time but where, from the standpoint of helping the educators and citizens, the material needs to be brought together; there need to be gaps filled in, in the information that we have, and there needs to be a careful summary, if I may use that term, of what are the steps that are needed to move ahead generally on such problems.

I think, for instance, of such problems as the role of the school in the prevention and reduction of juvenile delinquency; the problem of illiteracy in Selective Service; the problem of teacher education; such problems as the education of children of special abilities, or the education of handicapped children, both mentally and physically. We have had in the past sporadic task-force studies of some of our problems in education.

The purpose of this committee would be to have a group of citizens who would meet 3 or 4 times a year to advise the Secretary on what you might call the priority of attack on such problems, to recommend the amounts of time and money that should be put in on such a taskforce study and then, when the studies were complete, to recommend to educators, to citizens, locally, Statewide and on the national level, what are the types of things growing out of the study that ought to be followed through.

We believe that such a committee of citizens, as an advisory group to the Secretary, would do much to provide over the years a series of fundamental reports and studies in the field of education that would be helpful in meeting these needs that have been discussed.

Then the third bill, which has to do with cooperative research projects to study educational problems, proposes that the authority, the specific authority, he granted to the Office of Education to engage in cooperative research, and we believe there are certain advantages in this.

In our colleges, universities, State department of education, local school systems, and some of the nonprofit organizations in the field of education, there are research facilities, personnel and other resources that are not now being tapped for work on problems of education of national concern.

We believe that by having money available for research grants that we could enlist a great deal of talent that is necessary for research studies in the field of education at a relatively small investment.

If you look at the amount of research that is being done in education and consider the importance of education, in comparison with the research that is being done in other fields, such as agriculture, health and industial fields, it is quite evident that one of the things that we need to do is to strengthen research for the improved efficiency of education.

I think of such areas as these that might be proper areas for studiessuch things as building costs, both college and schools; such things as business procedures in connection with schools, teaching methods, school district reorganization, and teacher education.

I could list any number of areas in which research studies are needed at the present time.

We believe that by this procedure we would not only utilize the research facilities where they are located and use them to good advantage; we think it would be less costly to the Federal Government and we think, likewise, there would be less danger of Federal control,

because the work would be done in the responsible organizations, in cooperation with the Office of Education.

Mr. Chairman, those are the points that I would make in connection with these three bills, and I would be very glad to answer questions. Senator COOPER. You haven't finished your presentation, have you?

Secretary HOBBY. I have a very brief statement to finish.

This, Mr. Chairman, concludes our testimony in support of S. 2723, S. 2724, and S. 2856.

To summarize:

The State and White House conferences on education would foster nationwide understanding of the problems of education and mobilize resources for local, State, and Federal action.

The National Advisory Committee would make available the advice and recommendations of outstanding citizens.

Cooperative research in education would stimulate solutions to educational problems of national significance.

Together, the three bills guarantee, we believe, a wise, constructive and well-balanced approach to the educational problems of the Nation. We, therefore, urge favorable consideration of these bills by your committee.

Senator COOPER. Thank you, Mrs. Hobby.

At this point I want to place in the record the statement of Secretary Hobby and the charts.

(The statement and charts referred to are as follows:)

STATEMENT BY OVETA CULP HOBBY, SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND

WELFARE

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, it is a pleasure to appear before you today in support of the three principal legislative proposals which were introduced by your distinguished chairman, Senator Alexander Smith.

S. 2723 would provide for State and White House conferences on education; S. 2724, would create a National Advisory Committee on Education; S. 2856 would authorize cooperative research in education.

All of us are aware of the importance of education to the strength and vitality of our Nation. The security of America and the hopes of the free world depend in great measure upon the character, the ideas, the ingenuity, and the competence of each successive generation of young people. The complexities of today's world call for broader knowledge, greater skill, and deeper understanding. Hence education whether at home, at church, or in our schools, is more important than ever before to the continued well-being of the Nation.

The control and management of our schools in America is traditionally and properly a local and State function. The role of the Federal Government iswithout interference-to aid and promote the cause of education.

We must recognize, nevertheless, that America is confronted by many grave and complex educational problems. You will recall that President Eisenhower said in his State of the Union message:

"Youth-our greatest resource is being seriously neglected in a vital respect. The Nation as a whole is not preparing teachers or building schools fast enough to keep up with the increase in our population."

Although vigorous efforts are being made by many of the States and local communities to provide new school buildings and teachers, there are still great and widespread inadequacies. Not only are we short of classrooms and teachers for those in school today, but we also face increasing shortages ahead. These

and other problems constitute tremendous challenges. We believe that the Administration's proposals offer the most constructive approach toward a solution of these problems.

To provide a background of factual information against which the bills before you can be considered, I shall ask Dr. Brownell to present in graphic form a summary of the most pressing of our educational problems.

BACKGROUND CHARTS

The first two charts show the large increases in school enrollments since 1930:

This chart is based upon census figures from the decennial census. It compares the number of children in school and not in school by age groups in 1930 and in 1950.

The most notable changes are shown at the early and later age groups.

The increase in percent of 5-year-old, 6-year-old, and 7-year-old children in school indicates the larger proportion of younger children now entering school: Whereas in 1930, about 20 percent of 5-year-olds were enrolled in schools, about 33 percent were enrolled in 1950. For 6-year-olds, the increase was from 65 percent to nearly 80 percent.

At the other end of the chart, the increase of 16-, 17-, and 18-year-old children remaining in school indicates the greater holding power of school in this age group. In 1930, only about 50 percent of the 17-year-olds remained in school. By 1950, this had increased to over 65 percent.

Both of these increases mean a greater load for the schools. Thus as the country now increases the total number of children, the increased load on the schools is in greater proportion than just population increase because of the larger percentage of children ages 5-7 and 15-18 that are in school.

Attention is called also to the still large percentage of the 17- and 18-year-old children not in school (one-third and two-thirds, respectively) because of its importance in terms of waste of potential trained workers for the Nation.

46149-54-3

This chart indicates that the increased total in school and college enrollment since 1944 has been due chiefly to increased elementary school enrollment. Enrollment predictions can be made with considerable accuracy once births are known because the average pupil starts at 5 or 6 years of age and continues about 13 years in school. Projections to 1960 are therefore on the basis of children already born. The following may influence these figures:

(a) If there is a continuing increase in the percent of 5- or 6-year-olds entering school, the elementary figures must be increased.

(b) If the percent of dropouts, ages 16, 17, and 18, decreases, the high-school estimate must be increased.

(c) If the percent of youth attending college increases, the college figures need to be revised upward.

Births for 1953 are estimated at about 4 million. A future rise in enrollment beyond 1960 would seem reasonable when it is recognized that during the 1960's there will be a great increase in family units reflecting the increase in population which began in the late 1940's.

This chart indicates that from 1930 to 1950 there was an actual reduction in the number of classrooms available due to obsolescence of buildings, abandoning one-room schools by consolidation, and destruction of buildings by fire and other

causes.

The problem of reducing the number of needed classrooms becomes increasingly difficult to finance because:

(a) Some school districts have reached the debt ceiling placed by statute or State constitution.

(b) Some school districts operate within tax limitations placed by statute or constitution. They have reached the tax limitation at the present time.

(c) There is a great lag in adjustment of property value, which is the base for local school revenue in most school districts.

The number of new classrooms provided in the past years approximated 47,000 in 1951, 50,000 in 1952, and more than 50,000 in 1953, but it is not keeping up with the increase in classrooms needed. The number of new classrooms needed annually is approximately 117,000. To provide the more than 340,000 needed classrooms would cost $10 billion to $12 billion.

This chart points up the need for teachers. In the face of a general need for more competently educated citizens, we find an increasing percentage of children today receiving schooling either from teachers who are substandard in their preparation, or in overcrowded classrooms, or in half-day sessions.