The Witnesses (Cont'd)

Coast to coast, congressional committees continued to investigate U.S. education, proving at least one thing: there are still some men & women in the schools and colleges who, for whatever reason, stand against the belief of eminent educators (see opposite page) that a teacher "owes candor to the public." Again & again, witnesses hid behind the Constitution and "academic freedom."

Maurice Halperin, 47, associate professor in Boston University's department of Latin American studies and a wartime OSS man, testified before Senator William Jenner in Boston. Though he insisted that he had not at any time committed espionage, he refused to say whether he had ever been a member of Elizabeth Bentley's spy ring or whether he had ever known Alger Hiss, William Remington or John Abt. Professor Halperin did say: "At no time and in no way whatsoever have I tried to influence the political, philosophical or social thinking of my students."

George R. Faxon, 43, proved to be a bitter shock to Boston: he is a teacher at the venerable Boston Latin School (cried the Herald: "Incredible!"). Was he a member of the Communist Party? Had he ever tried to recruit students for the party? Had he ever known FBI Undercover Man Herbert Philbrick? Said Faxon to all questions: "I decline to answer on the grounds it tends to incriminate me."

Robenia F. Anthony, 73, who retired five years ago after 47 years as a teacher (43 of them in Springfield, Mass.), declined to answer any questions about Communist affiliations, but did have a few other things to say. "I have stood up for [academic freedom] all my life. Now, when I'm near my death, I'm certainly not going to change . . . I plan to die as consistently on that point as I have lived." With that, the audience burst into cheers.

Richard B. Lewis, 44, education professor at San Jose Junior College and Leroy T. Herndon Jr., 46, Spanish instructor at Glendale College, testified in Los Angeles before Representative Harold Velde. Both said they had attended meetings of the same American Federation of Teachers local back in the '30s, both had seen meetings taken over by a bloc of "eight or ten or twelve" Communists, both had left the party, completely disillusioned, in 1940.

William Jansen, New York City's Superintendent of Schools, told the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee in Washington that he had been fighting to rid his schools of Communists, but that "we are by no means satisfied that we have cleared up the situation." Since 1950, said he. 81 teachers have been fired or suspended. He added: "We have about 180 more under investigation."

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