Leipalingis

To: First Secretary Petras Griškevičius of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Lithuanian SSR.

A Statement from: Grigas, Antanas, son of Antanas, res. in the Rayon of Lazdijai, in Leipalingis, at Naujoji g. 13.

In 1978, my son Robertas Grigas did very well on all entrance exams and was accepted as a German major of the languages at the Vilnius State Pedagogical Institute. He passed the first and second year final exams also with honors, and as a result, was awarded a higher scholarship and a top-student pin. However Ro­bertas was not only a gifted and good student but, as described to us by curator Head Instructor (Mrs.) Mikalauskienė and other instruc­tors, did not smoke, totally refrained from alcohol and swearing. And, what was "very bad", he was a young man who did his own thinking. It appears that such students are considered undesirable at our schools of higher learning. Very obvious efforts were manifested to get rid of him.

On November 28 and December 27, 1979, Robertas was "educated" at the dean's office by Vilnius KGB 1st Lieut. Antanas Bimbyris. He spoke about forgetting the lessons of the past, the dangers inherent in friendship with "nationalists"; he feared that the latter are leaving behind them "bad offshoots" among the youth. The chekist demanded that the content of both "education sessions" be kept secret, offered his telephone number and invited him to meet in town for "friendly talks". My son categorically refused to hide from the students the fact that the dean's office is used as a branch of the KGB and rejected the security agent's offers. When, as was traditional, third-year German language students went to the German Democratic Republic for one month in the fall of 1980, Robertas was openly discriminated against, and forbidden to ac­company the group on the pretext that he had not yet joined the Communist Youth League.

On September 12, 1980, after summoning Robertas to the Vilnius City Prosecutor's Office and calling him a son of exploiters, an American and a social outcast, Assistant Prosecutor J. Vilutis warned him agains attending so-called "open" political trials and threatened him with prosecution. On December 2nd of that same year, my son was questioned by Interrogator Sergei Viktorovich Molodkin of the Lenin Rayon Prosecutor's Office, and about one week later, by the Interrogator of the criminal Investigation Divison of the Lenin Rayon.

When Robertas refused to answer any of the questions about his beliefs and friends, the interrogator shouted crudely and threatened to place him behind bars, commit him to a psychiatric clinic and bemoaned that the Stalin era no longer exists today. Without at­taining anything, he promised to find a way to take care of "one such as he". And so, at midnight on January 14, 1981, at the order of Klipčius whom students consider to be an informant at the Pedagogical Institute, Gediminas Muliuolis, the head of the second dormitory building, beat Robert so severely that he had to be treated at the Druskininkai Hospital for two weeks, and then recuperated for a long time at home.

His studies interrupted, my son took an academic leave of absence but the repression did not stop. On June 10 and 11, 1981, Robertas was summoned by KGB Major Mieželis to the Laz­dijai Security Police; the first day my son was interrogated for six hours, the second day, for three hours. When my son refused to participate in the interrogation, on the basis that it is a crime to per­secute anyone for awailing himself of the freedom of press, speech and belief, the major became incensed at the Marxist philo-sopjy instructors at the Vilnius State Pedagogical Institute who had rashly given Robertas A's in their courses; he was baffled that the student could believe in God. My son explained that his religious ideology was in fact strengthened by his Marxist-Leninist studies, which revealed the shallowness of this teaching. During the in­terrogation, the interrogator threatened him with imprisonment.

On December 11, 1981, our home in Leipalingis at Naujosios 13 was searched under the direction of Militia Captain Petrulėnas and typewritten religious literature, our son's diary and. . . atheist books with handwritten comments in the margins were confiscated, The illegally confiscated items have not yet been returned.

Upon returning to the institute from his academic leave of absence, my son was expelled for "lack of progress". Thus were ful­filled the words spoken by the representative of the Lithuanian Com­munist Youth League Committee at the Pedagogical Institute, while Robertas was still a first-year student after attempts failed to have him join the Communist Youth League: "We'll see to it that such as he leave the Institute before their time!"

All the students who took the exams noticed the examiners' lack of objectivity and were outraged by it. It is interesting to note that Robertas was first informed of his expulsion, not by representatives of the institute, but by representatives of the security police and militia who, on February 11, 1982, searched room 210 at Vilnius State Pedagogical Institute, dormitory building No. II, and confiscated rough drafts of his poems, a manuscript of the translation of Solzhenitsyn's Speeches Made in America and the book Romas Kalanta. Art. 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantying the free exchange of information, says nothing about forbidding such things. On the contrary, the crime here is the search itself, in violation of USSR international commitments and violation of the freedom of belief.

We no longer hold the naive illusion that the super-state which has made the teaching of moral relativity its ideological foundation will begin to observe the agreements it has signed in the area of international pacts on human rights. We are interested in drawing the attention of all people of good will to the other side of the matter.

We are well aware that in our country, in the struggle with persons whose views are unacceptable to the regime they are not satisfied with so-called "educational work", libel in the press and expulsion from institutions of higher learning on a scale legitimized by the criminal code.

The mysterious murder of Prof. Kazlauskas, the unexplained death of poet Mindaugas Tamonis, frequent strange deaths in the army, and finally, the horrifying series of murders of priests, whose latest victim was Lithuanian Helsinki Group member Father Bro­nius Laurinavičius, testify that official justice is but the tip of the iceberg protruding from the water. . . Our anxiety as parents regarding the threats officials have made agains our son is therefore completely justified, threats whose reality is proven by his subse­quent beating in the dormitory and expulsion from the institute. Mr. Secretary, we fear for our son's life.

Leipalingis, March 31, 1982                Antanas Grigas

Tverai (Rayon of Plungė)

On March 23, 1982, Father Kostas Velioniškis, Pastor of the Tverai Parish, was summoned to attend a session of the administrative commission at the Plungė Rayon Executive Committee. The priest was informed that a complaint had been received against him from the teachers of the Tverai School . . . The administrative com­mission berated Velioniškis and ordered him to explain why he permits young people to sing in church, adore the Blessed Sacra­ment and serve at the altar, and why he invites them to participate in processions.

On March 9, 1982, Vice Principal (Mrs.) Aldona Sudžiu-vienė and French language Teacher (Mrs.) Regina Rubavičienė at the Tverai School interrogated sixth-grade student (Miss) Vilma Jurku­tė regarding her church attendance. The girl was forced to tell to the last detail what she knows about children who attend church. "You must be held down and beaten repeatedly," Teacher (Mrs.) Regina Rubavičienė had already earlier threatened Vilma Jurkutė.

On March 12, 1982, Teacher (Mrs.) Regina Rubavičienė beat up student Alfredas Sniaukas (Sniukas?) who is a religious believer, for refusing to participate in an event scheduled for Sunday.

Tverai School Teacher (Mrs.) Regina Čeplinskienė ordered third-grade girls (Miss) Birutė Skiparytė (Miss) Gražina Šniaukaitė, (Miss) Rasa Juciutė, (Miss) Audra Žemgulytė and (Miss) Alma Zalepūgaitė to learn poems for a program to be held on Sunday (March 14, 1982) and threatened to put them on a "black list" if they went to church that day and not to the school program. She promised to send the list to the rayon Education Department. Some of the girls sing in the church choir. To taunt them, Teacher (Mrs.) Čeplinskienė ordered all the girls to stand before the class and sing hymns, and promised them A's in music. When the girls refused to sing hymns as a joke, teacher (Mrs.) Čeplinskienė began to sing hymns in derision.

"If you don't go to church, I'll give you A's in all your subjects even if you don't know anything," Teacher (Mrs.) Regina Čep­linskienė promised (Miss) Sonata Tonaitytė. The next day the teacher again asked Sonata:

"Well? Do you want to get A's or go to church?"

"I'd rather go to church and will earn my A's in a different way," (Miss) Sonata Tonaitytė explained to the teacher.

    On March 12, 1982, Tverai Middle School second-Grade Teacher (Miss) Bronė Katkutė made the following report to the school administration on her atheist work with the class: "The class has twenty-seven students. Four children attend church forced by their grandparents or parents, they would never go on their own volition. In class I conducted two programs "Why People Believe" and "Man and Religion". I tested the religiousity of students in the class together with its causes. I acquainted them with the concept of religion, the reason for its emergence, and various miracles. On an individual basis I conduct discussions with students who go to church, and collectively with the whole class. Every Monday I hold a discussion, I learn whether they did or did not attend church, and why. I convey an atheist upbringing as far as it is possible during lessons. I attempt to force students who attend church to attend programs held on Sunday afternoons. This Sunday (March 14, 1982) students who attend church will present a short program . . ."

On April 5, 1982, the faithful of the Tverai District wrote the following letter of protest to Tverai Middle School Principal (Mrs.) A. Petrošienė:

"We, the undersigned believing parents of the Tverai District, having learned from our children about their persecution and intimi­dation for going to church, which goes on in the school you head, wish to express the strongest kind of protest.

For some time now, our believing children are deliberately prevented from attending services held in church on Sundays and holy days, and those who dare to to church are scolded for singing in church, serving at the altar, participating in adoration or processions, for responding to the priests during services. In order to prevent children from going to church on Sundays and fulfilling their religious obligation, your school, or your cultural center, arranges activities (dances and the like) in conflict with church services (from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.). These programs used to be held on week­days; our children who attend church are given special orders to participate in these programs.

For attending church, our believing children are placed on "black lists" for which they are later harassed: interrogated, in­timidated, ridiculed. Teachers (Mrs.) Regina Rubavičienė and (Mrs.) Regina Čeplinskienė are especially notorious for this.

In order to produce these "black lists," teachers recruit children to follow their friends, and then in class publicly tell, as they say, every last detail so as to intimidate and taunt the "church­goers". For this purpose the teachers use lazy, poor students. They are given good grades even though they do not know the subject matter. (Mrs.) Regina Čeplinskienė empoys such methods to recruit children.

They intimidate other students, promising to place their names on "special lists" and send them to the rayon Education Depart­ment.

Teachers (Mrs.) Regina Rubavičienė, (Mrs.) Greivienė, (Miss) Tilvikaitė and (Mrs.) Prajerienė intimidate children by threatening to beat them.

Teachers (Mrs.) Regina Rubavičienė, (Mrs.) Greivienė and Ši manskas beat children for attending church and other reasons.

They threaten to expel, and at times do expel, students from school clubs and groups which the children like (Teacher (Mrs.) R Čeplinskienė).

Lower deportment grades are given (or attending church and good children are thus equated with hooligans (Teacher (Mrs.) R. Ruba vičienė).

Children who call their friends religious fanatics are praised and the deportment grades of children who defend themselves against the name-calling are lowered to D (this is how Teacher (Mrs.) R. Rubavičienė treated student (Miss) Šniukaitė).

Every Monday, they interrogate the class about who was in church on Sunday (Teachers (Mrs.) R. Rubavičienė and (Miss) Bronė K"t kute).

Children are threatened with further lectures, being taken to the principal and other metods (Teachers (Mrs.) R. Rubavičienė and (Mrs.) Aldona Sudžiuvienė).

Students are ordered to bung their parents if the teachers see they will be able to intimidate the children with their help, and if some parents come on their own to talk, they hide to avoid a confrontation (Teacher (Mrs.) Rubavičienė refused to see the father of pupil (Miss) Vilma Jurkutė).

For attending church, children are threatened with bad letters of reference and rejection by schools of higher learning (Teacher (Mrs.) Rubavičienė).

Children are forced to lie and then are publicly taunted and called liars (Teachers (Mrs.) Rubavičienė and (Mrs.) Sudžiuvienė).

Children are pulled by the hair and ears, are hit over the head while held with one hand or pushed against a wall. Teacher (Mrs.) Rubavičienė is especially notorious for this as is Teacher Šimanaus-kas, in charge of discipline, who takes children to his office for a beating and even asks which ear he should buffet.

When children admit they are believers and will continue to attend church, they are accused of and punished for "rebellion against teachers and insolance" (Teachers (Mrs.) Rubavičienė and (Mrs.)Čeplinskienė),

Aware that the majority of mothers work (milk cows, feed pigs) and often cannot attend church themselves, the teachers allow the children to attend church only with their parents.

The children are strictly forbidden to participate in processions, serve at the altar and especially, sing in church or respond during services.

Children are ordered to disobey their believing parents who are called ignorant and backward people.

Children are told it is better to go to the movies or dances at night rather than attend church. The teachers thus force our children to become hooligans.

The teachers not only force children to spy, but themselves become spies and come to church. We know that you, Principal (Mrs.) Petrošienė became, in the children's words, a gypsy during Easter, 1981: wearing makeup and gypsy clothes to avoid recognition, you spied on children in church. On February 7, 1982, Teacher (Mrs.) Rubavičienė also became such a sneak-spy: she followed and harassed children on their way to church.

This is but a fraction of the things that occur in the school you administer. We, the parents of students, demand the following:

Abolish Sunday programs that are held at the abovenamed times and prevent our children from attending church. If such pro­grams are necessary for the schoool, you can hold them with children who are non-believers. Neither we believing parents nor our children need them. Sundays belong to us and our children, the school has no right to deprive us of them with its programs. We consider that a deliberate means of warfare against our beliefs and those of our children.

Cease ridiculing our believing children for attending church. The school is an educational institution and not a place for anti-religious propaganda and coercing our children.

Stop beating our children, pulling their ears, pushing them around or otherwise corporally punishing them.

Abolish spying in school in connection with religious beliefs. This damages children and we will strongly combat it.

Stop lowering the deportment and subject grades of our believing children for attending church.

Stop expelling believing children from various clubs and groups merely because they attend church and cannot participate in group activities deliberately held on Sundays.

Cease forcing our children in school to provide information about our families and themselves on anti-religious questionnaires.

Strike our believing children from "black lists" which traumatize and degrade them.

We strictly protest against our children being forced to be atheists.

We oppose all programs that are held outside the school, take our children away from us, keep the children themselves from attend­ing church, prevent us from preparing them for the sacraments . . .

We want total freedom of religion for ourselves and our believing children . . . We do not want our believing children to be forced to participate in anti-religious programs and thus mocking themselves.

We consider it an insult when teachers turn into spies and follow our children in church or outside of church . . . We unequi­vocally condemn and will fight this by all possible means.

We oppose all methods used to entice our children (higher grades which help them become lazy students) or intimidate them (lower deportment grades for attending church).

We protest most strongly against any attempt to obtain promises or statements from children contrary to their beliefs, such as: "I no longer believe in God," "I won't go to church," "I won't sing in church", "I won't participate in processions" and the like. Ob­taining such promises from children is the most brutal, vile thing possible, totally inconsistent with humanitarianism.

We protest against children being forced to lie and be hypocrites, so that later they can be called liars, hypocrites and their parents blamed for making their children that way by demand­ing that they fulfill their obligations as believers.

In conclusion, we wish to mention the latest news about the "deeds" teachers perform during our parish retreat. (April 1-3, 1982) as well as on Palm Sunday. A retreat is a parish renewal. It must be attended by all believers, while Palm Sunday is one of the major feasts. Children came to the retreat with their parents and without them. The news soon reached us that teachers had begun interrogations while the retreat was still in progress. On Palm Sunday, a program "Na, mergaitės" ("Well, Girls") was specially organized and the boys were to participate as judges. Children were thus forcibly prevented from fulfilling obligations important to believers.

On April 2, 1982, Teacher (Miss) Vaicekauskaitė, Assistant Prin­cipal (Mrs ) A. Sudžiuvienė and you, Madame Principal, inter­rogated students Budrys, Stonkus, Alfredas Sniaukas, and others who went to church during the retreat. You ordered the boys to give written explanations . . . That same day, Teacher (Mrs.) Sudžiuvienė and you interrogated the entire 6th grade. (Mrs.) Sudžiuvienė called our children one by one into the methods office and interrogated them. You told them they must not go to church, while the assistant principal asked the children various questions. You attempted to turn student Stonkus into your spy.

This was not enough. Now teachers have launched a "campaign" against Easter. They employ various means to prevent children from participating in Easter services. You and those under your authority are thus attempting to disrupt our great holy day and deprive our children of the opportunity to attend the Easter ceremonies. We know that only one teacher, (Mrs.) Greivienė, used to beat or otherwise terrorize children who attend church. Under your leadership, the number of terrorist teachers has markedly increased.

While reminding you, as the school's head, of all these facts, we also wished to inform other agencies related to the school and the Faith. We have sent copies of this letter to Chairman Prajerius of the Tverai District Council of Workers' Deputies Executive Committee, to Vice Chairman for Cult Affairs H.Buivydas of the Rayon of Plungė Council of Workers' Deputies Executive Committee, to Father Kostas Velioniškis, Pastor of Tverai Parish, and to Father Antanas Vaičius, Administrator of the Diocese of Telšiai.

The protest was signed by 21 parents of students.

On April 15, 1982, the Assistant Editor of the Rayon of Plungė newspaper Kibirkštis (Spark) came to see the Pastor of the Tverai Parish, Father Kostas Velioniškis, to discuss relations between the school and the church. She did not give her name.

The visitor explained that everything is done "for the good of the children" in school. For some time now, extracurricular programs for students have been planned on Sundays in Tverai at a time when services are held and believing children are forcibly compelled to attend these programs. Good letters of reference are required when applying to schools of higher learning and can be obtained only by actively participating in extracurricular activities. I think you understand the situation. The Church wants one thing, while the school wants another. Our goals are different. To avoid any opposition, there should be no interference, concluded the assistant editor.

On April 25, 1982, a Sunday program was held for school­children at the Tverai Cultural Center: the usual plays in which believing students are compelled to participate. Eugenijus Rapalius, a believer, was given the role of prompter. The teachers badgered Rapalius that as a major participant, he was obligated to come to the program on Sunday, for the other students had not had time to learn their roles which they were given only on Friday, and every­thing could fail without a prompter.

To prevent believing students who are forced to participate in programs from getting to services on time, plays are often inter­rupted with dances.

 

On April 26, 1982, Tverai Parish Committee members Mažeika, Šimkus and Vičys were summoned to see Vice Chairman H. Buivy­das of the Rayon executive committee. The committee members were questioned about the letter of protest written by Tverai District believing parents to Middle School Principal (Mrs.) A. Petrošienė in which the believing parents voiced their outrage at the terroriza-tion of believing students in the Tverai Middle School.

During the talk, Vice Chairman Buivydas asked about the parish organist and anxiously repeated that students are not permitted to sing in the church choir. . . When Mažeika asked whether the Constitution indicates that singing in church is forbidden, Bui­vydas explained that the Constitution contains "certain amend­ments. It's not my fault. If you don't like it, write to Moscow. Make your suggestions, request permission . . . But for now it is forbid­den."

The vice chairman attempted to prove that the letter of protest was libelous . . . "Children are poor witnesses . . . They can make incorrect statements. We are going after the parents. They'll have to see the prosecutor. We know who wrote the letter: Father Jonas Paliukas," raged Vice Chairman Buivydas.

Ending his lecture, Buivydas added: "You must keep a firm hand on priests. You Mažeika are the chairman, you Šimkus are a member, so establish your own order. You must handle everything. Set pay­ments for services rendered, provide for expenses . . . The pastor has nothing to do with it. He is just a hired minister of cult. . ."

Mažeika retorted that, according to Church law, the parish com­mittee only assists the pastor but is not in charge.

On April 27-30, 1982, the facts detailed in the letter of Protest written by district believers were investigated at the Tverai Middle School. "Investigations" of the facts proceeded as follows: the teachers beforehand used all means (threats, promises, etc.) to force students to lie that no one kept them from attending church on Sundays and that those who attended church are not scolded or persecuted. Teacher Juška ordered the students to say that the questionnaire containing such questions as: Do you believe in God? Do you attend church? On your own or forced by your parents? Do you like church? was filled out when they were in the fourth grade and not two months earlier.

The students were questioned in the principal's office in the presence of Principal (Mrs.) Petrošienė or Assistant Principal (Mrs.) Aldona Sudžiūvienė.

Students were chosen deliberately. The students who had suf­fered the most for attending church were not called, while non-believers were questioned.

 

Vilnius

In the spring of 1981, when Petras Brokevičius, a student at the City of Vilnius Professional Trade School No. 2 began to serve at Holy Mass at St. Michael's Church, master craftswoman (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė summoned the youth to her home and began to harass him: "Why do you go to church and serve at Mass? ... If someone asks you, say it isn't you, if you promise to stop I'll personally say that those who followed you were mistaken and everything will end there, but if you don't, there will be trauble for both you and me and the priest could be transferred elsewhere," explained the woman. Petras Brokevičius responded to (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė's intimidation with: "I went and will continue to go."

Soon Petras Brokevičius was summoned for another talk by the school's vice principal for curriculum. He was asked what church he attends, whether he actually serves at Holy Mass, whether he would continue to behave this way.

In May, 1981, Petras Brokevičius was interrogated by the school's Communist Youth League secretary.

"They'll trap you in their nets and will use you as a tool," threatened the secretary. She suggested he read atheist books and pledged to prove that God does not exist and man evolved from an ape.

When Petras Brokevičius continued to attend church and serve­at Holy Mass, his relationship with the school administration deteriorated further. Group Master (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė began persistently to seek reasons for a new confrontation. Because of thievery and hooligan threats, it became intolerable for the student to continue living in the dormitory. When Petras Brokevičius moved in with Petras Cidzikas, new attacks were launched. "Where do you live? Where did you meet? What is your relationship with him? Where does he work? Does Petras Cidzikas attend church? How much do you pay for the room?" History Teacher (Mrs.) Misiū­nienė assailed him. The interrogation lasted nearly one hour.

On June 20, 1981, Group Master (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė again summoned Petras and ordered him to think things over serious­ly, otherwise things would be bad and he would have more problems.

After the summer vacation, new interrogations were held on October 12th... The school's Communist Youth League Secretary beset the youth asking whether he had finally reached a decision. When Petras Brokevičius replied that he had and did not intend to change his beliefs, the secretary ordered him to turn in his Com­munist Youth League card.

On November 16, 1981, Petras Brokevičius was interrogated by the school principal: "Do you go to church? Will you continue going?" When the youth explained that he would continue attending church, the principal began to intimidate him: "I'm expelling you from school." He suggested that Petras write a statement "of his own will" that his aged parents need his help. . .

On November 25, 1981, Communist Youth members Akstinas, Visoskas and others, forced Petras Brokevičius into a dark corner and, pushing him to the floor, began to kick him. They kicked him in the stomach, chest, sides and when he curled up in pain they kicked him in the face. They dragged the battered, bleeding Petras to (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė. She laughed, saying: "What do you look like? . . . this is for everything How is your nose?. . . anyone who disobeys me will be disciplined this way by the 'group's active members'," (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė continued to taunt. Math­ematics Teacher Dovydavičius, who was present in the office, at­tempted to warn (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė that such conduct is forbid­den, but she replied that she fears nothing. . . When Petras Brokevičius informed her he would be absent from school the following day because he was going to the polyclinic, (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė protested: "If you go, go   today   (the poly­clinic was closed at the time), and you'd better be in class tomorrow. If you're not, things will be worse."

On December 11, 1981, (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė summoned the parents of Petras Brokevičius by urgent telegram. "You see, he has begun to associate with such people ... he goes to church he wrote a statement of his own will for permission to return home . . . His frinds are bad, he must be saved . . . We already have his statement, we only need your consent and we'll let him go home, otherwise he could be sent to a colony," (Mrs.) Janina Kazėnienė explained to the parents.

After obtaining the parents' consent through coercion, the principal lied: "Your son cannot remain in Vilnius. We've already received an order from the militia to take him away."

 

Vilnius

On April 14, 1982, the newspaper Komjaunimo tiesa (Truth of the Communist Youth) printed an article by Vytautas Valikonis entitled "Net matyta, nei girdėta" ("Never Before Seen or Heard").

The beginning of the article states:

"First there was an announcement by the Chicago clerical news­paper Draugas (Friend). Let's read it. 'Tauragė Middle School teacher (Miss) Eidikytė ordered the third-graders who believe in God to raise their hands. Subsequently, there were threats that believers would be imprisoned like criminals. After a short recess, she again ordered the believing children to raise their hands. When a forest of hands again shot up, the teacher stated that all believers would be sent to the retarded children's boarding school in Skaudvilė.' "

As an argument refuting the veracity of the facts, Vytau­tas Valikonis seized upon the mistake made in printing the teacher's name: "Eidikytė" rather than "Eidukytė". In correspondent Va­likonis' opinion, the said error is sufficient to conclude that the over­seas newspaper prints fabrications, lies and inaccurate news, although under other circumstances it would have been considered an ordinary proofreading error. In his article, the reporter used the inventions of children which clearly show that in "investigating" the facts, Valikonis used children selected beforehand (and non-believers) as witnesses and asked them specially prepared questions which the third-graders could have answered no other way.

 

Varsėdžiai (Rayon of Šilalė)

In December,   1981, Varsėdžiai Grammar School Principal (Mrs.) Marytė Pintverienė scolded children during class for attending church and serving at Holy Mass.

Not intimidated by the principal's anger, fifth-grader Remigi­jus Lapinskas stated: "I went and will continue to go."

During recess, Principal (Mrs.) Pintverienė grabbed Remigijus Lapinskas by the ear and dragged him to the teachers' room. She also brought there another fifth-grader, Arvydas Petravičius. A. "kan­garoo" court began. The principal screamed at the children hysterical­ly, called them "bourgeois" and later asked "Will you continue going to church?"

When Remigijus confirmed that he would, the enraged principal slapped the student's face and ordered him to bring his parents.

It is interesting that this "trial" was witnessed by some twelve Varsėdžiai Grammar School teachers and none of them had the courage to stop the enraged principal.

 

Girdžiai (Rayon of Jurbarkas)

During the Lent, 1982, retreat in the parish of Girdžiai, it was no coincidence that inspectors visited rayon schools, urging more vigorous atheist activitiees. The town middle school proclaimed an atheist week.

Lower grade students were forced to draw atheist pictures . . ., ninth graders were assigned by Teacher (Mrs.) Šimanskienė to write a composition "What I would tell a friend kneeling at the altar . . ." The students did not write the composition.

Girdžiai Middle School fourth-grader (Miss) Naira Ročaitytė's deportment grade was lowered to satisfactory during the second tri­mester. Homeroom Teacher (Mrs.) Genienė explained that the grade was decreased because she attends church.

 

Veisiejai (Rayon of Lazdijai)

On February 16, 1982, Veisiejai Middle School grade 8C Home­room Teacher Boleslovas Vyšniauskas accused one of his students, (Miss) Aurelija Poteliūnaitė, of collecting signatures "against teachers" and ordered her to explain in writing what she does in church. When the girl refused to obey, Teacher Boleslovas Vyšniauskas visited the Poteliūnas family, where he did his utmost to convince the parents that such conduct on their daughter's part "could end badly."

On February 17th (Miss) Aurelija Poteliūnaitė was summoned to the principal's office where Security Agent Gylys was waiting for her. "What signatures are you collecting against teachers?" assailed the chekist. When Aurelija explained that she did not collect any signatures against teachers, the security agent began to scold the girl for attending the birthday party of Mindaugas Judeikis. "You didn't have a birthday party there, but talked with Father Juozas Zdebskis. Who else was there?" interrogated Gylys. When (Miss) Aurelija Poteliūnaitė refused to talk, the chekist attempted to "influence" her amiably: You could achieve much . . .

Rokiškis

On March 6, 1982, Teacher (Mrs.) Milda Dilienė, the moder­ator of the atheist club at the Edvardas Tičkus Middle School in Rokiškis, interrogated grade 7C student (Miss) Jolanta Sadaus­kaitė. Teacher (Mrs.) Dilienė coerced (Miss) Sadauskaitė to name her friends who attend and sing in church.

"You used to be in my homeroom, you must therefore report to me. Go to church when you want, you can even sing, but report to me which students sing in the church choir, serve at Holy Mass . . . We want to find out who they all are and punish them," teacher (Mrs.) Dilienė explained to the girl.

On March 10 and 17, 1982, Teacher (Mrs.) Dilienė interrogated grade 5C student (Miss) Gita Tervydytė. She scolded the girl for not wearing the scarf (of the Pioneers — Trans. Note) forcibly imposed on her and for belonging to the children's choir. Teacher (Mrs.) Dilienė threatened to level monetary fines against her parents because she participates in the church's children's choir.

Teacher (Mrs.) Milda Dilienė comes to the church, writes down the names of students who keep vigil and serve at Holy Mass and later terrorizes them.

Teacher (Mrs.) Gasparavičienė of the Edvardas Tičkus Middle School in Rokiškis also humiliates believing students.

 

Tūbinė (Rayon of Šilalė)

On November 18, 1981, the Katauskis family of Tūbinė was visited by a reporter from the republic-wide newspaper Tiesa (Truth) and Grammar School Principal (Mrs.) Valerija Lidienė.

School Principal (Mrs.) Valerija Lidienė attacked (Miss) Reda Katauskytė, shouting that she organizes girls to keep vigil. The principal accused the Katauskis family of telling Šilalė Assistant Pastor Vytautas Skiparis how Tūbinė Grammar School Teachers

(Mrs.) Jakienė and (Mrs.) Jonelienė ridicule students who attend church, and the priest informed the people in his homily.

When the Tiesa reporter asked whether the teachers actually ridicule believing children, (Miss) Reda Katauskytė confirmed that they do and that it is primarily school Principal (Mrs.) Lidienė who does it.

 

Prienai

On February 12, 1982, grade 7C Homeroom Teacher Arvydas Narvydas at Prienai Middle School No. 1 interrogated one of his students, (Miss) Jolanta Urbšaitė. Teacher Narvydas was interested in who was dressed as Santa Claus in the churchyard on Christmas, what he said to the children and youth gathered there, who of her acquaintances were in church that day, does Jolanta sing in the church choir and why does she not join the Communist Youth League?

When (Miss) Jolanta Urbšaitė refused to answer the questions, Teacher Narvydas threatened to lower her deportment grade and thus prevent her from continuing her studies anywhere after she graduates.

 

Birštonas

On April 7, 1982, Middle School Teacher (Miss) Kudžmaitė took grade 4A students Romas Bunevičius and Vaižgantas Žičkus to Principal (Mrs.) Sofija Žiukienė and reported that they serve at Holy Mass. The principal strictly ordered Romas Bunevičius and Vaiž­gantas Žičkus to stop attending church.

On April 12th, Teacher (Miss) Kudžmaitė kept grade 4A students (Miss) Ineta Jarusevičiūtė, (Miss) Lina Pokaitė, Romas Bunevičius and Vaižgantas Žičkus after school because they had attended resur­rection services in the Birštonas church on Easter morning.

 

Garliava (Rayon of Kaunas)

Artur Slepkov, a ninth-grader at the Garliava Middle School, serves at Holy Mass in church.

Teachers, and especially Homeroom Teacher (Mrs.) Petruševi­čienė, continually accuse him of being a hypocrite, and, as a member of the Communist Youth League, of having no right to serve at Mass.

On April 5, 1982, Slepkov went to the rayon Communist Youth League Committee.

"I don't want to be a hypocrite!" explained the boy, handing in his Communist Youth League card.

Principal Nausėda took Slepkov's Communist Youth League card back to school, and Homeroom Teacher (Mrs.) Petruševičienė shoved it into the student's pocket. The boy went to see the principal and returned the card: "You brought it back and you can have it. I was told at the Communist Youth League Committee that a believer can­not carry a Communist Youth League card."

Pressure was mounted. Homeroom Teacher (Mrs.) Petruševi­čienė and Military Training Teacher Neimontas threatened to com­mit Artur Slepkov to the Žiegždriai Psychoneurological Hospital, predicted that in the army he would be sent to a place from which soldiers do not return alive, and suggested he think things over. Artur Slepkov replied that he would not renounce his faith, would always whenever he had the opportunity, serve at Holy Mass and would never take back the Communist Youth League card.