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Student Activism in the 1930s
Lillian Kashdon
The Student Outlook
There we were—fifteen high school students representing almost as many New York City high schools, as we met for the first time on the first floor of the "Utopian Clubrooms" on 21st street. We eyed each other doubtfully, but the ice melted as the group grew heated in discussing plans of a six week course of study in the City L.I.D. school, with Louis Hay, National High School Organizer presiding. It was then suggested that we wear name tabs—and so we became acquainted. We found in each other one great common interest—for "education, agitation, and organization." The plans for this school—first of its kind for high school students—were to hold a morning session, Monday and Wednesdays, 10-1 p.m.; a session for students who were busy during the day to be held in the National L.I.D. Office, 7:30-10 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Wednesday evening was set aside for a combined meeting, cultural pursuits and outdoor public speaking. The idea behind the organization of the school was to give high school students a theoretical and practical background for winter organization. Therefore, there was a speaker on a current issue the first hour, an intermission whereat we sang our favorite songs in chorus (more or less). "We Are The L.I.D." and "The March Song of the Worker" were among the most favored. As for "Casey Jones," the strikebreaker, we could never all agree on the same tune. The second session we discussed the theoretical aspects of the morning's topic—and in the third session, we connected the topic with specific student problems, and in committees we explained the steps we would take were the problem to occur during school-time. For example—Frank Palmer of the Federated Press, a Utopian, spoke to the group when it was considering the subject "Waste and the Machine Age" on Factory Sabotage. After stretching ourselves, we spoke of other "wastes." After discussion we came to the conclusion that with a "system of production for use and not for profit" such "wastes" would be eliminated. Our method of attaining such a system was different from the speaker's, and so we clarified the differences between Socialism and Utopianism. The third hour, we concluded that when there are consumers cooperatives—food, etc. is priced lower. (These conclusions have been reached before, but to many of us they were new.) To follow that line, it was decided that, were there student cooperative lunchrooms, prices would be lower and food would be of a better quality. The group broke up into committees—and with the reports of the committees there originated the idea of having a campaign in September for changes in the school lunchrooms! Other speakers and their topics are listed below:
We did not agree with the sentiment of all the speakers, but we must acknowledge their wit, particularly Comrade Claessens, with his impersonations, dialects, and funny but true stories. Besides attending classes there were other types of work—learning to be an efficient chairman (whereupon a certain member would become so incensed for The Exact Parliamentary procedure that Lou Hay casually had to remark that "Parliamentary procedure is to help and not to hinder.") We took turns at being secretary, practiced writing leaflets and press releases, and doing such work at the office as mimeographing. While we did practice public speaking indoors, we did not have sufficient outdoor speaking. Some members, on their own initiative, picketed Loew's theatres for showing Hearst Metrotone News—and others spoke at outdoor meetings—but the group's luck as a whole was not great, for here is what happened on several consecutive evenings scheduled for public speaking: Either it rained, (whereupon the advisors tried to—and we must admit, succeeded in consoling us to a very great degree by bringing up refreshments and having an informal party); or one Wednesday the group went to hear Harold and Theodore Draper debate on The Franco-Soviet Pact; then there was time when outdoor speaking was postponed in favor of the party for the L. I. D. and N. S. L. training schools, but which in turn was held late in the evening since the majority of the guests were on trial in night court for picketing the American Mercury offices. A spirit of comradeship was established among the members of the group, so that criticisms were offered as freely as praise, and we were not satisfied with good results when we did something but worked for the very best. So—after six weeks of studying and enjoying together—15 students were developed into more capable organizers who are by no means satisfied with what they have sampled of knowledge, but were more determined than ever to "educate, agitate, organize" themselves and others in the high schools and cob loges that they are entering. Home | Historical Essay | Documents | Credits | ||||||||||||||||||||
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