OKLAHOMA EXPERIENCE

In Oklahoma we have begun to encourage more cooperation between the universities and the high schools in a number of ways. The University of Oklahoma has developed a science service staffed by the science faculty to provide consultant service to schools throughout the State who request their help. The science service advises on teaching materials and curriculum planning. It helps with science fairs and clubs, and has been very successful in bringing career scientists and engineers into these activities, thus giving students an opportunity to obtain practical vocational advice and to observe real scientists at work. Our State university at Stillwater recently received national news coverage on its program of having scientists ride circuit to the high school. The university has a traveling chemistry laboratory manned by an MIT-trained teacher. It enables about 250 students in 18 small high schools to study chemistry.

The Oklahoma City Public School System now operates a UHF television station. An excellent film service is used for teaching science not only in the city schools but also in several of the smaller surrounding school systems which have inadequate science facilities.

The Oklahoma Frontiers of Science Foundation, sponsored by a group of public-spirited citizens, among its many activities conducts programs in science education for school students and teachers. The foundation supported a statewide test for high school students to identify those who were gifted with scientific aptitudes, and followed up the test with guidance material. Its science information service provides a monthly packet of materials for science teachers.

Other States are also undertaking new efforts to improve science education and increase public understanding of recent scientific advances. Some of these activities offer challenging ideas which could be expanded through our legislation and made available to students throughout the country.

CONCENTRATION ON REAL IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY

I am convinced that we must make sure that the Federal effort is concentrated on real improvement in the quality of education. In planning the administrative organization necessary to a Federal program we must direct it toward this end, and at the same time avoid at all costs any multiplication of red tape or administrative overhead that will consume available funds without attaining our objective. I would urge that we avoid employing science and mathematics supervisors to sit in the State capitol making rules and regulations and keeping records instead of getting out in the field to work with students and teachers.

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I would like to invite the attention of the committee to the very wise advice of Dr. Morris Meister, principal of the Bronx High School of Science. I was very much impressed with Dr. Meister's testimony before this committee because of his practical experience as well as his eloquence.

DR. MEISTER'S ELOQUENT WARNING

Dr. Meister warns us about the dangers of the "dead center of inaction." When concern is expressed over the Russian challenge, there

When

is an equal and opposite reaction warning us not to panic. we stress the need for improving science and mathematics education, we are charged with attempting to squeeze out the humanities. When we propose to increase the number of scientists and engineers we are told we need quality and not quantity. We are discouraged from providing inducements for potential science teachers by the injured cries of the teachers of other important subjects. We are enmeshed in the conflict between those who want Federal help and those who fear Federal interference. In the world of education we must pacify both the traditionalists and the modernists. Each proposal generates a doleful warning.

I am convinced that it is time to act, to get off the "dead center of inaction." Our scientists tell us that we are at the dawn of a scientific revolution. We face a struggle for national survival. We can no longer afford an educational system oriented to an era that ended 20 years ago. We need scientists, engineers, linguists, politicians, administrators, and most of all American citizens who are mentally prepared for a changing world.

Our legislation will not be perfect. It will certainly not satisfy everyone, but let it not be said that we did not try, that we were afraid to try, that we ignored our problems in the vain hope that they would evaporate.

Mr. Chairman, I want to express my appreciation to you and to the distinguished members of your committee again for the inspiration and leadership you have given the Senate, and I would like to include the devoted members of your staff: Stewart McClure, John Forsythe, Roy James, Michael Bernstein, and William Reidy. They have been very helpful to me and to my staff in their discussions of various features of the pending legislation.

The CHAIRMAN. Senator, we were certainly very happy to have you here this morning. We realize that you have pending business on the floor of the Senate. We appreciate these suggestions which you have brought us. We know your deep interest in this matter and you may be assured that we shall certainly consider carefully all that you suggest here this morning.

Senator MONRONEY. I would be glad to answer any questions on anything I have said or particularly with regard to the utilization of this vocational educational agency which is already set up and going. Senator SMITH. We appreciate your contribution today.

Senator YARBOROUGH. I have been called to Interstate and Foreign Commerce. They are in executive session and they are voting on some bills that I have been very active on. I would like to have had the privilege of hearing the rest of the statements by our distinguished colleagues.

Senator MORSE. I do not know whether Russia is ahead of the United States or the United States is ahead in education. I do not think that is so material. The question is whether or not we are as far ahead as we ought to be in doing the best possible educational job for our boys and girls. On that, I think the evidence is overwhelming that

we are not.

I want to say a word for the educators in the grade schools and high schools, because, in my judgment, they are the experts that we ought to look to. That does not mean that we should accept their judgment, but they should have great presumptive weight with us.

The President of the United States some weeks ago made a statement that I thought was particularly fitting when he pointed out the difference in curriculum training of the Russian boys and girls. I do not know what the quality of their teaching is. I am simply saying we must look at it curricularwise. There is no question that they have done a far better curriculum job than we are doing in the United States.

That is what our educators at the secondary level are telling us and that is one of the things that the Senator from Pennsylvania was trying to do something about in the bill, parts of which at least I am going to offer as amendments to the Hill bill.

The CHAIRMAN. Senator Javits. Senator, we are happy to have you here, sir. We are sorry that you had to wait as long as you did, but you know the Good Book tells us that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. You are now first. We are glad to have you, sir. Senator SMITH. You are not reflecting on our previous witnesses. The CHAIRMAN. Not at all, but he has moved up to first place. He is first now.

STATEMENT OF HON. JACOB K. JAVITS, A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK

Senator JAVITS. I will take a very few minutes because I intend to confine my testimony to a specialized aspect of this bill. I would like to say, first, however, that I qualify for having been here and listened very carefully to my colleagues and I thoroughly agree with Senator Clark. I hope very much that the committee will have in its bill Federal aid to school construction. I do not believe that the quarrel about the so-called racial issue will kill it. I do not think it is going to be as serious as that. For example, even in my bill, I think there is something very strongly supporting that view.

The provision relates to noncompliance with a specific Federal court order which certainly is a far cry from the so-called Powell amendment. I do not think it should intimidate the committee and I think that it will not.

I also thoroughly agree with Senator Clark on the question of teachers' salaries. We have that evidenced very solidly in the biggest city in the United States.

So I want to declare myself very clearly on those two points. I thoroughly agree and I hope very much that the committee will do it because I think that the essence of our situation is that sputnik has alerted us to the fact we are falling behind; that we are in danger. Thank God for sputnik, gentlemen, because I think it pulled a bell in time if we have ears to hear it and the hearts to do what it demands.

FEDERAL LOANS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

I have in mind a specialized aspect of the Hill bill before the committee and a bill of a number of Senators and myself which relate to Federal loans for college students.

I would like to devote my testimony to that, if you will allow me, and ask the permission of the committee to insert at the end of my testimony facts and figures on the situation in New York City and in our second largest city in the State of New York, Buffalo.

The CHAIRMAN. We would be happy to have those figures in the record, Senator, following your remarks.

(See p. 1217.)

Mr. JAVITS. The New York City Board of Education has stated that the crucial problem facing science education today is the lack of a sufficient number of well-qualified teachers in science and mathematics. To get them you have to pay them and you have to make possible not only their payment on the job but their on-the-job training and their summer training.

By way of just an interesting figure, in our junior high schools in the city of New York half the people teaching mathematics are teaching without a license to teach mathematics.

The CHAIRMAN. Half of them?

Senator JAVITS. Half of them; 310 out of 632.

The CHAIRMAN. They are on emergency certificates?

Senator JAVITS. They are on emergency certificates to teach that subject. They are not licensed to teach mathematics.

I think that gives you a pretty fair measure of the situation. In our vocational high schools, between 40 and 50 percent of the science and mathematics teachers are teaching out of license.

This is the biggest city in the country. We certainly ought to be able to attract teachers. The salary scale, as the country goes, is pretty good. I will give you those figures. However, the answer is not enough to attract the young people whom we need as teachers.

VALUE OF LOAN PROGRAM

On the fundamental point of a loan program, I strongly believe that taking political realities, economic realities at what they are, if you really want to give the opportunity to American youth in the numbers that we need, considering the new stress upon the educational system as the fortress for freedom or at least the training ground for freedom, you have got to have a loan program.

I do not believe that Congress and the country will go for all the scholarships you really ought to have.

I deeply believe also that there is no need for it; that there is room in lending young people for educational purposes on a perfectly good risk basis enough money to get the numbers you need in the colleges and universities and to get your money back out of their earning years.

Instead of going into the details of the program which has been introduced in S. 1727 by myself and Senators Beall, Cooper, Ives, and Payne, I would like to point out the differences between that program and the provisions of the Hill bill.

(The text of S. 1727 follows:)

[S. 1727, 85th Cong., 1st sess.]

A BILL To establish a program of Federal loans and loan insurance and encouragement of similar State programs for the purpose of encouraging and assisting individuals to obtain college or university education

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SHORT TITLE

SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "Education Loan Act of 1957”.

DEFINITIONS

SEC. 2. As used in this Act

(1) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare;

(2) The term "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Education, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare;

(3) The term "Loan Administrator" means the Student Loan Administrator designated under this Act;

(4) The term "State" means a State, Alaska, the Canal Zone, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands;

(5) The term "institution of higher education" means a public or private nonprofit college or university; and

(6) The term "financial institution" means a financial or credit institution (including any insurance company) which is subject to examination and supervision by an agency of the United States or of any State.

ESTABLISHMENT OF LOAN AND LOAN INSURANCE PROGRAM

SEC. 3. (a) The Secretary shall establish a program providing for loans, and loan insurance, in accordance with the provisions of this Act, for the purpose of encouraging and assisting individuals to obtain education beyond the secondary school level. The Secretary may establish priorities for such loans or loan insurance for education in particular fields whenever he determines such priorities are in the national interest.

(b) The provisions of this Act shall be administered by the Commissioner under the direction of the Secretary.

(c) The Secretary may establish a Bureau of Student Loans under this Act to be headed by a Loan Administrator responsible to the Commissioner to assist in carrying out the provisions of this Act.

(d) The Secretary may establish such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. In establishing such rules and regulations and in carrying out such provisions the Secretary shall consult and cooperate with State agencies primarily concerned with higher education and with established associations of privately endowed colleges and universities.

FEDERAL LOAN AND LOAN INSURANCE FUND

SEC. 4. (a) There is hereby established in the Treasury a special fund to be known as the "Federal Education Loan and Loan Insurance Fund," which shall be used as a revolving fund for making loans under this Act and for loan insurance purposes under this Act.

(b) There are authorized to be appropriated to the fund for direct loan purposes for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1957, the sum of $10,000,000; for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1958, the sum of $15,000,000; for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1959, the sum of $25,000,000; for each of the fiscal years beginning July 1, 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1963, the sum of $50,000,000; and thereafter so much as shall be necessary to maintain direct loan account in the revolving fund.

(c) There are authorized to be appropriated to the fund such amounts as are necessary for loan insurance purposes.