Hide Article Text (OCR)
CHARLESTON, W. Va. (UPI) Ban-the-textbooks protesters, whose leaders have vowed to ‘‘fight until death,’’ today touched off an explosion at one elementary school, firebombed another and closed nearly every coal mine in Kanawha County. State Police said the blast at the Wet Branch Elementary School in the Cabin Creek area blew out the front doorway and left a gaping hole in the floor of the one-story brick building. Ceiling plaster and lights also were knocked loose by force of the blast. Police at first believed dynamite had been used, but said an investigation showed blasting powder of a type used in coal mines caused the explosion. The firebombing occurred at the Midway Elementary School on Campbell's Creek, across the Kanawha River from Cabin Creek, both located in the heart of the southern West Virginia soft coal fields. Both incidents occurred before 4 a.m., police said. About 2,100 miners were idled when they refused to cross picket lines set up by the protesters have labeled some of textbooks ‘‘obscene, un- American and anti-Christian.”’ The parents have demanded permanent removal of the textbooks from the schools The books have been removed for a 30-day review period by a citizens committee. Quinn Morton, president of the Kanawha County Coal Operators Association, said only one mine was working in the county. He said some mines in neighboring Boone and Fayette counties also were closed. Morton said 30 carloads of pickets appeared at one mine and blocked the work force from entering. The violence flared during the third day of the renewed protest against the textbooks after a two-week calm. The protest started originally short ly after classes began early last month for the fall term. The Rev. Charles C. Quigley, one of the leaders of the protest, had vowed to “continue picketing even if they throw everyone into the county jail. “These are parents who love their (Continued on Page 2-A)
Newspaper Details
Morgantown Dominion Post
Morgantown, West Virginia, US
Wed, Oct 09, 1974
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Laura P.
USA 05 Jun 2026
Other Publications Near Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown Dominion Post
Morgantown Morning Reporter
The Morgantown Post and The Dominion-News
Morgantown Dominion News and Morgantown Post
Morgantown Dominion News
