misinterpret and take out of
context the words of Miss Mil
Ter to the detriment of the
teaching profession.
Miss Miller did not even i'm
ply that the teachers of Mon
tana were unequipped to teach
AmericaniSm. Miss Miller's
speech lost a great deal in the
translation 50 in fairness to
Miss Miller and the teachers
of Montana we are asking that
you print the enclosed excerpt
from Miss Miller's speech to
the Sidney Montana Education
Association.
James Wood,
President, S.M.E.A.
Elizabeth Little,
President-elect, SMEA
April IL, 1863
Excerpt from March 18, 1868,
speech by Miss Harriet Miller,
State Superintendent of Public
Instruction, to the S.M.E.A.
banquet, Sidney, Montana:
Now briefly, I would like TO
comment on several pieces Of
legislation which did not pass,
but which I believe warrant
mentioning.
House Joint Resolution No.
5, which was also killed in the
Education Committee, would
have required that we have a
course in Americanism VS..
Communism from junior high
school through college.
1t might be of interest to you
to know that over a period of
several months l have met
with a number of members of
the American Legion to discuss
the problems involved in estab-
fishing this type of instruction.
You are probably all familiar
with the publication, Teach
ing About Communism,
which was developed by the
Joint committee of the National
Education Association and the
American Legion.
1 believe we all recognize
the fact that few of our teach
ers have received the type Oh
instruction that would make
it possible for them to handle
the subject of Communism and
or other totalitarian ideologies
without special training or as
siStance. Many of our teachers
graduated at a time when we
did not feel that instruction
about Communism should be
given in our schools. Thus
many do not have a background
to draw upon in teaching about
totalitarian philosophers.
I believe if we are to have
such a requirement at the state
level it is absolutely Essential
that course material be develop.
ed. There is much to draw up.
on, but many of our teacher.
would require assistance in de
velOping a course about Com
munism. Such assistance shoulC
come from special conference
such as we have had in thu
field Of science and mathema
tics and from the development
of course guide material sucl
as we have done in other fields
Anything less could be extre
mely dangerous to our children
and our schools. I hope that i
this matter comes up again TO
legislative consideration tina
provision will be made for tn
development of appropriat
course materials and for in-ser
vice training programs.
Much has been done and j
being done to strengthen in
struction in American Histor
and Government. Our neN
course guides in American His
tory and Government will b
available to the schools thi
fall in tentative form.
Several school systems hav
developed comparative govern
ment courses which are out
standing. I would mention i
particular the program of Dan
ny Radakovich at Glasgow.
Ill