H

AVING once been school teacher, the writer was eatly interested in Frank Bohn's timely article in the April REVIEW on the Relation of Socialism to the public schools. That is a field that has been greatly neglected, nor is there a field more fertile for the inculcation of revolutionary principles and ideals than the public schools.

While in school, it is of vital importance that the children should be educated along working class lines, so that they will be prepared to enter intelligently into the class war and fight for their class, instead of becoming conceited and falsely educated lickspittles of the capitalist class.

In this humble attempt, I only hope to suggest a few ways that Socialist educators can introduce into the schools now, under present conditions, courses of study that

deal with the fundamental principles of scientific Socialism.

In school districts where the trustees and most of the patrons are Socialists, the trustees should, by all means, if possible, cmploy Socialist teachers, and only such teachers as are well grounded in Marxian economics. Then they should demand of the teacher that he give a systematic course of instruction on the class struggle; the materialistic conception of history; wages, labor and capital; value, price and profit; industrial solidarity, etc.

With his psychological and pedagogical training, the teacher will, of course, endeavor to simplify the more abstruse subjects to bring them within the grasp of his pupils and present them in a manner both attractive and instructive.

But when a Socialist is teaching in a

170

hostile community, he should, nevertheless not fail to do his duty by his pupils and his class. He can find many ways to present working class ideas. If he has good reason to think he would be ousted if he taught revolutionary ideas and called them So cialism, or any other radical name he can teach the substance, to a greater or less degree, and omit names. I personally know one teacher who openly teaches Socialist economics in his schools. The enemies of Socialism tried to remove him, but his reputation as an efficient educator stood him in hand and they failed.

Unless the Socialist teacher is a high school professor, I think the country districts and small schools are the best places for his work in this line, for then he has no high and mighty principal with capitalistic instincts to lord it over him.

Now, for example, in teaching United States history, the teacher can supplement an accompanying course in industrial history, using, for the purpose, such works as "Coman's Industrial History of the United States" and Simon's "Class Struggles in America and he should emphasize the overwhelming importance of industrial development as the means that builds and destroys nations, shapes history and makes society what it is. He should take special pains to counteract the influence of histories that glorify wars, generals, kings and the great man idea.

He can likewise teach other branches of study in a similar manner, giving the true working class interpretation to every detail. In ancient history, Engels' "Origin of the Family," Morgan's. "Ancient Society" and Ward's "Ancient Lowly" should be used for reference and for diligent supplemental study.

In geography, it should be explained that political divisions and boundary lines are capitalist divisions and boundary lines, together with their causes and purposes.

In mathematics, it should be shown that interest, profit and loss, stocks and bonds, banking, etc., are a gigantic swindle to get something for nothing. That labor produces all values and that labor should have all that it produces.

There is hardly a branch of science taught in the schools that is not grossly perverted to bolster up capitalist society, and the teacher should be awake to all the

frauds every minute of the day, and counteract them with the truth at every opportunity as far as he can or dares In the primer grades, where the teacher delivers nature talks to prepare the child for higher grades, such as geography, history, language, the study of plants, animals, etc., etc., he has almost unlimited latitude, and he can have no excuse if he fails to impress upon the child minds the fundamental principles of the class struggle, the cause and purpose of strikes the meaning of tramps. etc For a small sum, he can furnish the pupils with valuable pamphlets, such as Mary E. Marcy's "Shop Talks on EcoWW. ies," Trautman's "One Big Union "The Jub Communist Manifesto," and many others.ication Pupils should be required to write compositions on the subjects treated, and debates should be arranged between students on various revolutionary subjects.

Where a teacher cannot come out in the open like this, he can, at least, have literature sent to his pupils, and he can find a thousand ways to inculcate vital truths where ignorant and prejudiced patrons will never suspect.

It goes without saying that patriotism and the military ideal should at least be totally ignored if they cannot be openly condemned in schools where all the children are of the working class, the teacher can and should teach the children to honor and idealize the useful workers, and to look with disrespect and contempt upon parasites and parasitic occupations. There is no teacher that is so hampered that he cannot do some of these things for his class, and to some extent in the public schools.

Will anyone say that these methods are underhanded and should not be used? If so, I reply that the end justifies the means and the real Socialist teacher would be a self-detested hypocrite to teach the capitalist lies as formulated in the usual text books.

I think it would be time well spent if some clear and able writer, like Mary E. Marcy or J. E. Sinclair, would write school primers and pamphlets supplementing our school text books, to bring out the truth and nail the lies taught in our public schools. The names Socialism, Industrial Unionism. etc could be omitted so that the position of the teacher will not be embarrassed or endangered by their use,

Vote for LeSueur and O'Hare

The Rebel has given a great deal of time and thought to the (residential ticket of our party for this campaign. For the first place on the ticket there are three candidates: Arthur LeSueur, president and general manager of the great People's College of Kansas; Allan L. Benson, of New York, a magazine writer of international fame; and James H. Maurer, of Pennsylvania, well known as a trades union of Geral

There are two vice presidential nominees, Mrs. Kate O'Hare, of St. Louis, lecturer and newspaper writer; and George Kirkpatrick, of New York, speaker and writer.

For the benefit of our readers we shall place before them the achievements of the various candidates for these two nominations.

THE REBEL

THE GREAT APPEAR GREAT TO US ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE ON OUR KNEES LET US ARISE

T. A. HICKEY, Editor.

500 per year; alube of four or more (40 weeks) 25c.

If this number is opposite

your name your subscrip. 292 tion expires next issue.