In the late 1930's, Albuquerque was selected as a "Federal Demonstration Center" to promote adult education focusing on free inquiry and discussion of public affairs issues. The Albuquerque Public Affairs Forum was modeled after the Federal Public Affairs Forum sponsored by the Department of Interior, Office of Education. The purpose of the program was to strengthen democracy by stimulating public thinking about important civic problems. The Albuquerque Federal Forum Project was locally sponsored by the Albuquerque City Schools, headed by Superintendent John Milne, with technical assistance from Ray Paschal and Vincent Garoffolo of the U.S. Office of Education. Lecturers were provided by the U.S. Office of Education and local discussion forums were chaired by prominent Albuquerque individuals. Local newspapers provided publicity, posters were printed by the Albuquerque High School printing class, and local radio stations carried forum announcements when possible. Personal contact was a valuable strategy used to reach specific segments of the population.
Twelve forums were held in Albuquerque in 1938. Topics included "Our Foreign Policy," "When We are Educated, Can America Be Neutral?," "America's Answer to Facsism and Communism," "The Tragedy of Chechoslovakia," "Background of the German Revolution," "Is War Inevitable or Can We Organize the World?," "How Can America Stay Out of the Next War," "America's Role in International Affairs," "Causes of Current European Unrest," "Democracies and Dictators," and "Democracy Begins at Home." The 3 month season attracted 1371 participants. Speakers included Dr. Joseph Kornfeld (former U.S. minister to Persia), John S. Moore (international authority on world peace cooperative movements), and John Duvall (sociologist and analyst of social problems).
A collective live radio broadcast of several of the NBC sponsored "America's Town Hall of the Air" was instituted for the 1939 season. Radio station KOB arranged the local broadcast at Albuquerque High School; an open discussion followed. The 1939 season also brought speakers from NBC to the Albuquerque forum. Forum topics for the season were "Should the Wagner Labor Relations Act Be Revised," "Do We Have a Free Press?", "Is America Menaced by Foreign Propaganda, "Do Monopolies Retard or Advance Business Recovery," "How Can Europe Avoid War," "How Can We Put the Unemployed Back to Work," Has 20th Century Civilization Improved Mankind, "Has America a Stake in the Far East?" "Would a Federation of Democracies Save World Peace," What Should Be Our National Defense Policy."
From the guide to the Albuquerque Federal Forum Project Scrapbook, 1938-1939, (University of New Mexico. Center for Southwest Research.)
