more effective education with respect to the nature of Communism and its challenge to America and freedom.

Scholastic Magazines, a widely known magazine for high school students, commenced in November 1961 a series of fifteen articles on "What You Should Know about Communism and Why." It is planned that these will later be edited and printed as a text for classroom use.1

A PROGRAM OF ACTION BY THE ORGANIZED BAR

It is thus evident that the resolution of the ABA was timely, and that the organized legal profession of America can now render significant public service by acting vigorously to encourage and assist educational authorities.

Appointment of Special Committees

A first step, recommended by the ABA, is the appointment of special committees which parallel the general purpose of the ABA Special Committee. This program would receive maximum impetus if every state and local bar association were to appoint such a committee, comprised in each case of lawyers widely respected for their judgment and devotion to civic duty. (It hardly need be said that the success of this program will depend in major part upon the quality and standing of these committees.)

Such committees should first ascertain, carefully and through the appropriate educational authorities, the extent to which specific units or courses on Communism are being taught in the particular state or locality.18 As noted above, the surveys by the Library of Congress and the ABA indicate that in 1960-61 there were no such specific programs of instruction in the great majority of our states and localities.

Educational Authorities Welcome Interest

Based on experience to date, the educational authorities will usually welcome the interest and cooperation of such bar committees. In most situations where appropriate action has not already been taken or initiated, the bar committees will find that the state and local school

17In announcing this series, the editors said: "America's youth must know the facts about Communism . . . [and] its challenge to the free world. But even current text books are outdated."

18The appropriate educational authorities at the state level will normally include the state superintendent of education and the state board of education. At the county and city level, these will include the superintendent of schools and the local school board. The approach by a bar committee should be tactful and in full recognition that the responsibility for action lies with the educational authorities.

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authorities are not unaware of the need. In fact, the need is now generally recognized by educators. The failure to meet it has usually resulted from doubts and misgivings by the superintendents and school boards as to how to deal with problems involved.

Specific Problems

These problems include (i) the general public unawareness of the extent of the need for instruction on Communism; (ii) in view of this unawareness, doubt in the minds of the educational authorities as to community or public acceptance of such instruction; (iii) the lack of adequately trained teachers; (iv) the belief that suitable teaching materials are not available; and (v) the already overcrowded condition of school curricula, making it appear difficult to replace even for a six weeks unit-anything presently being taught.

A bar association committee can be of significant help with most of these problems.

Public Acceptance

Public unawareness of the need for instruction in this area and the possibility of public misunderstanding are problems well within the competence of the organized bar. Action by the bar to acquaint the public with the need can take many forms. It can start with resolutions of the state and local bar associations. At the proper time, and working closely with the school authorities, there can be public testimony before the state board of education or local school board, or indeed before state or local legislative committees or bodies. Also, there can be talks before parent-teacher associations and other civic groups.

Relatively few persons, including lawyers, have the requisite knowledge in depth to speak intelligently on the subject of Communism, and bar committees should exercise care and restraint in purporting to be experts. But no such depth of knowledge is required to speak in favor of providing adequate education on the Communist movement and its contrast with freedom under law.

Forums and Institutes

An effective way to develop public support for this program is through forums and institutes at state and local bar meetings. The audiences reached would be lawyers rather than the public generally -but if such institutes are properly conducted, with speakers carefully chosen, they should stimulate lawyers to assume active roles in creating public awareness and acceptance.

An excellent example of this type of constructive bar activity was the forum conducted by the State Bar of Texas at its annual meeting in

July 1961. A half-day program was devoted to the subject of "Education for Democracy," with emphasis on the urgent need for adequate education on the history, objectives and techniques of Communism. The success of the forum was assured by the quality of its participants.19

The Special Committee of the ABA on Communist Tactics, Strategy and Objectives has inaugurated a series of institutes intended primarily to bring nationally known experts before audiences of professional and community leaders. State and local bar committees, in the areas where these institutes are held, may find them helpful in stimulating interest in providing appropriate education in the schools and colleges.

Teaching Materials

One of the more perplexing problems is the difficulty of locating suitable teaching materials. Although the standard textbooks widely used in the high school teaching of history and government contain certain information on Communism, and many of these make brief comparisons of Communism with the American system, such texts are designed for other purposes. Indeed, there is a fairly widespread belief among educational authorities that there are no textbooks now available in this area.

But there is in fact a good deal of material, including at least one book written specifically as a text.20 As set forth in the appended bibliography, there is a great wealth of literature on Communism (and the Soviet Union) by foreign and American authors, including some superior studies made by agencies and committees of the Federal Government. Film strips and moving pictures are also available.

The difficulty is that little of this great mass of material is presently in convenient form for classroom use. Much of it is excellent and some is indispensable for reference by both teachers and pupils, but there is still a need for more effective classroom material—including a condensed text designed for a unit of several weeks intensive study.

19The principal address was made by E. Dixie Beggs, representing the American Bar Association, and panel discussion members included Frank D. Stubbeman, Chairman of the Texas Bar Committee on American Citizenship, Tom Ramey, former Chairman, Texas Educational Commission, R. L. Dillard, Jr., President of the Dallas School Board, Abner McCall, President, Baylor University and Thornton Hardie, President, Board of Regents, University of Texas. 20See Colegrove, Democracy Versus Communism, Second Edition (1961), (D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., Princeton, N.J.).

Special Outlines and Materials

In view of this situation, the customary approach in preparing a unit or course on Communism is to develop an outline.21 This is primarily for the guidance of the teacher, and must be used in conjunction with selected reference material.

Although a number of school divisions have prepared such cutlines there does not appear to exist, at this time, any central pooling of information on these outlines and related materials. 22 This is essentially a function which the proper educational organizations will no doubt assume, but until materials are generally made available through educational channels the organized bar may be helpful.

The school divisions which have pioneered with units or courses on Communism are usually quite willing to share their experience with others. Requests may be made directly to the superintendent of schools in the cities above mentioned (supra pp. 7, 8) for copies of the outlines and materials used. In certain instances, the ABA may be able to assist in suggesting sources of materials. Requests may be made directly to the ABA Committee (1155 East 60th Street, Chicago 37, Illinois) for such assistance or for additional copies of this pamphlet containing the ABA bibliography.23

Teacher Training

There are two problems here, namely, (i) the in-service training of teachers already in the school systems and (ii) the training of future teachers in the social science courses offered in the "teachers' colleges." The importance of competent and thoroughly prepared teachers can hardly be over-emphasized.

Again, this is a responsibility of the educational authorities. But it is believed that state and local bar committees can be helpful. A great deal of attention is currently being devoted to the continuing education or, as it is usually called, in-service training of teachers in various subjects. Most state boards of education and local school boards now provide summer institutes for teachers as well as local programs of in-service teacher training during the school year.

21The preparation of such an outline is a task for qualified educational personnel. But committees of outstanding citizens—perhaps organized by the local bar association-can be helpful in reviewing and consulting. Approval of the outline by such a committee also promotes public acceptance.

22One of the best sources is The Institute of American Strategy, 140 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, which has reproduced in a useful booklet materials from New Bedford, Indianapolis, Boston, Chicago and the state of Pennsylvania.

23 See Appendix D. The American Bar Association Committee does not endorse any particular outline, text or reference material or teaching material. Its function, in this respect, is merely to collect and disseminate information which must be evaluated by the appropriate state and local educational authorities.

All of these afford opportunities for the inclusion of appropriate instruction of the teachers who will give the new units or courses on Communism, and state and local bar committees can encourage and promote this activity. Likewise, such committees can ask that the curriculum of the teachers' colleges be strengthened to assure that graduates in the social sciences are specifically and thoroughly prepared to teach this subject, and to contrast it with the American system of freedom under law.

Private and Parochial Schools

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The program of the ABA applies with equal urgency to the private and parochial schools throughout the country. The available evidence indicates that in general they have essentially the same needs and problems as do the public schools. While controlled and operated privately, rather than through publicly elected or appointed officials and bodies, there is every reason to believe that these schools will welcome the type of cooperation and assistance from state and local bar committees described above.

Word of Caution

It must be remembered that this is a program in education, undertaken in the national interest and in the belief that broader knowledge of the Communist conspiracy will assure its ultimate defeat. But in the implementation of this program, great care must be exercised by bar committees and educational authorities to avoid-in fact and in appearance—all implications of domestic politics. As the subject of Communism tends to evoke extreme and emotional reactions, special care must also be exercised to avoid extremist influence of both the right and left, and to refrain from branding as "pink" or "communist" differing or unpopular views.

Much of the extremism—and also the naivete so often found on this subject-stems from ignorance and lack of understanding. One of the purposes of this program is to dispel this ignorance, and to focus informed attention on the real enemy of freedom-the International Communist movement and its imminent threat to our country. This must, of course, be done with determination and conviction, but also factually and with due regard to the Bill of Rights and standards of fairness which are the hallmark of the freedom under law we seek to defend.

24Culver Military Academy, Culver, Indiana and Episcopal High School, Alexandria, Virginia are examples of preparatory schools which have specific courses. Catholic schools in particular have shown a commendable awareness and leadership in this area.