Student Activism in the 1930s
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ASU Memoirs

American Student Union Memoirs


50th and 25 National Reunion--ASU and SDS--1986

Sylvia Porter Morrison

1. I first became involved with the student movement in 1934 at George Washington High School in Manhattan. My first real activity was to organize a peace strike which was part of a national effort. Several of us just started working very hard, writing leaflets, mimeographing, handing them out. Whatever needed doing, we did. We had no previous experience, and I really don't remember any adult advisors, but they must have been around. The day of the strike, my father, a life-long Socialist, locked me in the house so I wouldn't get into trouble. I suppose the strike was a success as I was the only high school student chosen to attend a national SLID Summer School. It was a very exciting experience if somewhat beyond my intellectual capacity. That was when I met Joe Lash and Monroe Sweetland.

2. I came to Los Angeles the following summer and continued at Belmont High School, where I was active in the ASU as well as the Young Socialists. It was then that the Young Socialists conducted a street meeting at the corner of Echo Park and Sunset Blvd. At that time Los Angeles was subject to all sorts of repressive police action such as the "Red Squad" which was known for brutally breaking up demonstrations, strikes, picket lines, and meetings. In addition, there was the infamous free speech ordinance which allowed street meetings to be held only at several designated intersections and also limited the meeting to no more than 50 feet from the corner. The night of our meeting the crowd exceeded the allowed 50 feet and the police arrested the speaker and several other participants. Because the police were known for their brutality, I and one other Young Socialist went to the police station to arrange for legal help, etc. We were in a phone booth calling the ACLU when two of the arresting police saw us and one identified us as those SOBs who were at the meeting and arrested us on the spot.

3. The case, which went to court, was represented by the ACLU which challenged the legality of the ordinance. The final ruling was that it was unconstitutional. At a time when public street meetings were a major method of reaching the public, that was a significant ruling. In effect free speech was extended to all of Los Angeles.

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