Miss BORCHARDT. Actually, suppose there were a study on the method of teaching. Senator UPTON. I do not think that is contemplated by this program. Miss BORCHARDT. It is not outlawed. Senator UPTON. No, but it would seem to me to be outside of the program. Miss BORCHARDT. But it is not outlawed; and we respect your integrity as an educator to safeguard social values in such a study. Senator UPTON. I appreciate your fears, but I doubt that this program justifies it. Miss BORCHARDT. I wish you were all the way right. Senator HILL. May I just say, Miss Borchardt as we know dedicated her life to our schools and to the cause of education and the interests of our children. In her statement here today she has certainly well and ably shown us in the correct perspective the problems we face here, from her long experience in the schools working in behalf of education. I not only commend her on her statement but also the emphasis which she has given to the compelling need we have to take action now on the bill our distinguished chairman of the subcommittee has introduced for school construction. I thank you. Miss BORCHARDT. Thank you Senator Hill. May I say to you that in 1946 that you said you would rather have your name on a good school bill than anything you can think of, for from it would come the greatest good for the greatest number. And you are still working for this program and many other fine ones. Senator COOPER. Of the record. (Discussion off the record.) Senator COOPER. I would like to say that I appreciate, with the other members of the committee, this fine statement. It has been so long since I have been a lawyer that I will have to call on both Senator Hill and Senator Upton for the accuracy of my quotations. I do remember the old statement, "he that knoweth the law, or says that he knoweth the law, but knoweth not the reasons, knoweth not the law." In Miss Borchardt one finds she not only has the viewpoint but she knows the reasons behind the viewpoint; and I might say she has a philosophic approach to these problems which somehow we do not see very much of, I think, in our discussions or too often in our speeches on the floor. Senator HILL. What you say, Mr. Chairman, is that she makes the other fellow think; doesn't she? Senator CoOPER. Yes. Miss BORCHARDT. You are very generous, gentlemen. I wish the whole Senate were composed of men as you gentlemen are. Senator COOPER. We are very grateful for your statement and I am sure the committee will be conscious of the dangers you have pointed out. I would like to state this, though, and I think you will agree with me. You heard the testimony today in the statements of Mrs. Hobby and Commissioner Brownell that there is nothing in the record which would indicate that they have any such purposes. I am sure you agree to that. Miss BORCHARDT. The good and possible evils in these bills are not mutually exclusive proposals. Senator COOPER. I know that and I am sure you agree with me in that. But I do want to say we appreciate your pointing out the dangers in any kind of an organization which deals with problems as important as this problem. We will certainly keep it in mind. there any other questions? Senator Upton? Senator UPTON. No. I have no questions. Senator CoOPER. Senator Hill. Senator HILL. I have no questions. Senator COOPER. Thank you very much. Miss BORCHARDT. Thank you very much, gentlemen. Are Senator COOPER. Julia D. Bennett, director of the American Library Association. STATEMENT OF MISS JULIA D. BENNETT, DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON OFFICE, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Miss BENNETT. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. Senator CooPER. You may proceed. Miss BENNETT. I am Julia D. Bennett, director of the Washington office of the American Library Association. The American Library Association is a professional organization of 20,000 librarians, trustees, and friends of libraries interested in the development, extension and strengthening of our Nation's library services. The association endorses the proposal to provide for a White House Conference on Education as embodied in S. 2723. We particularly favor this plan which would lay the groundwork for such a national conference by having a series of State conferences on education. In our efforts to improve and extend library facilities and services, the association has found constantly that the best progress is made when national action is based on the sound judgment, intelligent interest, and direct needs of the local communities and the States. World War II and the complications following it have caused changed attitudes, a greater need for technical skills and professional competencies, and the urgency for acquiring an immediate understanding of the impact of world relations. It is quite appropriate, therefore, to take stock of the educational situation in our country, note its weaknesses and strengths, and to make recommendations for action upon the significant and pressing problems. The American Library Association also endorses S. 2724 which proposes the establishment of a National Advisory Committee on Education in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The association believes that such a body, composed of lay persons vitally interested in education would serve an exceedingly fruitful purpose. This Advisory Committee would be in a strategic position to identify significant problems facing education at the local level, to assist in maintaining the appropriate balance between State and Federal concerns in these matters, and to recommend studies that will lead to effective action. In its nationwide efforts to further the development of _library facilities and services, the American Library Association has become aware of the fact that our educational program has not yet achieved its objective of producing an informed, sound-thinking, competent citizenry. We feel that the Advisory Committee as proposed would be a useful member in the partnership of the States and the Federal Government to make a joint attack on vital educational problems, the successful solution of which means so much to the future strength and security of our Nation. And, finally, the association endorses S. 2856 which would authorize the Office of Education to undertake cooperative research in education. We believe that in many cases research in education of national significance would be greatly improved and costs to the Government lowered, if the Office of Education were empowered to enter into contracts or jointly financed cooperative arrangements with non-Federal agencies, institutions, and organizations. Many of the latter have facilities and staffs already established which could be utilized effectively and economically. Moreover, in instances in which the Office of Education calls upon local agencies or institutions for research activity which has significance and usefulness far beyond a single community or a State, it seems only fair that the Federal Government should assume some of the financial burden and recompense the local participants. The American Library Association urges this subcommittee to give favorable action to these three pieces of important educational legislation in their present form. May I express our appreciation for being able to testify on these three pieces of legislation. Senator COOPER. Senator Upton. Senator UPTON. I wish to thank you for the expression of your views. Senator COOPER. Senator Hill. Senator HILL. I join Senator Upton. Miss Bennett, there is a bill in which you worked long and tirelessly and faithfully. And that is for a very, very, very small amount of Federal aid for library services. Miss BENNETT. Indeed we have. Senator HILL. You would like to see that bill acted on and acted on now, would you not? Miss BENNETT. I certainly would, and by this subcommittee. Senator HILL. And by this subcommittee. The Senate passed it once, did they not? Miss BENNETT. They did, indeed. Senator HILL. You have certainly done a wonderful job in getting support for it. Miss BENNETT. Thank you. Senator COOPER. The American Library Association is a private organization? Miss BENNETT. Yes. It is a nonprofit organization. Senator COOPER. Do you receive any funds at all from the Federal Government? Miss BENNETT. No; we do not. Senator COOPER. Do you receive any from State governments? Miss BENNETT. You mean the association? Senator COOPER. Yes. Miss BENNETT. Our association expenses are borne by the members through membership dues. But we have had in the past some grants from foundations. Senator COOPER. Outside of your natural interest in the whole field of education, do you envisage anything in S. 2723 or the other bills, which would directly affect the Library Association, and the libraries throughout the country? Miss BENNETT. Indeed I do. In the cooperative education field one of the great needs is for school library facilities both in elementary and secondary schools, and in colleges and universities. We feel cooperative research in these areas might bring forth some of the statistics vitally needed to present this. This is also true of the Advisory Committee on Education because in making comprehensive studies of the needs in education we feel that the library situation would be considered, and that the need for more school library facilities and services would be considered. Certainly this would be true in connection with the conference on education as well. Senator COOPER. I join with my colleagues in thanking you for your statement. Miss BENNETT. Thank you. Senator COOPER. Are there any further witnesses? (No response.) Senator COOPER. I have here a statement filed by the Association for Childhood Education International and a statement filed by the Right Reverend Monsignor Frederick G. Hochwalt, director of the department of education of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, which will be inserted in the record. (The statements are as follows:) STATEMENTS OF ASSOCIATION FOR CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL S. 2723-WHITE CONFERENCE BILL The Association for Childhood Education International wishes to endorse Senate bill 2723 to provide for a White House Conference on Education and for State conferences preceding the conference. This seems a fitting time for conferences on the State and Federal levels, at which educators and interested citizens may come together to consider appropriate action on problems in the field of education. We hope that the anticipation of such conferences will not cause a delay in considering how the pressing need for school facilities may be met. We believe State conferences and a White House conference will give emphasis to the important problems in education if there is early and careful planning on the part of educators and interested lay citizens in the States and by the Office of Education. The members of the Association for Childhood Education International, Through the adoption of the 1953-55 Plan of Action, have reaffirmed their feeling of responsibility to critically examine the education of children to discover what services are needed and how present services may be strengthened. A copy of the Plan of Action accompanies this statement. S. 2724-NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL The Association for Childhood Education International is concerned that Senate bill 2724, to establish a National Advisory Committee on Education, will, as written, consist only of lay citizens. A committee having the responsibility of recommending to the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare the initiation of studies of problems of national concern in the field of education should have among its members educators and lay people who are close to the field of education. FRANCES HAMILTON, NATIONAL CATHOLIC WELFARE CONFERENCE, The Honorable JOHN S. Cooper, Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, Senate Office Building, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR SENATOR COOPER: As director of the department of education of the National Catholic Welfare Conference I should like to express my opinion on S. 2724, 2. 2856, and S. 2723 now pending before your subcommittee. May I request that this letter be included in the record of the public hearings on these measures. For many vears the United States Office of Education from time to time has sought the advice of competent lay persons in reference to problems of national concern in the field of education. S. 2724 apparently would do no more than regularize this practice by creating a permanent advisory group to assist the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in reaching decisions about the best kind of research and studies to be undertaken by the United States Office of Education. If the members of the advisory group represent a true cross-section of lay opinion on educational matters, their committee should be able to give valuable advice to the Secretary. S. 2724 seems to be in full accord with the American tradition of enlisting lay understanding and support for educational enterprises. S. 2856 to authorize cooperative research in education would enable the United States Office of Education to exercise sound leadership in this field and would help to eliminate fruitless duplication of research projects. This measure would serve to coordinate educational research for the general welfare of the Nation's schools. With regard to S. 2723 to provide for a White House Conference on Education, may I say that I see no substantial reason to disagree with the general comments on this proposal which appear in House Report No. 1384 to accompany H. R. 7601, a companion bill to S. 2723. The House report notes that the State conferences which are to precede the White House conference would enlist "the participation of interested laymen and community leaders, as well as professional educators, in consideration of the grave educational problems existing throughout the Nation today and center attention on the ways in which State and local resources can be mobilized." The House report also alludes to the "sound concept" on which these conferences are to be based. This concept is "that the problems of the Nation's schools must be solved cooperatively by the local community, the State and the Federal Government, with the fullest possible use being made of local and State resources, and with the Federal Government coming into the picture only where the national interest requires national leadership and action." I assume that these State conferences will make good use of the abundant available data about the many urgent needs of both public and private schools and will concentrate their attention upon fair and equitable procedures for meeting these needs. I have some apprehension about the prudence of allowing the Commissioner of Education to accept donations for the conferences to be used in accordance with the wishes of the donors." I should think it would be better for all concerned if such donations were made and accepted in a spirit of pure altruism so they might be used for no other purpose than the general good of the conferences. On behalf of the department of education, National Catholic Welfare Conference, I should like to pledge cooperation with any conferences concerned with the welfare of all the Nation's schools. I appreciate this opportunity to present my point of view on these measures. Sincerely yours, FREDERICK G. HOCHWALT, Director, Department of Education. Senator COOPER. If there are no other witnesses I think this will conclude the hearings on these three bills. The record will be left open for 10 days. If there are others who desire to file statements during that time they will be submitted to the committee. If there are no other witnesses and no other reason to continue these hearings we close the hearings on these three bills. |