◆ SpookStack

Highlander Folk School hed been forced to close its doors, Rey. BLACKWOM@ informed Rev. SWIFT that this church was forced to close ite doors due to the distractions offered by the Highlander Folk School personnel. He report- | edly stated whenever a church service wes in progress, the Highlander Folk School personnel would pian a demonstration picnic or offer to take the children on hikes or rides through the woods and in thie method dtatract them from the church services. Rev. SWIFT advised that the Highlander Folk School persomel were acting as spies in the different churches in the vicinity of Monteagle and Tracy City, Tennessee. When asked to explain what he meant by this, he stated that they attend a church service without invitation and the next Sunday they would go to same different church. He stated that to his knowledges, they have never caused any disturbance at any of these churches, but that they do not continually go tc the same church in the vicinity of Monteagle or Tracy City. He was asked epecifically why he thought they were acting as epies and he could offer no explination other than the fact that they did not attend any church Rev. SWIFT also advised that he had heard, source unknown, that several manufacturing establishments had refused to build in the vicinity of Monteagle or Tracy City because of the Cammunistic leadings of the Highlander Folk School which was located in the seme vicinity of Monteagle and Tracy City, Tennessee. They reportedly stated that they did not want to build near the Highlander Folk School because the school would continually be causing trouble in the form of strikes. Rev. SWIFT stated that he could not furnish any additional informtion other then what was related above. He stated he believed the school was a “hot bed of Communist" and he based this opinion upon the several events which ere related above. Rev. SWIFT advised he was unable to furnish any additional in- formation regarding the Highlander Folk School either In the form of hearsay or otherwise. Rev. SWIFT was orally advised that all pertinent information relating to subversive activities should be furnished to the FBI, inasmuch as the FBI has been given the general responsibilities for the investigation of subversive acti- vities within the United States under the Security Program defined by Executive Orders and Congressional Enactments. He was informed that if he received any additional information regarding any subversive activities that he shovid immediately notify the Special Agent in Charge of the knoxville Division of the Fedoral Bureau of Investigation. Closed.