magnitude as Hurricance Agnes; and without any thought of depriving the victims of Agnes of a single penny, the long-range effects of Hurricane Agnes are going to be a lot less important to the future of this country than the long-range effects of Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles school systems going down the drain. Thank you very much. Mr. HATHAWAY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. Mr. PUCINSKI. Thank you very much, Mr. Hathaway and Dr. Wolfe. We are very grateful for your testimony this morning. STATEMENT OF DR. JACK HORNBACK, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS, WASHINGTON, D.C. Mr. PUCINSKI. Our next witness is Dr. Jack Hornback, executive vice president, Council of Great City Schools. Dr. Hornback, I understand you have a statement you want to place in the record in behalf of others. Dr. HORNBACK. I have one, Mr. Chairman, and I will keep my comments brief. I would like to place in the record a statement from the Philadelphia Board of Education which in essence reiterates the Detroit story. I think it is a well-written document which the committee should read. I am sorry I didn't have an opportunity to copy it before coming here. Mr. PUCINSKI. The statement will go in the record at this point. (The document referred to follows:) THE CASE FOR FEDERAL NON CATEGORICAL AID FOR THE The Philadelphia Public Schools are threatened with financial strangulation. Unless substantial relief comes for the new school year it will no longer be possible to offer a defensible program of basic education to the 285,000 children and youth who will be coming to the doors of 300 elementary, junior, senior and Vocational-technical high schools. This will be a disaster, no less tragic and in lasting ways no less damaging to the present and future life of the vast multitudes of children and youth who will be affected, than the recent Susquehanna Valley flood that wiped out the homes and resources of tens of thousands of Pennsylvania's citizens and caused untold misery in injury and loss of life and property. |