CALENDAR FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN NSF GENERAL INFORMATION The National Science Foundation, established in 1950 by Public Law 507, 81st Congress, is an independent agency of the Federal Government. It is concerned primarily with the support of basic research, training and education in the sciences, and interchange and dissemination of scientific information. A 24-member National Science Board and Director of the Foundation, all appointed by the President of the United States by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, develop the plans and policies of the Foundation and guide its operation. The support of basic research is accomplished through grants primarily to investigators at colleges and universities and is administered through the Division of Biological and Medical Sciences; Division of Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences; Division of Social Sciences; and for Antarctic research, through the Office of Special International Programs. Basic research support also includes grants for equipment and specialized facilities. The Office of Institutional Programs provides matching funds for construction, modernization, and refurbishment of graduate research laboratories. Programs in support of training and education in the sciences are supported by the Division of Scientific Personnel and Education, and are described in this pamphlet. The Foundation's Office of Science Information Service functions to increase the availability of scientific literature in all languages. The Office, at the national level, stimulates and supports efforts to improve the existing system for disseminating information, including abstracting, indexing, and translation activities. Research is also supported to develop new methods, including mechanized systems, for making scientific information available. The Foundation is making continuous factfinding studies and analyses of the Nation's resources the Federal Government, industry, colleges and universities, and other nonprofit institutions. These studies are under the general direction of the Office of Special Studies. In addition, the science divisions of the Foundation are directly responsible for planning and gathering information in their respective fields of interest. The Office of Special International Programs has the responsibility for directing the U.S. Antarctic Research Program and for encouraging and supporting international science activities. More detailed information is contained in the pamphlet entitled Program Activities of the National Science Foundation, available upon request. Research participation for teachers__. Science education for undergraduate students--- Science education and manpower information___. Subtotal... Total___. Estimate, fiscal year 1962 $89, 300, 000 5, 200, 000 54, 300, 000 8, 600, 000 10, 500, 000 8, 000, 000 3, 490, 000 179, 390, 000 20, 000, 000 33, 000, 000 3, 450, 000 12, 000, 000 4, 500, 000 1, 000, 000 10, 000, 000 1, 100, 000 2,685, 000 22, 735, 000 272, 126, 000 Senator MORSE. Senator Hill, any questions? Senator HILL. Mr. Chairman, I just want to make this observation. The former chairman of this committee, our friend, the late distinguished Senator Elbert Thomas, was tremendously interested in the establishment of the National Science Foundation. I think it was due more to his leadership than anyone else's that the National Science Foundation was established. It stands really as a monument to Senator Thomas and his great work and his great efforts, and I believe if he were here today, Dr. Waterman, and could review the work which has been done by the National Science Foundation under your leadership, he would say well done. Mr. WATERMAN. Thank you very much. Senator MORSE. I am sure, Dr. Waterman, as Senator Hill has pointed out, if Senator Thomas were here he would agree with every observation you have made before the subcommittee and would join you not only in enthusiastic support of your program in the National Science Foundation but second your motion in support of the legislation pending before the subcommittee. Mr. WATERMAN. Thank you. Senator MORSE. Senator Case. Senator MORSE. Thank you very much, Dr. Waterman. The subcommittee will recess until tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock. (Whereupon, at 11:30 a.m. the subcommittee recessed, to reconvene at 9 a.m., on Friday, August 18, 1961.) AID FOR HIGHER EDUCATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 1961 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND PUBLIC WELFARE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice at 9 a.m., in room 4232, New Senate Office Building, Senator Wayne Morse (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Senators Morse (presiding), Clark, Randolph, Case, and Javits. Committee staff members present: Stewart E. McClure, chief clerk; Charles Lee, professional staff member; Samuel Halperin, consultant; Raymond Hurley and John Stringer, minority associate counsel. Senator MORSE. The hearing will come to order. Our first witness this morning will be Dr. Charles H. Boehm, superintendent of public instruction in the State of Pennsylvania. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Education, I want to thank Dr. Boehm for the great help he was to this subcommittee in connection with S. 1021. The testimony which he gave us on S. 1021 has been used over and over again, by members of this subcommittee, and particularly, by the chairman, in connection with our debate and discussion of the general Federal aid bill. I think that the testimoney that we had from the Senator from Pennsylvania, Mr. Clark, from Dr. Boehm, and from another witness from Pennsylvania, Miss Pincus, was very helpful in securing the passage of S. 1021 through the Senate. I am satisfied this morning as we listen to Dr. Boehm testify upon the higher education bill, we will find this witness will have made a very worthwhile contribution to the record of the hearing on this legislation. Dr. Boehm you may proceed in your own way. STATEMENT OF CHARLES H. BOEHM, SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Dr. BOEHM. Thank you, Senator Morse. I would first like to read a statement from Gov. David L. Lawrence of Pennsylvania, and then my own supporting presentation. Senator MORSE. If you don't mind, Dr. Boehm, we will put Governor Lawrence's statement at the beginning of your testimony. This will enable us to devote the time which remains available to your own testimony. The statement of Governor Lawrence will be printed in the hearing record at this point. Will you express to the Governor when you see him my personal thanks for the testimony that he has sent down? Governor Lawrence has been one of the great friends of the educational legislation in the Congress. We are very glad to have this statement from the Governor incorporated into our record. (The prepared statement of Governor Lawrence follows:) PREPARED STATEMENT OF Gov. DAVID L. LAWRENCE OF PENNSYLVANIA, PRESENTED BY DR. CHARLES H. BOEHM, PENNSYLVANIA SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION This testimony is in support of Federal assistance for higher education and is offered in the firm belief that opportunities must be increased throughout the Nation at every educational level. If increased opportunity for learning is to be at all significant, then it must also be attained in the area of higher education, which has, until now, been largely neglected by the Federal Government. While I have advocated Federal aid to public secondary and elementary schools and shall continue to do so, I now say to this committee that the problem of greater opportunity weighs most heavily upon our institutions of higher learning. This is true if for no other reason than that a college education is far more costly, on an individual basis, than comparable elementary and secondary schooling. Furthermore, attempts to provide a better education for public school children will fall short of success if qualified students lack the opportunity to continue their education. I am, therefore, considerably heartened by the prospects of Federal support for higher learning as contained in the two main provisions of this bill. If enacted, these programs of college scholarships and construction of academic facilities will directly benefit education in every State. Pennsylvania has for many years made grants to private institutions and those grants have become a permanent part of the State budget. Even so, we recognize that even more must be done. Early in 1960, I asked 30 Pennsylvanians to serve on a Governor's Committee on Education. This committee spent a full year studying every aspect of education in Pennsylvania. Their efforts represent the most thorough appraisal ever made of our educational system. The committee's final report contains 145 specific recommendations for improving education in the Commonwealth. Twenty-eight of the recommendations deal with higher education. I will cite some of these so that you can see what Pennsylvania faces and what we hope to do, by legislation or by administrative action, during the coming decade. Several of the recommendations would give higher education a stronger voice in our department of public instruction and on the State Council of Education. The State colleges, which are essentially teachers' colleges, should be converted to multipurpose liberal arts institutions offering arts and sciences curricula. Of greatest significance, possibly, are the recommendations which call for a guarantee that 300,000 Pennsylvania students (or approximately 35 percent of the college-age population at that time) can be enrolled in Pennsylvania institutions of higher education by 1970. To reach this goal, the committee proposed the following measures: (1) The 14 State colleges should be tripled in size so that by 1970 they can accommodate 60,000 students. (2) Another group of proposals would create a statewide system of community colleges, sufficient to accommodate 79,000 students by 1970. (3) The Pennsylvania State University should receive sufficient funds so that it can expand to accommodate 35,000 pupils by 1970. (4) All private institutions of higher education should be encouraged to expand so that they can enroll 126,000 students by 1970. (5) The present level of State aid to those private institutions now receiving it should be maintained with the assurance that these institutions expand their enrollments to accommodate at least 11,000 more Pennsylvania students. In addition to the above proposals, the committee made two more important recommendations concerning scholarships and student loans. Scholarships should be awarded, it was urged, to a number of students equal to 5 percent of the preceding year's high school graduates, on a competitive basis. |