This advance in school support has been made despite Alabama's relatively low income. For the fiscal year 1947 Alabama's per capita income was $837, fortyfifth among the 48 States. Only three States-Mississippi, Arkansas, and South Carolina-ranked lower. Its actual resources on which to base school levies are relatively meager and are totally inadequate for the heavy education demands made upon them. The above achievements are the result of a highly creditable effort by the citizens of Alabama to educate their children. In 1947-48 Alabama used 2.4 percent of its total income to maintain and operate its schools. In the percent of income used for schools it ranked as the fifteenth State. Thus while 44 States had a higher per capita income than Alabama, only 14 ranked above it in its effort to secure public education. In relation to the number of adults included in Alabama's population the State has a large number of children of school age. In 1947 the total population in Alabama was estimated to be 2,834,000. For the same year the school-age population (5 to 17 years) totaled 756,000. The ratio of school-age population to total population was, therefore, 26.7. In this item Alabama ranks fourth among the States. In other words, throughout the Nation, Alabama ranks fourth in the number of children to be educated, forty-fifth in per capita income, and fifteenth in its effort to educate its children. In view of the large number of children to be educated and its relatively low per capita income, it is not surprising to learn that Alabama ranks low educationally, despite its creditable effort to educate its children with its own resources. In 1947 Alabama voters through a special referendum assigned the net proceeds of the income tax specifically to teachers' salaries. In 1948 this increased teachers' annual salaries to $1,909, the highest point on record up to that time. Even so, in 1948 Alabama ranked thirty-seventh among the States in salaries paid teachers 36 States paid higher salaries. In the same year the national median was $2,440. The long-continued low compensation paid Alabama teachers is reflected in the shortage of teachers and in the low professional rating of many of those employed. In 1948 the summer schools in Alabama colleges enrolled the largest number of teachers in professional classes since World War II. In this way many Alabama teachers improved their professional rating. And yet this year over 6,400* of the 21,000 teachers employed hold emergency certificates. Many of them have had little college training. More than 4,000 have had 1 years of college or less. As discouraging as is the present status of professionally trained Alabama teachers, the future is even more discouraging. Comparatively few young persons are prepared to teach in the elementary school grades. The total number of new elementary teachers expected to graduate from our colleges in 1949 is 310.' Based on the present enrollments, we will need about 1,300 elementary teachers in September just to take care of replacements and to fill new positions. Since the war school enrollments in the elementary grades have begun to climb. Due to the large number of prewar births, these enrollments will become larger during the next 6 years, reaching a peak perhaps in 1953. In that year the 87,000 babies born in 1947-the largest on record-will apply for entrance into the first grade. Hundreds of new, professionally trained teachers must be recruited in the meantime. Alabama has done relatively little school building since the war period. Some of these have been provided from funds allotted by the State building commission, but the major task of providing adequate, comfortable school buildings for Alabama children has not been tackled. Since 1945 we have built over 2,000 classrooms, 83 lunchrooms, and 52 auditoriums. Today we need more than 7,000 classrooms and many, many special rooms of all types-lunchrooms, auditoriums, laboratories, shops. If Alabama children are to have their chances to prepare for jobs, to train for citizenship, and to help Alabama and the Nation serve democracy increasingly better, they must be educated according to Nation-wide standards. They cannot live and work in a vacuum. To do this they must have adequate educational opportunities. They must have a lift from Uncle Sam. In their name prompt consideration and passage of one of the bills for Federal aid to education now pending before the subcommittee appointed to study such proposals is sincerely urged. 1 The Forty-eight State School Systems, the Council of State Governments, 1949. 2 Give Jimmy His Chance, Alabama Education Association, 1949. STATEMENT BY JOHN C. WILLIAMSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE SERVICE, ON BEHALF OF THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, I should like to make the following statement in behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for the proposed legislation for Federal aid to education. The Federal Government has wisely stimulated the interest of veterans in education through its GI bill of rights and, therefore, since we veterans see the value of education, we are most anxious to do our part in providing adequate education for our children. It is well known how deeply concerned are the Veterans of Foreign Wars with the security of our Nation and the peace of the world. From these objectives we will never deviate. Since neither the security of our Nation nor the security of the world can be realized unless American youth come to maturity so well prepared educationally that they are able to discharge their full responsibilities as citizens, we are most anxious that the Federal Government enable all American youth to obtain an education that meets a minimum standard. To give all our American children a good education it is necessary that we have Federal aid to States. Some of our States are only half as wealthy as others and most of these poorer States have greater educational responsibilities because they have a greater number of children. As the Washington Post has so ably stated: "Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana have 24.41 percent of the Nation's children and receive only 10.01 percent of the Nation's income. In brief, for every $2.10 that New York can spend on a child's education, Mississippi can spend only 32 cents." Naturally, children in these low-income States are not getting an education which is up to American standards. Few would dispute the necessity in modern warfare for literate soldiers who can quickly understand and transmit orders as well as learn how to use highly mechanized machines. Yet the great number of men rejected in both World War I and World War II for education deficiencies makes a shameful record in a Nation as able as is ours to provide educational opportunities for all of our people. But even worse than this past record is the fact that if we were to be so unfortunate as to have another war with present educational conditions continuing, we would find our Nation in relatively the same position as in World War II when 16 of our States1 had over 12 percent of their young men rejected for military service because of educational deficiencies alone. South Carolina, the poorest State on this score, had 33.3 percent of its young men rejected for this reason. Even more important than having our young citizens educated for our armed forces is to have them educated so that our Nation may produce the wise leadership necessary to maintain peace of the world and a sound democracy at home. It has been an American tradition to allow our people to move freely from one State to another if they find better economic conditions in States other than the place of their birth. Therefore, because of this migration children educated in one State grow up to be adult citizens of another State. In 1946 and 1947 the annual net out-migration from the Southern States was 400,000. The Northeast, North Central, and West had a net in-migration of over 100,000 each annually for those 2 years. This shows that no State can live alone. It is most unwise and dangerous to have the inequalities in educational opportunities to which we needlessly subject vast numbers of our population. There is no excuse for this crisis in public education today. We are a rich Nation and we must invest enough of our wealth to set up a minimum standard in education for our youth. Without Federal aid to the States this minimum standard will not be reached. No money that our Nation could invest in any other way, would bring us greater returns. The philosophy that says helping others living elsewhere in the world helps the United States is even more true when applied to the helping of our poorer States to raise their educational standards. It is my firm belief that Federal aid to education without Federal control over educational policy should be authorized by this session of Congress. I hope this subcommittee will soon construct a bill similar to H. R. 4643 which does allot Federal funds for education where they are needed most and yet in no way exer 1 West Virginia, Maryland, New Mexico, Kentucky, Florida, Arizona, Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina. cises Federal control over school policy. I hope that this bill when it is completed will not only guarantee that the money will be spent to raise the educational level to a minimum standard in the poorer parts of our Nation, but that it will provide for our minority groups equal education opportunities with everyone else in their States. Every day that we wait on passing Federal aid to education more children are growing up in ignorance. The critical conditions in our schools have existed all too long. Now it is time that the Congress of the United States act so that a minimum education standard can be given all American children. JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Hon. GRAHAM A. BARDEN, Chairman, House Subcommittee on Federal Aid to Education, House Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, D. C. DEAR CHAIRMAN BARDEN: The Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America appreciates the opportunity to submit its testimony in your record of hearings on Federal aid to education on which subject our national encampments have resolved favorably time after time. As to the need and benefits of Federal aid to education, there can no longer be any doubts. Many witnesses before your committee have presented the facts so fully and so admirably that it would be sheer redundancy to list them therein. The principle of a good primary school and secondary school education for every American child free of cost to him or her is firmly established. It is essential to the sound development of our country, to our security, and to maintenance of the fundamental principles of our freedom and government. Nevertheless, we know that our achievement in this respect varies from State to State and within the States, from school district to school district. In some States and in some school districts, the achievement is, in fact, so meager that it can scarcely be called an achievement. Our failures are a menace to our democracy and bring cruel suffering to millions of our citizens throughout their lives. The resulting losses to our Nation's welfare are so towering that they dwarf, in dollars alone, the $314,000,000 authorization in the bill before you. Though the educational authorities of the States and the school districts are generally aware of the situation and its dangers, they are not, in many cases, able to bring to bear the resources needed for correction. Federal financial aid is essential if the problem is to be overcome. The Federal Government will not be a newcomer in the field of education. One of its most notable projects are the land-grant colleges in every State which grew out of the Morrill Act passed more than 80 years ago and signed by President Lincoln. Nevertheless, these colleges are free of Federal domination. Another notable project is the vocational education activity carried on under the Smith-Hughes Act and the George-Barden Act. Your bill, H. R. 4643, makes a significant and progressive step toward the solution of the problem faced by the States in the improvement of public elementary and secondary school education. It seems clear that the Federal aid as provided, will furnish no possibility for Federal officials to interfere with the operations of the State school system. The provision for determining the amounts payable to each State and to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands likewise is clear. Section 5, providing for judicial review upon application by any taxpayer of a State, is further safeguard against interference by Federal officials or misapplication of funds by State education authorities. However, in order to meet the practical problem involved, it seems to us the bill should provide for a floor or a minimum of $55 annually in each school district for each public school child in such a way that in no school in the district, will less than $55 per child be spent, and that all school children in a district are treated alike in respect to the funds available. Furthermore, the bill should provide that no diminution of State and local school tax dollars shall be permitted and Federal funds used to make up for such diminution. Such provision should be further buttressed by a clause similar to that contained in section 4, subsections (D) and (E) in S. 246. Inclusion of the provision suggested in the previous paragraph will, in our judgment, act as an incentive to the States and the local school districts to increase their allotment of revenues for education. It would also seem wise as in any business contract, that the bill should define clearly, the sort of reports to be submitted by the States and the audits of those reports in order to determine that the Federal funds have been disbursed in the manner provided for in the act. We feel confident that under your leadership, your committee will report to the House for prompt action, a bill which will accomplish the desirable and long sought for ends which will bring to each American child a minimum of that good education which all of us desire. Respectfully submitted. BERNARD WEITZER, National Legislative Representative. Hon. GRAHAM A. BARDEN, THE NATIONAL DEFENSE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, Chairman, Subcommittee on Federal Aid to Education, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: A main objective of the National Defense League of America being "an educated citizenry" and a better plan not being in evidence we favor and recommend the enactment of your bill H. R. 4643 to provide Federal aid to education. We hold that since every citizen should be mentally equipped to serve the State in time of war that it necessarily follows that it is incumbent upon the State to provide adequate educational opportunities for him. During World War II approximately 659,392 men were rejected for service because of educational deficiencies; and during the latter part of that war, due to the seriousness of the manpower shortage, another 300,000 illiterates were inducted and given elementary schooling by the Army; and, the program under which these were "trained" necessarily diverted competent instructional personnel from other essential war activities and the cost of the program amounted to many millions of dollars. Since most, or many, of the educational deficients were employed in war industry their employment naturally served to retard war production to an undetermined, though considerable, extent-since it was once again necessary to divert literates to train them; and, moreover, personal injuries to themselves and to fellow workers and damage to machinery and tools was directly responsible for many thousands of precious productive man hours being lost. Socially, in normal society, illiterates constitute a destructive force; and in time of war that force inevitably strengthens the enemy and it leaves a most damaging imprint upon the normal over-all social structure. Histories of ancient Babylon and Egypt furnish this evidence. Wars kill off the flower of youth-the choice breeding stock; and, this being so it naturally follows that repopulation must, in a very large measure, depend upon the mentally unfit. It can be shown-and has been shown-that Great Britain's advance toward complete civilization was retarded for fully two centuries from this cause. Let us bear in mind that when the illiterate is rejected, for war service, that his place must be filled by a literate and that as a result it is often necessary to induct those with dependents, urgently needed on the home front, and to interrupt the educations of very young men to fill their places. As we see it, a simple program of grants in aid to the States for education will in no wise interfere with the orderly operation of the State educational systems; and, since the States would be free to accept, or reject, such grants Federal domination or interfeernce would be an impossibility. We hope that your subcommittee will report H. R. 4643 favorably and that the bill will be speedily enacted into law. Respectfully, J. M. DEW. KYLE II, President. STATEMENT BY J. T. SANDERS, LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL, THE NATIONAL GRANGE, ON FEDERAL AID TO EDUCATION-WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION FOR RURAL SCHOOL AID The National Grange is strongly in favor of Federal aid to education provided no Federal control of any form is exercised over State or local schools, and provided aid is distributed on the basis of need. We believe firmly in the validity of the constitutional provisions that reserved all public educational functions solely to the control of the States; and that prohibited Federal, State, and local public support of private or sectarian schools. These provisions were sound and wise at the time the founding fathers wrote them, and they are just as sound and wise today. We will not support any provision of a Federal aid bill that violates the supremacy of State and local authorities over school matters or that departs from the principle of public support of public schools only. But we support most heartily Federal aid which is supplied without Federal control and is distributed to States based on educational needs. We favor provisions in the bill requiring State and local schools to meet minimum standards of finance and teacher training as a condition to supplying Federal aid. The official position of the Grange on Federal aid, as passed by our 1948 annual session, is as follows: "We approve Federal aid for education on elementary and secondary levels on the following conditions: (1) States receiving Federal aid would be required to meet certain minimum standards such as are now required in the case of Federal aid for teaching vocational agriculture. (2) That all Federal funds for any State shall be expended as determined by State or local school officials without interference by control by Federal agencies or officials. (3) We favor the use of the equalization principle based on need between the States in the allocation of Federal aid funds for schools." TWO MAJOR ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATIONS FOR RURAL SCHOOL AID The great need for Federal aid to education has been shown by many facts presented to both the Senate and House committees by numerous witnesses; and we do not intend to try to add to this conclusive body of facts on the need of aid. Rather we would like to present some facts establishing the economic justification of Federal aid to rural schools. We believe that in general two conditions or situations amply justify Federal aid so far as country schools are concerned. These two reasons for Federal aid do not exhaust by any means all the economic justification for aid. They are given here as the two more important reasons for aid. One of these is the service that rural schools have heretofore supplied to cities by educationg a halfmillion boys and girls at rural expense who have migrated annually from country to city to seek permanent employment. This migration has averaged for the past 30 years a half-million net excess per year of cityward migration over the return movement from cities to farms. The other economic justification for Federal aid to rural schools lies with the nature of our industrial agricultural order that tends to concentrate rural generated wealth and income in urban centers; and causes the necessity of wide collection of taxes and redistributing revenues in order to spread the use of revenues back over the broad source areas of such revenues. We will discuss briefly the effects of net rural migration to cities and last, the need for a broadened tax base. NET RURAL MIGRATION AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL AID If the net migration from farm areas to urban centers were a temporary phenomenon it would not be a basis of justification of Federal aid. But the birth rate on the farms is certain to exceed that in urban centers into the foreseeable future. The net birth rate over deaths in rural areas is now and will continue to be far in excess of the number required to operate all our farms efficiently. Also we have constantly increased our productivity per worker on farms and will continue to do so into the distant future. Thus the excess of a half-million farm boys and girls is probably the most permanent and surest farm surplus production problem-far more certain than the danger of surplus crop production. |