Should Students Pray In School? Hot Debated On Primetime TV In 1958

You are watching a portion of a prime time ABC television special that aired in 1958 called “Answers For Americans. The show took a generally politically conservative point of view and was supplied with topics from a conservative think tank subsidized by H. L. Hunt, the oil magnate. Subjects discussed included 1930s isolationism, anti-Communism, States Rights and support for academic freedom in schools so that religion and God could be freely discussed in high schools and on college campuses. This show aired just months after the Soviet Union launched their Sputnik satellite. It was seen by political leaders as a threat to America and many from all political stripes began to criticize American education as stodgy and not able to produce the kinds of scientists needed to fight and beat the Russians in efforts to reach “outer space.“ The debate over America’s educational failures and how to change them was broad reaching. Meetings were taking place in every town, it every PTA, in most local and national newspapers, in our religious institutions and in the media. It was fascinating for me to have this clip in my collection because what Godfrey Schmidt is saying reflects a strong point of view presented by many today about what is happening – cancel culture – on American colleges and universities. The 1950s marked a significant period of change and debate in American education, including the issue of discipline in schools. Traditional norms and values were being challenged and this was reflected in debates about school discipline. Many parents and educators were concerned about maintaining order and respect for authority in schools, while others advocated for a more permissive, child-centered approach that emphasized individuality and creativity. During this period, the use of corporal punishment in schools was still widespread, but it was becoming increasingly controversial. Some argued that physical punishment was an effective means of maintaining discipline and teaching respect for authority. Theories such as B.F. Skinner’s behaviorism argued that behavior could be shaped through positive reinforcement rather than punishment. This led some educators to experiment with rewards systems that focused on encouraging good behavior rather than simply punishing bad behavior. The question of school prayer was part of a larger debate about the role of religion in public life. In the 1950s, school prayer was still common in many parts of the United States. However, the issue was becoming increasingly controversial. Critics argued that school-sponsored prayer violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from establishing an official religion or favoring one religion over another. Supporters of school prayer, on the other hand, saw it as an important part of American tradition and a means of instilling moral values in students. These debates often broke down along political lines, with many conservatives supporting school prayer as a way of upholding traditional values. Debates about public education including the issue of school prayer didn’t end in the 1950s. They continued to evolve and remain topics of discussion today, reflecting ongoing tensions and disagreements about the role of education in American society.