THE YEAR OF THE OATH

by George B. Stewart ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 21, 1950

The nightmare of the loyalty oath controversy played out on the campus of the University of California 1949-50 caught George Stewart (known as the author of Storm Fire etc.) as one of the 00 odd professors involved. A chapter near the start outlines the chronology of the battle in which the professors had refused to sign the loyalty oath or accept a teaching contract which contained a watered down version. Focus is put on the emotional and psychological reactions of the faculty, faced with the issue and acting on it as a larger moral principle. Both the moral and purely pragmatic aspects at stake are clearly defined, and the most inclaive part of the book is a brilliant and devastating analysis of the ten regents who demand- ""Sign- or get out;"" He conveys to the reader the almost sinister quality of the battle, and shows how large a part state politics play in University affairs. The book is not bitter, nor is it a propagandized plea for sympathy with the victims. Rather it is a challenge to the public to face the issue dramatized by their case. Told in direct, uncomplicated prose. Well documented.

Pub Date: Sept. 21, 1950

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1950

Categories: NONFICTION