Local Teacher Conference Studies Approach To War

Two hundred seventy-five educators from the Boston area discussed methods of teaching about the Vietnam war at a conference held Saturday at Larsen and Longfellow Halls. The conference was necessary to "try to prevent another war," said Bernard Huebner, one of the project's organizers.

The conferees participated in panel discussions, workshops, and viewed a model class. Debate centered on the role of the teacher in relation to the war.

Squalid Theories

Edwin Moise, James Bryant Conant Professor of Education and Mathematics, emphasized the role of the teacher as an activist. He branded as a "morally squalid view" the theory that the schools should produce students with "saleable skills and techniques" to cope with today's complicated American society.

John Livingston, Chairman of the Social Studies department in the Newton schools, replied that students can't be "converted" to a frame of mind of "humane consciousness." If you're honest and have a reverence for life," Livingston said, "you'll develop in youngsters a more humane attitude."

The workshops and model class presented various methods which have been used and might be employed to teach about the war. The workshops included material about the Vietnamese culture, war strategy, and pro-war and anti-war films.

Model Class

The model class, consisting of sixteen area high school students, discussed a hypothetical dilemna of a soldier in Vietnam. Sent out on patrol, the soldier spots a peasant riding a bicycle in an area the villagers have been told is restricted. Since he appears to be innocent, though presumably he has been warned against entering the area, should the soldier shoot him, try to capture him, or disobey orders and ignore him?

After debating the moral, legal, and military sides of the issue, ten students said the soldier should disobey orders, four said he should obey, and two were undecided.

As for future action, Huebner was undecided. He noted that educational methods, especially concerning something that changes as much as the Vietnam war, become outdated rapidly and a series of conferences is called for. However, the group is also sorely in need of clerical, and especially financial, aid.