Activity American Education Week---- Rank Frequency order 7 5 National Congress of Parents and Teachers leadership in promotion Wide dissemination of report to the President on White House More announcements on national radio and TV, press releases, etc__ TABLE 4 Activities listed at the State and Territorial conferences on education as being helpful in obtaining a continuing public interest in education at the local level, arranged in order of frequency. Establishment of local citizens commissions in every community to 10 2 34 23 1 17 16 14 Continuous effort by schools to involve citizens in neighborhood groups to study and evaluate the schools_. More utilization by the community of the mass media in stimulating public interest and understanding of schools- Boards of education should release news through press, radio, and Encouragement and assistance to teachers to participate in community affairs_____ Recruitment of promotional and communications experts to assist citizens committees to improve communications-- Wider community use of school facilities in the evenings and during vacations____ 6 15 School personnel and board members should show more willingness in accepting their public relations responsibilities- Greater support and cooperation with PTA by lay and professional groups TABLE 5 Activities listed at the State and Territorial conferences on education as being helpful in obtaining a continuing public interest in education at the State and national level, arranged in order of frequency. Activity State leve! Rank Frequency order A statewide citizens commission should be organized to promote a The office of the State superintendent of public instruction should Annual State conferences for the next 3 to 5 years to review progress Statewide public opinion studies should be carried on as a means of aiding the local and State school public relations program____ A public relations director should be provided in the State office to work through local school districts_____ Studies of the results of State conferences should be made and, Leadership at the State level in greater use of mass media in de- National level Extension of the National Citizens Commission for the Public Serious study by the Federal Government of the feasibility of estab- 379439°- -56-7 89 Report of The White House Conference on Education The White House Conference on Education was obligated by Public Law 530, 83d Congress, to report to the President on the "significant and pressing problems in the field of education." The section which follows is the report of the Conference on each of the six discussion topics. A unique Conference procedure was used to develop these reports. Each person named, either by his State or his national organization, to participate in the Conference was furnished in advance a document entitled "Suggested Homework for the Participants in the White House Conference on Education." This material summarized facts, figures, and points of view pertinent to each of the topics to be discussed. At the Conference itself, participants were assigned to numbered discussion tables, 11 persons to each. This seating arrangement was devised by electronic punchcard machinery which took into account the residence, occupation, and sex of each participant, as well as his attendance or lack of attendance at his State conference. Thus each of the 166 discussion tables was assigned a mixture of participants representative of the entire Conference. A general session for all participants was held before the discussion of each topic. Here the member of the President's Committee who served as subcommittee chairman for that particular topic summarized the facts, figures, and issues relevant to the subject. Following this summary, participants went to their assigned tables to discuss questions provided to them. Each table selected its own chairman, discussed its answers to the questions, and approved a report setting forth conclusions. The table chairman then met with other chairmen (at 16 simultaneous meetings, each attended by approximately 10 chairmen) and began evolving the Conference report. This Chairman's Session "A" resulted in 16 condensed reports, representing the principal findings of the 166 discussion tables. Chairmen's Session "B" then followed, attended by the 16 chairmen of Session "A". Again a distillation of findings was made to bring out the answers most often given at the discussion tables. Ses sion "B" was at 2 tables of 8 persons each. The final distillation took place at Session "C," where the two chairmen of the "B" tables met to write the final report. While these chairmen were going through this proce, all other Conference participants had moved to the next topic, sell their discussion chairman, and repeated the process. Each table discussed all six subjects. The report which follows is the six summary conclusions reached in this process after every participant had opportunity to state his beliefs and opinions. Nothing has been changed in the Conference report. The material which follows is verbatin, as delivered to the Conference by the final discussion chairmen. What Should Our Schools Accomplish? The people of the United States have inherited a commitment, and have the responsibility to provide for all a full opportunity for a free public education regardless of physical, intellectual, social, or emotional differences, or of race, creed, or religion. The fullest measure of local initiative and control should be maintained, but no level of government (local, State, or national) should be relieved of its appropriate responsibility in fulfilling this commitment. In groups where the private schools were discussed, there was a consensus that the right of the private school to exist, and of the right of parents to choose, and of children to attend, this is an accepted part of the American tradition of education. We believe that education is necessary for the fullest development and enrichment of the individual. The continued success of our democratic way of life requires that every individual be afforded that education necessary to enable him to make an intelligent choice and to effect necessary compromises on questions of public policy. Education is a sound and necessary investment in the future wellbeing of our Nation and its citizens. It is the consensus of these groups that the schools should continue to develop: 1. The fundamental skills of communication-reading, writing, spelling as well as other elements of effective oral and written expression; the arithmetical and mathematical skills, including problem solving. While schools are doing the best job in their history in teaching these skills, continuous improvement is desirable and necessary. 2. Appreciation for our democratic heritage. 3. Civic rights and responsibilities and knowledge of American institutions. 4. Respect and appreciation for human values and for the beliefs of others. 5. Ability to think and evaluate constructively and creatively. 6. Effective work habits and self-discipline. 7. Social competency as a contributing member of his family and community. 8. Ethical behavior based on a sense of moral and spiritual values. 9. Intellectual curiosity and eagerness for life-long learning. 12. Wise use of time, including constructive leisure pursuits. 13. Understanding of the physical world and man's relation to it as represented through basic knowledge of the sciences. 14. An awareness of our relationships with the world community. To achieve these things for every child the schools must have an effective program of guidance and counseling in preparation for the world of work. In each school an appropriate balance must be maintained in the educational program to insure wholesome, all-round development of the individual with provision for the stimulation and development of the useful talents of all children, including the retarded, average, and gifted children. So that they can better appreciate the advantages of our democratic way of life, students should be provided with a well-balanced course in the social sciences which includes the historical development of our constitutional form of government, and the contributions which various cultures have made to it. All children should be free to seek the truth wherever it can be found. The school must accept responsibility in determining its place in working in cooperation with appropriate community institutions and agencies toward enriching the lives of its students. It must help them apply ethical values which will guide their moral judgments and their conduct, and to develop the recognition that these values stem from, among other sources, their spiritual and religious convictions. On this latter point, more time is necessary for the development of a common viewpoint. New challenges in education: Consideration must be given to the need for continuing growth and development in education at all levels in amount and scope, to keep up with the economic, social, and moral implications resulting from the advances in technology and science. ADAM S. BENNION. |