Lamont, Corliss, Freedom is as freedom does

(New York :  Horizon Press,  1956.)

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  Page 219  



THE ASSAULT ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM                                                                          219

May 1951: "A subtle creeping paralysis of freedom of thought and
speech is attacking college campuses in many parts of the coun¬
tiy, Hmiting both students and faculty in the area tiaditionaUy
reserved for the free exploration of knowledge and tiuth. These
hmitations on free inquiry take a variety of forms, but their net
effect is a widening tendency toward passive acceptance of the
status quo, conformity and a narrowing of the area of tolerance in
which students, faculty and administiators feel free to speak, act
and think independently. . . . Such caution, in effect, has made
many college campuses barren of the free give-and-take of ideas.
... At the same time it has posed a seemingly insoluble prob¬
lem for the campus liberal, depleted his ranks and brought . . .
an apathy about current problems that borders almost on theh
dehberate exclusion." ^^'

The Times survey showed that members of the college com¬
munity were inhibited in discussing contioversial issues and un¬
popular ideas because they feared social disapproval; criticism by
friends, the college authorities or legislative bodies; being labeled
pink or Communist; being rejected for study in graduate schools;
and being investigated by Government or private business so that
post-graduate employment might be adversely affected.

In June of the same year a college teacher wrote the New York
Herald Tribune teUing how he had asked his students in an Eng-
Hsh course whether they would like to publish a pamphlet on
some current problem. The answers were negative: "The FBI
would get you"; "You would be called a Communist"; "They
would say you were un-American"; "You would lose yoiu' job if
you expressed yourself"; "I am looking for security, not tiying to
change anything"; "Don't stick your neck out, McCarthy wiU in¬
vestigate you," ^^^

In 1952 the Times reported that repression of thought in edu¬
cational institutions had extended to the banning of factual
information about the United Nations and UNESCO. "Some
school systems," the Times article stated, "have discarded the
use of teaching materials relating to the United Nations or its
speciahzed agencies because of highly vocal minority groups.
  Page 219