CHAPTER V. PRESIDENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND STATEMENTS AND TRAINING, 1967 CONCERNING EDUCATION Numerous public utterances by President Johnson in 1967 contained references to education or training, or to schools, colleges, teachers, students, scholars, or other terms associated with education or training. A number of his messages to Congress and public addresses related in whole or in part to legislation concerning education or training. Following are the texts of certain recommendations to Congress and statements relating to education and training expressed by President Johnson and published in the weekly compilation of Presidential Documents, January 9, to December 25, 1967. The purpose of this compilation is to bring together in one place in chronological order his principal recommendations and statements representative of his thinking on this subject. The compilation does not include all of his relevant, published remarks. In many instances the quotations on the following pages are excerpts from larger messages or statements, which are identified in this document and are available to persons interested in reading the complete texts. LYNDON B. JOHNSON AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE SCHOLARS The President's Remarks to the 10 High School Science Students Prior to Their Departure for the University of Sydney. January 5, 1967 Ambassador Waller; Dr. Hornig; Professor Messel; my young friends whom I am delighted to have here in the White House this morning: This is a highly unusual meeting. Because today a great Australian university, the National Science Foundation, and distinguished officials of this Government join me to honor you 10 American high school students-because you have done your homework well. That says a great deal about the high value the world puts on academic excellence today. Just before I visited Australia last fall, Professor Harry Messel wrote me a letter. The great University of Sydney, he said, wanted to include 10 American high school students in its summer science program. These students would receive not only an opportunity to visit Australia-and we know that is a great privilegebut they would hear some of the world's great scholars. They would meet some of the most talented and interesting young people living today. They would receive scholarships which would literally take them around the world in 20 days. It gave me pleasure to accept that generous offer and I did it quickly. I was grateful that these scholarships would be associated with me. But I also couldn't resist the idea of exposing more Americans to Australia's hospitality. So tomorrow these 10 scholars, chosen from thousands throughout our land, will begin their journey. I want to say to each of you that you give all of us great cause for pride, because of your application, your dedication, and your achieve ment. You represent a great idea: the idea of international educational opportunity. I have just been discussing that with one of the great, distinguished officials of this Government, Assistant Secretary of State, Mr. Lincoln Gordon. You will be hearing a great deal more about that in the days to come, as a result of the work that we are doing together. In the next few weeks, through the generosity of the University of Sydney and the Australian people, you will go there to meet these students from other lands. You will be guests in their homes. You will share their experiences. And the journey that you will begin tomorrow will strengthen, I think, the friendship between our countries. You may feel that it is an honor to receive these medals that mark your achievement today. But I want you to know that we feel honored in your presence. And, like your own parents, I feel a bit uncomfortable when I reflect that you can do the new math when I remember how much difficulty I had with the old math. I hope all of you have a good trip to Australia. I just wish I were going with you. THE STATE OF THE UNION The President's Message Delivered Before a Joint Session of the Congress. January 10, 1967 Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, distinguished Members of the Congress: The last 3 years bear witness to our determination to make this a better country. We have struck down legal barriers to equality. We have improved the education of 7 million deprived children and this year alone we have enabled almost 1 million students to go to college. We have launched new training programs to provide job skills for almost one million Americans. We have given 1 million young Americans a chance to earn-through the Neighborhood Youth Corps or through Head Start-a chance to learn. This is true with other programs that are making and breaking new ground. Some do not yet have the capacity to absorb well or wisely all the money that could be put into them. Administrative skills and trained manpower are just as vital to their success as dollars. And I believe those skills will come. But it will take time and patience and hard work. Success cannot be forced at a single stroke. So we must continue to strengthen the administration of every program if that success is to come as we know it must. Let us create new opportunities for our children and our young Americans who need special help. We should strengthen the Head Start Program, begin it for children 3 years old, and maintain its educational momentum by following through in the early years. We should develop educational television into a vital public resource to enrich our homes, educate our families, and to provide assistance in our classrooms. We should insist that the public interest be fully served through the public's airwaves. APPALACHIAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The President's Letter to the President of the Senate and the Speaker Recommending Extension of the Program. January 20, 1967 Dear Mr. President: (Dear Mr. Speaker:) I recommend that the Congress extend the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965. Because of the work done by the Commission and cooperating Federal, state and local agencies -51 hospitals have been completed or are under construction -52 vocational education schools are being built -work is underway on 790 miles of the development highway system --new libraries, airports, college classrooms and water resource projects are being pursued to completion -thousands of workers have been trained, hired and added to the payrolls A PROGRAM FOR OLDER AMERICANS The President's Message to the Congress Proposing Increases in Social Security Payments and Extending Other Benefits. January 23, 1967 To the Congress of the United States: I recommend that: the Congress enact a law prohibiting arbitrary and unjust discrimination in employment because of a person's age. -the law cover workers 45 to 65 years old. -the law provide for conciliation and, if necessary, enforcement through cease and desist orders, with court review. -the law provide an exception for special situations where age is a reasonable occupational qualification, where an employee is discharged for good cause; or where the employee is separated under a regular retirement system. -educational and research programs on age discrimination be strengthened. To carry forward this partnership, I recommend that: -the Older Americans Act be extended and its funding levels be increased. -appropriations under the Neighborhood Facilities Program be increased to construct multipurpose centers to serve senior citizens with a wide range of educational, recreational and health services, and to provide information about housing and employment opportunities. THE BUDGET MESSAGE The President's Message to the Congress Transmitting the Budget for Fiscal Year 1968. January 24, 1967 Based on a thorough review of our economic assistance objectives and programs, I will recommend new legislation and specific actions to: Require more effective self-help measures by recipient countries as a condition for U.S. aid; Increase the amount of assistance for the key sectors of agriculture, health, and education; * EDUCATION. Our Nation's greatness depends upon the full development of the talents and abilities of its citizens. The 89th Congress wrote a memorable record in education legislation. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Higher Education Act of 1965 marked a significant advance in Federal support to help improve and enlarge educational opportunities at all levels. Our task now is to use this authority in an imaginative, creative, and responsible way. New obligational authority for education will total $5.2 billion in 1968, $622 million more than in 1967. These funds will be used to: Assist the disadvantaged by increasing grants to improve elementary and secondary education for about 8%1⁄2 million less fortunate children from low-income families and by providing new grants for education of handicapped children; Encourage creative change through an increase of almost 80% in grants for supplementary centers and other special projects designed to introduce better teaching and innovation in our educational programs. Widen higher educational opportunities by providing more than $1.1 billion in scholarships, loans, and part-time work for students, a 22% increase over 1967; and Improve teacher training through additional funding and amendments providing for a more flexible use of legislative authority. I will propose legislation to: Extend and enlarge the Teacher Corps; Initiate experimental projects to improve vocational education, particularly for the disadvantaged and those not planning to attend college; Extend and expand Federal support for educational television; and Strengthen education program planning and evaluation by State governments and localities. THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BUDGET MESSAGE The President's Message to the Congress Transmitting the Budget for the District of Columbia, Fiscal Year 1968. January 25, 1967 EDUCATION Operating funds for the public school system in 1968 require $101 million, an increase of $14.5 million over 1967. The urgent need further to improve District schools has been emphasized not only in a recent congressional investigation and report, but also in the report of the Commission on Crime in the District of Columbia. The deficiencies are substantial, and they are serious. Eduction for every child to the limits of his capacity is basic to all other efforts. To achieve this goal in the District, the quality of education must be improved, the needs of children from deprived and inadequate family backgrounds must be given more attention, and the physical plant must be expanded and modernized. The budget reflects the urgent need to accomplish each of these objectives as quickly as possible. IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION With the funds provided in the budget the quality of education will be improved by More support, through additional teachers, for elementary school instruction in such fields as science, mathematics, music, art, physical education, and foreign languages. Added professional help for schools of all levels in such areas as reading, speech, curriculum, library science, guidance, history and business education. An internship program to assist teachers in their first year of teaching through in-service training. Attaining Board of Education standards for librarians and counselors: a librarian for each school where facilities are available, and a ratio of counselors to pupils of 1:750 in elementary schools and 1: 400 in the secondary schools. Beginning a reduction in class sizes in schools where space is available. Regular academic pupil-teacher ratios in junior and senior high schools will be reduced from 25:1 to 21:1. Because of space limitations, the goal of a ratio of 24:1 in elementary schools must await the construction program. |