phraseology, as well as additions to the subject matter presented. In general, however, the report contains the composite views of the Committee. Statements of exception on the question of Federal aid to education appear at the conclusion of the section on school finance. We are hopeful that the program of educational conferences will be the real beginning of an intense and continuing effort to acquaint millions of citizens with the needs of their schools and to inspire them to meet these needs. The American people have shown their great hope and confidence in their system of education. This report shows that while much needs to be done for our schools, there is in America an abundance of will to do it and to do it well. Respectfully, Table of Contents I. Description of the Conference Program II. Report of the Committee for the White House Conference 1. What Should Our Schools Accomplish?_ Description of the Conference Program In his state-of-the-Union message to the 83d Congress (2d sess.) on January 7, 1954, the President expressed the hope that a conference on education would be held in each State, culminating in the Nation's first White House Conference on Education. Subsequently, through passage of Public Law 530, the Congress authorized appropriations of $700,000 to be distributed among the States and Territories to defray the costs of these statewide meetings of citizens and educators to discuss their school needs. On September 20, 1954, the President asked the governors of the 53 States and Territories to join with him in bringing about the "most thorough, widespread, and concerted study the American people have ever made of their educational problems." "This study is necessary, I believe, to make citizens realize the importance of immediate and continued action if we are to have agencies that contribute to a well-educated Nation," the President said. A special Committee for the White House Conference on Education, appointed by the President, met in Washington on December 2, 1954, to begin its work of carrying out the President's plans for an unprecedented citizen study of school needs. This Committee accepted three obligations: (1) To give assistance, when invited, to the States and Territories in carrying out their conferences; (2) to plan and conduct the President's White House Conference on Education; and (3) to report to the President on the significant and pressing problems in the field of education. The last obligation is fulfilled by the report which follows. Within 4 months after the President's Committee held its first meeting, the governors of all States and Territories had agreed to cooperate in the Conference program. Funds were allocated to the States and Territories on the basis of population, with a minimum of $5,000. In return for this money, each State and Territory was obligated to furnish a report on its conference program. Although 5 States and 1 Territory did not make application for Federal funds for this purpose, each cooperated fully and submitted a report. The findings of the State and Territorial conferences were released within the States and Territories following the meetings there, and are summarized in this report. Detailed copies of the individual reports, available from State and Territorial departments of education. were furnished to the Committee for the White House Conference on Education. The White House Conference on Education was held in Washington, D. C., November 28 through December 1, 1955. The following six topics were presented for discussion: What should our schools accomplish? In what ways can we organize our school systems more efficiently and economically? What are our school building needs? How can we get enough good teachers and keep them? How can we finance our schools-build and operate them? How can we obtain a continuing public interest in education? The White House Conference restricted itself to discussion of problems affecting the elementary and secondary schools, public and nonpublic. This decision, made by the Committee, was due to the press of time and the fact that these two areas of American education affect the greatest number of persons. Although the number of participants from each State and Territory was specified by the Committee on the basis of population with a minimum of 10, it was felt that selection of State and Territorial participants to attend the White House Conference was a matter for determination within the States and Territories themselves. Because of the President's emphasis on the importance of citizen participation in educational affairs, the Committee, which was composed of onethird educators and two-thirds noneducators, suggested this division to the governors. The White House Conference was composed of almost exactly this ratio. In addition, 283 national organizations with interest in education were invited to name participants in the Conference. The organizations were selected by the Committee on the 2-to-1 ratio. Public Law 530 required that the White House Conference report to the President. This report, which was made public as it was developed by the Conference participants, is contained here. Participants at the discussion tables were invited by the Conference Chairman to notify the Committee if the final reports on the six topics failed to include statements adopted at their tables. A summary of these statements appears at the end of the report of the Conference. This report is the overall report to the President. Its parts are as follows: 1. The report of the President's Committee, based on its own studies into the topics discussed at the White House Conference, the results of the White House Conference, and the results of the State and Territorial conferences. 2. The official report of the White House Conference on Education. |