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APPENDIX

PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. NORMAN E. D'AMOURS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

I am very appreciative of having the opportunity to address the Committee on H.R. 7216, Mr. Brademas' bill to provide funds for the advancement of the arts and humanities.

As a long-time avid supporter of the arts and humanities, I have been particularly appreciative of the creativity and spontaneity evident in these fields. Unlike many countries around the world, we in America have been fortunate to be blessed with the liberty to freely exchange a variety of thoughts and concepts regarding the values and directions in our society. Such exchange is only inhibited by the lack of opportunity to participate in forums for such discourse and it is in this area where the support of the humanities is so important.

Of course, in the United States, as in other countries, the free exchange of ideas and concepts is most concentrated in our educational institutions. The Congress has properly seen fit to encourage the expansion of this exchange and to include the members of the public at large. I applaud such a goal. Discussion of public policy should include as many people as possible. However, I am afraid that Section 102 of the legislation presently before the Subcommittee would unintentionally enhance the possibility of government intervention in this exchange, and I believe that such a relationship would not be beneficial.

In my own state of New Hampshire, a dedicated group of volunteers joined together, independent of the state government, to ensure that the discussion of various ideas could be appreciated by all members of the community. In 1972, the President of the University of New Hampshire, and five other citizens, were asked by the National Endowment of the Humanities to enlist the support of other interested people to study methods of extending the humanities to people who were outside the academic world and who perhaps would not otherwise have the opportunity to be exposed to it. In October of 1973, NEH approved their plan of action and began funding their group.

The New Hampshire Council on the Humanities is in practice, a "re-grant" agency to quote one of its volunteer directors, Ms. Nancy Deane. Local groups present their programs and projects to the Council and the Council, in turn, incorporates selected programs into its budget request of NEH. For the benefit of the Committee, I am submitting an outline of the programs supported by the New Hampshire Council for its review.

The Council consists of seven administrators, seven academic humanists, and seven people from the general community. The latter group represents all segments of the public to ensure greater diversity on the Council as well as broad public representation.

Each county of the State of New Hampshire is represented by the Council. The State of New Hampshire provides the Council with absolutely no money. So, consequently, its programs are almost totally dependent on federal funding, although it is attempting to secure other sources of financing.

Eighty percent of the Council's expenditures goes into the various programs and projects. The remaining twenty percent is spent for administrative costs. Only the full-time Executive Director, Mr. Steven Taylor, and part-time secretarial help, are paid. The Council's fiscal agent also receives a small stinend.

I believe we would be making a big mistake by mandating that only state agencies be funded. We would not only risk the loss of an independent creative element in the humanities as well as in the arts, we would also be forced to fund such agencies at a greater figure to compensate for the loss of energy which is intrinsic and too often unique with volunteers.

The variety of local programs and projects certainly dictates that local polities must be kept out of the decision-making process if the people of all communities are to have their interests in the arts and humanities satisfied.

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I will conclude my remarks by urging that the Committee Members reject the notion that only state agencies should be entrusted with providing different examples of the arts and humanities to the public. I see no reason to exclude voluntary groups whose members' only interest is the expansion of public interest and enjoyment in the field of arts and humanities from being able to actively pursue these goals. If anything, I believe it would be far more in the interest of the public to foster competition among similarly minded groups and a state agency.

Enclosure.

A PROPOSAL FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE STATE-BASED PROGRAM IN THE HUMANITIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

PREAMBLE

The New Hampshire Council for the Humanities herewith submits its proposal to the National Endowment for the Humanities for continuation of the state-based program in the humanities in New Hampshire. This proposal is meant as a report upon and evaluation of the Council's activities during the past twelve months and as a plan for activities during the ensuing year.

The Council proposes to continue to build its program on the theme "New Hampshire in Transition: The Individual and the Community amid Growth and Change." The Council has examined at considerable length the relevance of this theme to current public policy issues extant at the grassroots level in the state, and concludes that the theme and the public policy issues raised thereunder serve as a solid foundation to the New Hampshire statebased program in the humanities.

Preparation of this proposal followed extended discussion by Council members and represents combined writing and editing efforts of staff and members.

THE COUNCIL

The New Hampshire Council for the Humanities was formed in late 1972 to develop and conduct a state-based program in the humanities in the State of New Hampshire. A core group of six citizens and scholars was invited by the National Endowment for the Humanities to initiate planning for such a program. This group was subsequently expanded to twenty-one, and after a six-month planning period, the first grant period began October 1, 1973.

The Council finds its purpose to be to examine and support activities which bring the insight and training of scholars in the humanities to bear on public nolicy issues within the state. The Council is open to all ideas on how to accomplish this purpose, and attempts to generate from within its membership workable means to achieve this goal as well as to receive proposals from the state's academic community, public and civic agencies and organizations and individuals.

Membership of the Council consists of twenty-one persons, including seven whose profession is the study of the humanities, seven who are affiliated with academic institutions as administrators, and seven who represent a various constituency in the general public. Terms are for three years, with seven members leaving the Council each August 31st. To assure a continued infusion of fresh ideas and energy, the Council limits membership to one term for all members. In general, the Council transacts all of its business as a full body, and it tends to use subcommittees for special tasks only rarely. Meetings of the Council are scheduled monthly except for December and July, and usually begin with a business luncheon and last for about three hours. The Council prefers to meet frequently so that grant applicants need not wait for a long period of time to learn of the Council's decision, and to assure continuing contact between members and with staff.

Members of the Council frequently attend regrant activities and work with staff in program development endeavors and in evaluation of projects supported by the Council.

Council meetings tend to be disputatious at times, lighthearted at others, always lively. Each application for regrant funds is analyzed in detail. All Council members are furnished copies of applications in advance of meetings and then each application is taken up individually and any and all members who wish are given the opportunity to ask questions or speak for or against. The judgment of staff, of Council members who are colleagues of sponsors or project participants and of public members on community ramifications of projects is actively sought and used in forming consensus on each application.

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After full discussion of an application, it is rare for a vote pro or con to be ything but unanimous.

In some instances, the Council returns an application to staff for revision by e applicant. This usually occurs when the proposed project appears to have erit but lacks strength in its components, such as an insufficient budget for 'omotion and publicity of activities, inadequate plans for evaluation or lack evidence of interest in the target audience.

Based on review and evaluation of its first year, the Council in recent months is made changes in its method of operation. These range from taking up applitions in descending order of magnitude of regrant requested to scheduling a ries of seminars for academic humanists conducted by a Council member/huanities scholar on campuses around the state.

The seminars were planned to meet the need for greater awareness within e state's academic community of the specific needs and requirements of the ogram conducted by the New Hampshire Council for the Humanities.

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PROGRAM

During the past twelve months, the New Hampshire Council for the Humanies has supported sixteen projects out of thirty-one applications received. The ouncil has furnished funds in the amount of $77,557, and these funds have been atched by a total of $79,171 in cash or in-kind services.

Between October 1, 1974 and September 30, 1975, the following projects have en supported:

ecision-Making in Rochester

Sponsor, Rochester Library, Regrant funds, $3,600; matching, $3,476. The oject consisted of a series of evening meetings at which two humanists met ith participants attempting to explore and clarify the values they believed ganized life in the past, were currently operating and would likely inform the ture. Discussion was keyed on contemporary local issues, including a proposal build a large oil refinery in the city.

Participants were encouraged to list values they claimed adherence to and en to test them against their feelings about the oil refinery. For example, ose cherishing the intimacy of neighborhoods and the feeling of knowing actically everybody in town would lose intimacy through the inevitable popation growth an oil refinery would bring. Those who cherished serenity and ose-knit community ties saw that continuing unemployment through exclusion the refinery could exacerbate despair and antisocial behavior in a chronically deremployed underclass in the community.

The humanists, one a political scientist and the other from the field of modern erature, at times played devil's advocate to stimulate discussion and reevaluaon of views by participants. At other times, their role was merely to inform d to offer commentary and reaction to various participant statements.

In sum, the project attracted audiences ranging from thirty to sixty, plus mplete news coverage in the local newspapers.

#tleton Debate Series

Sponsor, University of New Hampshire Gorham Branch, Regrant funds, $983; atching $900. A series of three debates was held in the North Country commity of Littleton following the theme "Individual Rights in a Changing Comnity." Each debate took up a question: Censorship-An infringement on lividual liberty?: Euthanasia-Do we have a right to die?; and Abortionould legal sanctions be removed?

A humanist from the field of philosophy moderated the debates, and attorneys, rgymen and lay persons served as advocates. At the conclusion of each pate, the audience was invited to question the debaters, and discussion back d forth generally lasted close to two hours. A written ballot was furnished d the audience was also invited to make comments.

ene Women's Conference

Sponsor, Keene Area Women's Information Service (WISE). Regrant funds, 500; matching, $2,570. A day-long conference was held at Keene State College ich examined women's roles in New Hampshire communities today. The note speaker was Mary Daley, and humanists from the Keene State College ulty, including disciplines of political science, ethics, jurisprudence, philosy, literature and theology, conducted small-group discussions following her dress.

Mary Daley's speech served as a stimulant for discussion of the implications of the Equal Rights Amendment to both the federal and New Hampshire Constitutions on the lives of New Hampshire women. Women were asked by the humanist-leaders to discuss and examine their roles in a society which is slowly accepting such concepts as affirmative action, females as managers, and girls on Little League teams.

Can Local Government Cope with Today's Problems?

Sponsor, Upper Valley-Lake Sunapee Council. Regrant funds, $1,700; matching, $1,700. The program consisted of a series of town meeting-style sessions in Mascoma Valley towns followed by three radio broadcasts on an area commercial station. A humanist and several resource persons served on panels and led discussions of the project's theme-question. Emphasis was on examination of personal values and attitudes about whether or not citizens really want their local government to work for them and whether they are willing to make sacrifices to accomplish whatever goals they have for their local governmental institutions. Typical issues included: How much more in taxes do we want to pay the town treasurer for such "quality of life" services as libraries, sanitation and conservation?; Can a system of part-time officials deal with increasingly complex local problems such as waste management, zoning and law-enforcement?; and Will we give leaders the freedom to make mistakes?

Change and Development in Raymond

Sponsor, Raymond ad hoc Humanities Committee. Regrant funds, $4,500; matching, $4,122. A series of discussion meetings in Raymond was conducted by a scholar in the field of American literature and a scholar in modern political thought which explored in detail various local public policy issues surrounding changing economic and life-style patterns in the town of Raymond.

Illustrative of the kinds of local issues explored were: The dilemma of the mobile home-control it, ban it, or let it be?; How to deal with crowding at the town's two schools without placing intolerable tax burdens on the poor and elderly; Whether it's possible to preserve Raymond's classic Victorian town square buildings-preservation for enjoyment of the upper crust or progress through new stores and filling stations to broaden shopping opportunities and the local tax base.

Growth, Buildings and People

Sponsor, Sullivan-Cheshire Community Action Council. Regrant funds, $3,540: matching, $3,520. Forums at which the uses of space in the communities of Keene, Claremont and Westmoreland were investigated were conducted by a professor of American studies and a professor of government.

Slide shows and then commentary by the humanists, planners, architects and politicians preceded audience discussion and debate. The sessions examined ways decisions as to use of available land and air space in the communities are reached and the sorts of feelings and values which form the bases for these decisions. Then discussion turned to public policy questions people and government institutions must answer in meeting needs for housing, commercial and industrial development, recreation areas, highways and public facilities. Town Meeting of the Air

Sponsor, the New Hampshire Network. Regrant funds, $34,220; matching, $35,680. Regrant funds supported the second and final phase of the Town Meeting of the Air, a series of five 90-minute live television programs to be aired on the state's public television network in the fall of 1975. The grant supported planning work by humanists and technical preparations for the programs, which will explore five different public policy areas raised under the New Hampshire Council for the Humanities program theme.

The five public policy areas are: Responsiveness of government; finding the economic balance; problems and shortcoming of public education in the state: population growth and changing uses of the land; and State traditions and preserving the best of the past.

Each area is addressed in the form of a specific “warrant article" question, such as "Shall the State encourage expanded industrial development ?" Law and Changing Values

Sponsor, Dover Bar Law Day Committee. Regrant funds, $600; matching, $600. A mock trial was held in the Dover District Courtroom on Law Day, May 1, to illustrate the conflict inherent in the state's legal system because it

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