STIMULATION OF AREA SCHOOLS WITH FEDERAL FUNDS

In line with the thought that I think you expressed before that Federal help should serve as a stimulus, I think Federal funds for area school districts at this time would help to stimulate faster action in Wisconsin. That is one reason why I am in favor of title XII.

It costs about $32 million a year to run the Milwaukee institution. About $2,900,000 is secured through a tax levy under a $2 million provision on the tax dollar.

I want to say that the Federal contribution to this $32 million budget is $67,000. Probably 97 percent of the total funds secured for actual operation of the institution come from local taxation.

Senator PURTELL. May I interrupt? Do you get much aid from the local industries that you are actually supplying with trained personnel in the way of equipment needed?

Mr. RASCHE. To some extent we do, but not too much. We have operated rather independently with regard to our position in the community. We buy our equipment although we will soon reach a point, where our local millage in view of inflated prices, higher salaries and higher building costs, and so forth, will make it necessary for us to look for new sources of income.

DESCRIPTION OF BUILDING

Next to that building that you see in the picture, you will notice that there is a bridge across to the right. That connects with another building on the block adjacent to the one on which this six-story building is located. There, too, is a block long building, two stories high now and to be raised to a four-story level, which will be the final level. About a month ago we got from our common council authorization of the sale of bonds to the extent of $750,000.

We need beyond that $550,000 to complete that building. If we take that $550,000 out of our 2-mill tax money, it will take us 2 years to provide it. That is, we are going to raise $350,000 in 1959, and $200,000 in the year following to make the $550,000 we need.

So it is going to take 2 years to complete the buildings using all of our resources that are available to us locally. But we will not be able to equip that building when it is completed.

If I understand this bill correctly, title V provides for the type of equipment that we are interested in getting for these new technical deparments that are to be put into that building.

That, gentlemen, is about the essence of what I would like to say concerning this bill. I want to thank you for the opportunity of presenting this material to you.

(Full text of statement by William H. Rasche follows:)

S. 3187 is a bill which makes provision for strengthening the national defense and includes support for vocational and technical education. I am registering in favor of such support.

Vocational and adult schools such as we have in larger centers of Wisconsin are particularly well adapted to develop skilled tradesmen, technicians and supervisory personnel for war industries and the military services. During World War II the Milwaukee vocational and adult schools prepared 36,862 civilian people for such services, over and above the usual yearly enrollment, at the request of the Federal Government. This was accomplished by the continuous operation of the school plant on a 24 hour per day basis during part of

the war period. The vocational school, as organized and administered under existing laws, is ready today to meet a similar emergency.

The Milwaukee vocational and adult school system consists of the five types of schools listed below. The enrollment of each is given as of February 7, 1958.

THE VOCATIONAL AND ADULT SCHOOLS SERVE RESIDENT AND NONRESIDENT STUDENTS

The student body of the several schools is composed of both residents and nonresidents. Thus, for example, the technical institute has students in attend. ance from 27 Wisconsin counties, 3 States, and 14 countries. Of its 1,941 students enrolled in February, 135 were nonresidents.

MILWAUKEE'S TECHNICAL CENTER IS LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE The operations of the five schools are located in two large downtown buildings, each occupying a city block. One is six stories high and the other, with two operating floors now in use, will soon be expanded by the addition of two more stories. The two buildings are connected by a bridge at the two-story level and a subway under the street which is between them.

The replacement value of the two buildings and their equipment is approximately $15 million.

The board owns other land in two adjacent blocks to accommodate future expansions when needed.

THE SYSTEM'S CHIEF FINANCIAL SUPPORT COMES FROM LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES

The 1957 budget for the system was $3,483,700. Of this amount, $2,969,146 was raised through a local tax levy. The Federal Government provided $67,413, and the balance came from State aid, nonresident tuition, fees, registration, and other miscellaneous items.

ENROLLMENT PRESSURE IS CREATING DIFFICULT PROBLEMS

Milwaukee's school enrollment is increasing rapidly in the general schools. This increase is also reflected in the larger number of students enrolling in the Vocational board's technical institute division. In 1954 the institute enrollment was 1,516. As indicated above, on last February 7 it was 1,941, an increase of 28 percent. This is but the beginning of the greater enrollment that will follow.

MORE SCIENCE FACILITIES ARE NEEDED

To complete the technical building will cost $1,300,000. All this money must be raised locally. The common council will provide $750,000 of the sum needed through the sale of bonds and the board will provide the rest out of its 2-mill tax from which it also receives its operation funds. It cannot raise the additional $550,000 in 1 year. It will, therefore, raise $350,000 in 1959 and the balance in 1960. It will not have enough funds to equip all the new science laboratories that are to be located in this building as soon as they are needed. Federal assistance as proposed in title V of the bill under consideration will help expedite the development of these urgently needed science facilities.

Similar needs are developing in other schools of our State and unquestionably also in the schools, institutes, and colleges of other States. The importance of such facilities in the education of technicians, apprentices, and specialists seeking extension training should not be underestimated. The rapidly increasing enrollments and the urgency created by the international situation make imperative the rapid development of science facilities in our schools at all levels.

APPRENTICE TRAINING IS ALSO IMPORTANT

Apprentices in Wisconsin are indentured by the industrial commission. They learn trades in the shops and laboratories of their employers and attend voca

tional schools 4 to 8 hours per week to secure related training in science, mathematics, trade technology, blueprint reading, trade codes, et cetera. Their usual apprentice term is 4 years. Minimum school attendance is 400 hours. In some trades it runs as high as 720 hours.

This program has been developed by the commission with the aid of advisory committees on which educators, management, and labor are represented. This system has been in force for almost a half century and is very successful in developing a highly efficient work force. In Milwaukee most trades require a high school education as a prerequisite to entering an apprenticeship.

Apprentices in Milwaukee work in over 40 different major occupations. Each occupation has its own advisory committee. In 1954 the number of apprentices on school assignments was 952. On last February 7 the enrollment was 1,076. This was an increase of 13 percent.

EXTENSION TRAINING IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT

A more informal training is acquired by adult workers who attend evening classes to secure extension training while employed. In periods of unemployment such workers also attend day classes. The adult education in day and evening classes exceeds that of apprentices and institute students combined. The upgrading accomplished in extension classes in Milwaukee contributes greatly to the skill and efficiency of workers. Similar results are obtained in other Wisconsin schools.

APPRENTICE, EXTENSION AND TECHNICAL TRAINING ARE KEY TO EFFECTIVE INDUSTRIAL DEFENSE

The combination of apprentice, extension and technical training enables industry to develop its manpower resources effectively. This has been proven often in industrial cities which provide such programs. Need exists to reach out to the larger areas surrounding such cities. Our States are just beginning to give consideration to area schools.

As yet not all the potential manpower that could be interested is availing itself of vocational education opportunities in the larger cities. Cities accept nonresidents on a tuition basis. Usually the tuition does not cover the full cost of the training provided. Even so, it is often too high to attract those who should avail themselves of the instruction they need. Undoubtedly at some future time the financial problems involved in this dilemma will be resolved. The provision made under title XII would for a period of years provide the stimulus needed to accelerate the development of area schools in the States. It would be a means for greatly increasing the work force needed for defense purposes and, as a byproduct, would help fortify many young people now living on farms and in villages who ultimately will be migrating to the cities to obtain employment.

Therefore, I believe the Federal Government would do well to provide such assistance as is proposed under title XII of this bill.

The CHAIRMAN. We want to thank you very much, sir, for your splendid statement and for your being with us.

Our colleague, a member of the committee, Senator McNamara of Michigan, who served on the Detroit School Board before coming to the Senate, has always had a deep interest in vocational education and was very anxious to be with us this morning to present the next witness, but, unfortunately, he had to be at the McClellan committee. He wanted to be here to tell of the fine work that our next witness is doing out in the great State of Michigan.

On behalf of Senator McNamara and the other members of the committee, we want to welcome you, Mr. Kohrman. We want to tell you how glad we are to have you here.

You are the dean of the School of Applied Arts and Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich.

STRESS ON SCIENCE-TEACHING EQUIPMENT

Senator MORSE. Before we turn to this witness, may I make a very brief statement about the previous witness Mr. Rasche? I am familiar with his great work in Wisconsin.

He is a great vocational educator. I have read his testimony and I want to particularly call attention to his testimony in which he says more science facilities are needed. Of course, that can be said for almost every State, but I think it would be well to emphasize it at this point in the record. He says:

To complete the technical building will cost $1,300,000. All this money must be raised locally. The common council will provide $750,000 of the sum needed through the sale of bonds and the board will provide the rest out of its 2-mill tax from which it also receives its operation funds. It cannot raise the additional $550,000 in 1 year. It will, therefore, raise $350,000 in 1959 and the balance in 1960. It will not have enough funds to equip all the new science laboratories that are to be located in this building as soon as they are needed. Federal assistance as proposed in title V of the bill under consideration will help expedite the development of these urgently needed science facilities.

I do not think we can emphasize too much, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, this sort of testimony. You will find it in every State. As far as we can find out from the evidence available, as I shall indicate in my testimony later this morning, Russia is not waiting. She equips those laboratories, those comparable laboratories.

I want to thank the witness from Wisconsin for stressing this point in his testimony because it bears out the very important problem that confronts us, that we have got to have a speedup in our time schedule for these facilities.

The CHAIRMAN. I may say that Dr. Mobley, who was our first witness this morning, emphasized very strongly the point that the Senator is now emphasizing.

Mr. Kohrman?

STATEMENT OF GEORGE E. KOHRMAN, DEAN, SCHOOL OF APPLIED ARTS AND SCIENCES, WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY, KALAMAZOO, MICH.

Mr. KOHRMAN. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the comment that you made in my introduction. For the record, however, I would like to indicate that I am a "Michigander" by adoption. I was born and reared in the State of Missouri. I received my education at the University of Missouri and served for 9 years as State supervisor of trade and industrial education in that State.

Previous to that, I spent approximately 10 years as a high-school teacher.

I came to Michigan 7 years ago as dean of the School of Applied Arts and Sciences at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. As you all know, that city is located in the southwestern part of the State in the highly industrialized section.

Since our time is limited, I am going to stay pretty close to the notes that I have written, a copy of which I believe you have in your hands.

Today, I want to talk to you about three things: (1) the program of vocational technical training we have in operation at Western

Michigan University, (2) the need for such training, and, (3) some of the major problems we face in conducting educational programs of this nature.

VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL TRAINING PROGRAMS

Starting in 1937 with a 2-year technical program in aircraft mechanics of Western, we have since added 7 other programs. Our offerings now include 2-year programs in the following areas: aeronautical technology, automotive technology, drafting and design, industrial electronics, machine tool technology, refrigeration and air conditioning, television, radio, and communications. Students who complete these programs are awarded certification. The instructional staff has been obtained from the ranks of industry, men with experience in production and technology, who have shown special interests and aptitudes in teaching.

Senator ALLOTT. Could I interrupt and ask a question at this point? This will probably answer several questions for me.

In your first category, for example, aeronautical technology, how far does that carry your student; the design of wings, aircraft construction, repair, aircraft or what?

Mr. KOHRMAN. We have at our institution a program for the preparation of young men to receive licenses in A. and E. mechanics.

Senator ALLOTT. There is one other technology, machine tool technology. Just to clear this up in my own mind, how far would that carry a student?

Mr. KORHMAN. It takes the student through the basic areas of machine shop, the use of the various types of equipment in machine shops that we have in industry. Secondly, it includes areas dealing with metallurgy, the kind and nature of the various types of iron and steel, ferrous and nonferrous metals, also the testing of such metals. Senator ALLOTT. Thank you.

TESTING TO SCREEN APPLICANTS

Mr. KOHRMAN. A testing program has been set up to screen the applicants on the basis of special (1) aptitudes, (2) interests, and (3) general ability to profit from the instruction. In mathematics all students take algebra, trigonometry, and analytic geometry. Basic physical science and courses in oral and written communications are part of the course of study. In this area more students were turned down than in any other area of the institution.

What are the graduate of these 2-year terminal programs prepared to do? Who is this person we call a technician? The technician is a person who has a broad technical background so that he knows why things work, not just how they work. He is mathematically competent, understands laws and principles of the physical world about him, and is able to communicate effectively with others. The technician performs semiprofessional functions under the general supervision of the scientist, engineer, or plant superintendent. In many instances, the technician may serve as a liaison between the engineer or scientist on the one hand, and the skilled craftsman on the other hand.