◆ SpookStack

On Kovember 13, 1910, a march on the Highlander Polk School wee averted by holding a meating of the representatives of the Grundy County Crusaders and meubers of the faculty in a session held et Seranee University. At this tine | the Grandy County Crusaders hurled accusations at the Highlander Folk Schocl, stating that it was a “hotbed of Communiem.« James Dombrowski of the Highlander folk School faculty answered for the school and esplained that the school was purely a labor school and stated that in the event that the crusaders could prove the achool was Communistic, 1+ would iamediately move from the county. The / Grundy County Crusaders were unable to produce sufficient evidence which would indicate that the school was controlled by the Communist Party. Charter Mesbers Ae indicated previously, the Eighlender Folk Scheol at its inception was founded by Myles Horton who was known to be a Socialist at that time and by Don West who had openly stated that he was a Commmnist. Don Fest was described iii an article which appeared in the Daily Worker as a young mountaineer poet woo became revolutionary and studted Werx and Lenin for the purpose of organizing Negroes and white farmers in Georgia. i { } Walcolm Chisholm, a charter member of this school, was killed fighting 'yith the Spenish Loyaliets during the Spanish Civil Far. ames Dombrowski was a charter mexber of the Highlender Folk School ad a faculty member of the school until the spring of 1942 when he resigned 48 position to becone secretary for the Southern Conference for Human Velfare. 4 hae been reported that Dorbrowski has expressed himself as being in sympathy vith the Russian form of government, that he thought that revolution was ‘hinevitable. ard that the cepitslietic system should be cverthromm. He is also :.;orted to have been a memLer of the Communist Party in Chattanooga, Tennessee, und to have attended msny meetings in that city in the years 1538 to 1910. Gomurowsxi ie reported to be ixbued with a philosophy of saving mankind and bes heen particularly interested in helping southern labor and attexpting to improve lator conditions in the South. ad } ow fied a tudivatiicns of Comaunist Influence in she Program of the School A study of the program of the Highlander Folk School indicatcs that ww wee 0oh followed the Comounist Party linc to a certain deyree. The school ws9 organized at a time when the Comaunists und Socialists had a procgren for | united front organizations for persons «who were dissatisfied with the country's political and economic conditions. Well-knom Commnists auch as Robert Hall of \Pirmaingham, plabama, and Ted Eellman of Chattanooga, Tennessee, frequently visited [thie school. The Workers Alliance was formed in Monteagle by the Hivhlancer Folk School and the militant strike policy advocated by the Communists for the purpose lof orgardzing labor was adopted by the school. It was during this per:od that James "a. lroactd and Myles Borton were reported to have been seen with Young Communist jire,ce verve in their possession and to have made statements which would indicate I their syopathy for the Russien form of government. -3-