We have: 1. Two grade school buildings over 40 years old. 2. One high school building-part new and part old. 3. A salary situation whereby a college graduate begins teaching ($3,850 minimum $5,350 maximum after 10 years), and continues to teach, seldom surpassing the wage of a mine laborer. 4. A situation where a number of talented teachers have left the profession in the last 5 years: 2 science teachers to industry. 1 physics teacher to farming. 1 math teacher to insurance sales. 1 language teacher to automobile sales. The reason given in each of the above five cases was lack of security and mounting debts due to inadequate salary. As you well know, it is becoming increasingly difficult to direct talented young people into the teaching profession. We feel that adequate salaries would reverse this dangerous trend. We count on your favorable consideration of the Murray-Metcalf bill. Respectfully yours, ARVIN A. AKURA, President. HOUSTON FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, LOCAL 1328, Representative CLEVELAND M. BAILEY, DEAR REPRESENTATIVE BAILEY: We would like you to know why we in Houston are anxious for the Murray-Metcalf Federal aid bill to pass. Our building program is not keeping pace with the increasing enrollment. In the past 5 years 100 temporary buildings have been built out of maintenance funds. These buildings are very inadequate, consisting only of four walls, two blackboards, and a cabinet. As a result of these temporary constructions, we rank 29th out of the 32 largest cities in the Nation in teachers' salaries, although we are the 6th largest school district in the United States. Salaries are part of the maintenance fund. As recently as last November the citizens refused to vote an increase in the tax rate. At present, therefore, we are operating on $1.09 per $100 tax valuation. Texas is 32d in the United States in expenditure per child. Forty-one hundred teachers are teaching in Texas on emergency certificates. Thirty-seven percent of them have less than 4 years college preparation. Thirty-five percent of these are in rural areas. It is apparent that the children of Texas could greatly benefit by Federal aid for buildings and for teachers' salaries. Last, but certainly not least, is the problem of double sessions. We have many districts that operate almost entirely on double sessions. This difficult situation, which is robbing many children of a full school life could certainly be relieved with more Federal aid. Our very best wishes. MARY E. HEICKMAN, President. CALIFORNIA STATE FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, Representative CLEVELAND M. BAILEY, DEAR SIR: The Long Beach Unified School District has taken pride in its efforts to keep pace with the necessary building program to meet its classroom needs. Despite this fact, Long Beach has a substantial number of "temporary" wooden buildings in which teachers and children are being housed for classroom activities. The original purpose of these buildings was to meet temporary changes in school population and to be moved from school to school as population shifts occurred. This is commendable, and would seem to be logical thinking, but many of these buildings have been used on the same campuses for a number of years and many others are 20 to 30 years old. They are not adequate for proper classroom purposes-they do not provide for restroom facilities, are poorly insulated, and are poorly ventilated. Therefore, it would seem that, despite their efforts at adequate housing, Long Beach is in need of additional funds to improve classroom facilities. In another area, but just as important, and related to the housing and salary problems is the following quote which appeared in the "Superintendent's Bulletin" of January 2, 1959: "During recent months there seems to be a renewed interest in the reduction of class size-especially in California. You have a right to know what effect a reduction in class size would have upon this school district. These estimates have been prepared by our educational statistician, Paul Borgfeld. "To reduce every class in this school system by five pupils would increase teacher salary cost by more than $2 million annually. "If all classes were reduced by 5 pupils, 460 additional classrooms would be needed as well as auxiliary facilities. Estimated cost of buildings; $15 million." To summarize, Long Beach could use Federal grants to: 1. Replace temporary wooden buildings with adequately constructed permanent structures for classes already being conducted. 2. Reduce class sizes for an improved educative process by (a) hiring additional teachers ($2 million annually), and (b) constructing more buildings ($15 million). Sincerely, LOUIS J. EILERMAN, President. INDIANA COUNCIL OF TEACHERS UNIONS, Hammond, Ind., March 9, 1959. Representative CLEVELAND M. BAILEY, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: As president of the Indiana Council of Teachers Unions I would like to urge your support of the Murray Metcalf Federal Aid Bill. Many of our local communities have reached their limit in support of education and aid from the outside is much needed. The council represents teachers from all sections of Indiana but particularly from the more populous where the cost of living is greater and where help is needed to supplement state and local funds for teachers' salaries. Thanking you for your support, I am. Very truly yours, HENRY L. CALLANTINE. Hon. CLEVELAND BAILEY, MASSACHUSETTS FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, Chairman, Subcommittee on Education, House Committee on Labor and Education, Washington, D.C. DEAR REPRESENTATIVE BAILEY: The Massachusetts Federation of Teachers urges favorable action by the Subcommittee on Education on H.R. 22, the Murray-Metcalf bill. Massachuetts stands 44th among the States in terms of the amount of state aid provided to support education. The state subsidy at present averages $40 per pupil out of an average overall state cost per pupil of $250. Efforts this year by school, community and labor groups to increase aid to education by 3rd in the Legislature stand little chance of success in view of the serious and complex financial crisis in the state. The immediate relief offered by H.R. 22 to aid school construction and teacher salaries is the most sound and workable proposal before the Congress. Inasmuch as federal aid for school construction will defeat its own purposes if competent teachers are not retained and attracted we strongly urge the acceptance of both features of H.R. 22. Sincerely yours, MISS BELLE LINSKY, President. AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, Representative CLEVELAND BAILEY, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR REPRESENTATIVE BAILEY: The need of Federal aid for school housing and teachers' salaries is pressing in Massachusetts for the following reasons: (1) Massachusetts has become one of the highest property-tax States with 85 percent of school costs paid from this source. (2) According to a projection of public school population by the State department of education, the 1933 high would be passed by 1958, and by 1960 there would be over 250,000 more pupils in the schools of Massachusetts than in 1946. (3) There exists an obligation to recruit 2,800 teachers for replacement alone. (4) Inadequate educational facilities together with insufficient and underpaid teachers cannot combine to provide good education for the youth of our country. Your constructive interest and attention is soliciated in reporting favorably on the Murray-Metcalf bill. Thank you for your consideration. Yours truly, ROSE CLAFFEY. AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, Representative CLEVELAND M. BAILEY, DEAR SIR: The school districts in the State of Michigan need additional revenue if they are to provide adequate programs for the education of our youth. The Murray-Metcalf bill would be a great asset in helping to solve the present shortage of funds for school construction and teachers' salaries. Many school districts in Michigan have already taxed themselves locally to the limit. The State has a 3-cent sales tax which provides 2 cents for operation of the public schools. The property tax and the sales tax are our main source of support for the State's schools. The use of Federal funds for education is really a better form of financial support since the Federal income tax is a progressive tax which taxes people according to their ability to pay. At the present time our State's schools are supported by regressive taxes which bear down heavily on the lower income groups. The Congress of the United States must live up to its responsibility by sup porting the Nation's schools. Federal support in land, grants, college grants, aid for war impacted districts, vocational grants, scholarships and the GI bill have demonstrated that the Federal Government can help our schools when the situation demands it. In the present world struggle with rival powers the American Congress must support its schools which are the first line of defense in a modern civilization. Sincerely yours, Hon. GRAHAM A. BARDEN, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representative. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I am transmitting herewith House Joint Memorial No. 2 of the State of Oregon urging Congress to provide Federal aid to education as stated therein. I shall appreciate having this made a part of the permanent record of your Committee in the consideration of this legislation. Sincerely, CHARLES O. PORTER, Member of Congress. [Fiftieth Legislative Assembly-Regular Session] ENROLLED HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO, 2-INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES SKELTON, HAND, BARTON, BENEDICT, COOK, KIRKPATRICK, MCKINNIS, MONAGAHAN, SHAW, VAN HOOMISSEN AND WHELAN AND SENATORS SWEETLAND, ALFRED CORBETT, DIMICK, GRENFELL AND STRAUB To His Excellency, the Honorable Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States, and to the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, and to the Oregon members of these legislative bodies: We, your memorialists, the Fiftieth Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled, most respectfully represent as follows: Whereas increasing school costs are imposing a steadily increasing burden upon the taxpayers of the State of Oregon; and Whereas the present tax collection policies of the Federal Goverument fall heavily upon State and local sources, with little corresponding return to the State for the assistance of public school education; and Whereas under such taxation policies the Federal Government should assume its rightful obligation to the preservation of our American way of life by assisting the cause of education; and Whereas the Soviet government poses a real and terrible threat to the leadership and existence of the free world through its accomplishments in the field of science; and Whereas added financial resources will be needed by our States and local communities to enable them to maintain an educational program not only to compete with the Soviet government in the field of science, but also to explore and solve the basic problems of living and leading in a world teetering on the brink of atomic catastrophe; and Whereas the Federal Government has vastly superior taxing powers, and it is the announced policy of both major political parties that the Federal Government should contribute moneys to the support of local elementary and secondary education; Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Oregon (the Senate jointly concurring therein): That the Congress of the United States is hereby urged to provide and pass legislation giving grants to the various States on the basis of each State's school-age population, providing funds for the use of the States for the assistance of elementary and secondary public school education; be it further Resolved, That the Oregon members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives promote and support such legislation; be it further Resolved, That His Excellency, the President of the United States, is hereby urged that he give such legislation his full support and leadership, and that he use the full influence and resources of his great office to insure the passage of this legislation; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives be and hereby is directed to send a copy of this memorial to the Honorable Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States, to the President and Chief Clerk of the United States Senate, to the Speaker and the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the United States, and to all members of the Oregon Congressional Delegation in the Congress of the United States. Adopted by House February 16, 1959. Readopted by House March 16, 1959. Adopted by Senate March 12, 1959. RUTH E. RENFROE, Chief Clerk of House. ROBERT S. DUNCAN, Speaker of House. WALTER J. PEARSON, President of Senate. STATEMENT OF CONGRESSMAN HAROLD T. (Bizz) JOHNSON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE SECOND DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to submit a brief statement on the legislation before you to authorize additional funds to schools, on a grant basis, for schoolroom facilities and assistance for payment of teachers' salaries. As a former member of the school board in my home city of Roseville, I am personally acquainted with the overall problem. Other witnesses have gone into the details of the bills before you, one of which is mine-H.R. 3863—so I will not burden you with more statistics. The time has come when we simply have to do something about our schools. California is particularly in a serious position due to the great influx of new families coming into our State every day. There is no question about the need for more facilities and teachers. This legislation will get an active program underway, and I hope the committee will see fit to take favorable action. SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT OF JOHN R. FOLEY, MEMBER OF CONGRESS, SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, MARYLAND, IN SUPPORT OF S. 2, H.R. 22, MURRAYMETCALF BILL, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON GENERAL EDUCATION OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND TEACHERS' SALARIES IN MARYLAND: FACTS AND FIGURES Mr. Chairman, in my original testimony before this subcommittee in support of the Murray-Metcalf bill (S. 2 and H.R. 22), I told the subcommittee that I would submit additional data with reference to school construction in my congressional district and to teachers' salaries. I herewith submit that additional data and ask that it be added to my testimony. This statement is divided into two segments: A series of statistics relating to school construction experience in the five counties of Maryland that constitute the Sixth Congressional District; and a series of tables indicating the problems of teachers' salaries in the State of Maryland. This material has been gathered with the kind cooperation of the county superintendents of the five counties in my district, and the Maryland Teachers' Association. With reference to school construction problems and experience, I queried the county superintendents of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties, Md., asking them three questions: (1) What is the gross amount of money spent for school construction and the percent of the total county budget that it represents? (2) What percent of the total tax base does this expenditure for school construction represent? (3) To what extent has your county expended its bonding capacity? The data in response to this inquiry for each of the five counties is as follows: I. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION IN MARYLAND: THE SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT |