In order to get to the meat and potatoes of the headline, we have to go back a bit in history to lay some context to the situation. Communism was then and still is hot topic.
I am not a historian, but have a curiosity for history. I enjoy reading old newspapers and this story caught my eye. After all, Canoga Park? Communist teachers?
Step back in time to discover early evidence of communism in California, the case of two teachers caught in a Communist controversy and finally the outcome.
Early Evidence Communism in California
Communism had been finding it’s way into several organizations in California since at least the early 1920s. One party, “The Workers’ Party of America (WPA) which existed from late 1921-1929 was a legal political party and were affiliated with African Blood Brotherhood, Jewish Socialist Federation, and the Worker’s Council of the United States.
In 1925, the Workers Party of America made the news in Los Angeles. The school was found at 226 S. Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. The present day site is now a parking structure located behind the Downtown Independent theater. The WPA met Sundays organized by C.A. Hathaway and was not a secret.
…the schools are being carried on in the leading American cities to teach the theory that the Constitution is the bulwark of capitalism and also to offset American Educational Week, now in progress by spreading communist literature through public schools.
C.A.Hathaway (Workers Party America)
By 1930, San Bernardino found itself in a case against five women that were camp counselors, ironically for a known Communist camp for kids. The five women “who were charged with violating the anti-Communist law by teaching children in a San Bernardino county camp disrespect for government and the flag of the United States and to pledge themselves to work for the red flag.“
In another article written a few days later, Yetta Stromberg who was mentioned in the above article was mentioned again with her involvement in a disturbance at Roosevelt High in Los Angeles along with four other students. The article mentions her San Bernardino communist activity.
Fast forward fourteen years later, to November 17, 1944. Almost exactly one month before Germany’s last attempt on the Western Front during the last part of World War II. Pico Heights, a neighborhood outside of downtown Los Angeles made the news with “Communists Given School Room to Use“. Pico Heights during the 1930s and 1940s had become a neighborhood of immigrants from Greece, Norway, Sweden, and Jews from Russia.
Cold War Begins
“May 9, 1945: The U.S.S.R. declares victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. With Japan’s defeat, Korea becomes divided into the communist North (which the Soviets occupied) and the South (which had been occupied by the United States).“
History.com “Communism Timeline”
October 10, 1946, “Communist School Activity Charged” was the headline in the Los Angeles Times. Two Canoga Park teachers, Blanche Bettington and Frances Eisenberg, were charged with giving students a “political and social slant”. The two teachers had given their testimony the day prior “before the joint legislative committee on un-American activities”. Frances Eisenberg was a member of the board of directors of “the People’s Educational Center”.
”The purpose of the center is to indoctrinate the community with the principles of communism.”
Senator Jack Tenney on the People’s Educational Center
The People’s Educational Center (1944-1947) ran a counterpart of the California Labor School (CLS) which existed from 1942-1957. The CLS was founded in San Francisco. According to Wikipedia, “The school was supported by 72 trade unions including members of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Its initial program “promised to analyze social, economic and political questions in light of the present world struggle against fascism.”
Additionally, “The largest funder of the CLS was the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), headed by Harry Bridges. The American Federation of Labor (AFL), Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), American Veterans Committee, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) also supported it.” It ended up closing in 1957 when saw its attendance decline in numbers. In 1948, the school was placed on the Attorney General’s List of Subversive Organizations and attendances declined.
Blanche Bettington, likewise, had admitted she had acquaintances within the Communist movement. Bettington, ‘insisted that she always differentiated before her classes between facts and opinions.“
Who Were Eisenberg and Bettington?
Frances Susan Eisenberg was born on June 19, 1905 as Frances Susan Robman in Wisconsin to Russian Jewish immigrant parents. Her father, Louis Robman and mother, Anna Antinopky or Antin immigrated to the US in 1901 and became citizens in 1909. Eisenberg had 3 siblings, one older brother and a younger sister and brother. Eisenberg graduated from UCLA in 1927 and attended graduate studies at University of California and married Meyer Eisenberg who was born in Russia. They had two sons and one daughter, living in Los Angeles and where she became a teacher at Canoga Park High School.
Blanche Bettington was born Blanche Wadleigh in Vermont to Canadian immigrant parents. Her father was Elbert Wadleigh, a dairy farmer then ice salesman, and her mother was Agnes Williams both acquiring their citizenship in 1912. Bettington grew up in Downey and Long Beach eventually graduating from USC. She married John Randall Bettington, who immigrated to the US from England in 1921. He was a poultry man and the pair were married in 1935. She later began teaching at Canoga Park High School.
1946 “Red Quiz” Begins
Almost a week later, another article surfaced mentioning Canoga Park citizen Richard Knapp who graduated from Canoga Park High in 1943 who testified. He called the charges “absurd”. The article speaks of a parent of one of the students who spoke against the two teachers. It seemed to bring out many from the Canoga Park community to testify about their experiences with Bettington and Eisenberg while at the school.
Canoga Park High students rallied to defend the two teachers. More testimony from students for and against. More than 100 students and parents were subpoenaed.
Then on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1946, news broke that Bettington and Eisenberg were “absolved of allegations of imposing communistic doctrines upon students in their classes…”.
But who was Senator Jack Tenney? Tenney had been a Democrat in 1936 when he ran for the California State Assembly as a Democrat and won. In 1940 he also served as one of California’s electors, casting his vote for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In 1942, he ran for State Senate as a Republican and won. Tenney was involved in conducting many hearings where there were investigations into “un-American” activities for several years from 1944 to 1949.
On New Year’s Day, Philbrick McCoy, the attorney for the the persons who first accused the two teaches of “un-American teachings in their classes” praised the boards thorough investigation. He went on to say that the investigation did not attack upon free speech and then stated the parents were not involved with their homework and didn’t seem to have any knowledge of what they were doing in school.
Teachers Leave Canoga Park High
By September of 1950, Bettington and Eisenberg had plans to go teach at different high schools in Los Angeles. I couldn’t determine if this was on their own accord, but it seemed odd both were leaving in 1950. Bettington went to Hamilton High School and Eisenberg to Fairfax High.
Controversy Continues
Frances Eisenberg through a civil trial in 1953 became ousted and left the school system to privately teach. Enter the Dilworth Act which California State Senator, Nelson S. Dilworth put forward. Dilworth was a staunch anti-communist and sponsored legislation to prevent communists from employment in the state government and to allow school boards to fire communist teachers.
“It is often true that many things which, in the end, bring benefits and satisfaction are very difficult to get started in the beginning. So it is going to be hard to save America from those who are pushing us and taxing us downhill into a form of state socialism. And there is no time to lose.”
Conclusion
I don’t have all the facts or background on the story. I was not alive when the controversy was happening, but I can tell you if you get anything from this story, you get a sense of two very strong women that believed in education. Whether what they taught was communist or not, the sense I got was they may have had opinions that came off as statements. According to the articles I’ve attached in this story, the teachers wanted their students to think for themselves and to see two sides.
If your like me, you might be wondering what became of the two ladies, Blanche Bettington and Frances Eisenberg. I was able to find their obituaries and found them to be both beautifully written and remembered. Eisenberg passed away on July 23, 1996 at the age of 91 and Bettington passed on March 1, 2001 at 99 years of age.
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