a fair chance. At Point Pleasant, where the Marietta shipbuilding yards are located, Superintendent of Schools Walden Roush, on the basis of conversations with management, has advised that the number of workmen will within a short time likely increase to 1,000 as contrasted with about one-half that number at the present time. He reports that all of the school buildings in that community are now housing as many children as it is possible to crowd into them without, in the process, creating hazards to which the parents of children might reasonably and seriously object. It is assured beyond any question of doubt that in the three communities cited above a grave school problem will soon exist. It is also obvious to one acquainted with the program of school finance in West Virginia that these communities cannot provide the additional facilities which will be required when increasing population stabilizes. In this connection it is pointed out that in all of these communities the county boards of education are levying up to the tax limits prescribed by the State constitution and enabling legislation. It is also true the amount of State aid to go to these counties during the next 2 years has already been fixed by the State legislature. It is, therefore, clear that these boards of education are without financial strength to provide additional school facilities called for by increased school population suddenly stimulated by the development of defense industries. In the city of Fairmont industrial expansion in the amount of $5,000,000 may precipitate a like condition there. It seems appropriate to call attention to the fact these conditions are in prospect because of the necessary activities of Federal Government in planning national defense. This fact, coupled with the inability of our local boards of education to increase their revenues, and the urgent need for hastening all defense processes, suggests that the Federal Government is in the more favorable position to finance these emergency school situations. Attention is also invited to the fact that in some of these areas the families of workmen will live on Federal reservations while others will live in nearby communities in such a way as to create not only a school problem on the reservation but a school problem in the outlying sections of the community. The need for Federal aid will occur wherever overcrowded school conditions exist as a result of population shifted on account of defense enterprises. For example, at Point Pleasant, it now seems probable, according to unofficial reports, that the increase in number of workmen in the Marietta shipbuilding yards will be housed in Point Pleasant and adjacent communities. In other words, the absence of Federal reservations in no manner at all reduces or eliminates the demand for additional classrooms, additional teachers, and the like. The West Virginia public-school system has not as a rule been thrown out of gear by a rapidly shifting type of population. It does not at this moment face the serious problem that exists in a number of Southern States relative to equalizing salaries between Negro and white teachers. A single salary schedule is now in effect in the State. In West Virginia Negro and white children attend separate schools while the Negro and white teachers receive the same salary, training and experience being the same. It is commonly true, outside our urban centers, that the white children are housed better and their classrooms are frequently better equipped. Federal aid, if set aside for this purpose, would result in equalization of education opportunity between these two major parts of our population. It is with conditions of this kind in mind that I solicit your favorable consideration of Senate bill 1313. Respectfully yours, R. B. MARSTON, Executive Secretary. Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS, THE COLORADO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, United States Capitol, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: 1. In Colorado we have a number of school districts whose property valuation is so low that it is impossible for them to maintain, from their own resources, anything like a reasonable educational program. These districts exist throughout the State, but the most acute needs of our State are in the school districts of Costilla and Conejos Counties. Many of the teachers in school districts in these counties were forced to leave the service of the district this January because they were unable to get their warrants cashed on account of the bad financial conditions in the districts. A small amount of State aid has been provided but this aid is entirely insufficient; therefore, Federal aid to these poorer districts in Colorado will be a wise expenditure of Federal funds. 2. Within the last few days I have asked a few of the superintendents of schools in the suburban area surrounding Denver, where many of the new defense projects are being developed, to briefly state the situation that their increased enrollments, due to defense projects, has presented to these districts. Below is a copy of these statements. Statement From Superintendent H. J. McConnell, of Aurora, School District No. 28J, Arapahoe County The Aurora school district needs Federal aid due to the Federal defense projects such as Lowry Field, Fitzsimons Hospital, and the Remington Arms Plant, because these projects have 1. Caused an increase in the adult population of one-eighth the entire population. 2. Increased the grade-school enrollment to absolute capacity. 3. Caused increases in the junior and senior high schools which if continued at the present rate will overload both of the schools by midsummer. The local school district cannot handle the problem because: 1. It is carrying more bonds now than are allowed by State law. 2. The present tax levy for school purposes is 23 mills. 3. New buildings are not keeping up with the increase in population sufficient to offset the added costs due to the increases in population. 4. There are no industries in Aurora such as railroads and factories to help with such problems. 5. Lowry Field has taken a large portion of taxable property from the town of Aurora. actually reducing the school-tax income. The only possible revenue that Aurora could have derived would have been from the rental fees on the housing project. This was actually planned for Aurora, but is being built on Tamarac Street in Denver. Denver is to receive 15 percent of the gross rentals to support schools needed for children from those homes. The county cannot help because it cannot even raise the minimum amount required by law for schools with the maximum levy. The State does not help because it provides less than 5 percent of the total school expenditures now. It ranks third from the bottom of all 48 States in the amount of State support for schools. If Aurora is to be helped, along with all other needy schools in the defense area, such help will have to come from the Federal Government. Statement from Ralph D. Jenkins, Superintendent of Schools, Englewood, Colo., School District No. 1, Arapahoe County The Englewood public schools are already suffering as a result of the impact. On March 28 over 700 children were enrolled whose parents were employed in some industry or company filling defense contracts, or whose parents are at one of the Army aviation posts. A study is being made at present to determine the number of this group who have been added as a result of defense contracts. A conservative estimate would be over 300. For example, there were 82 children in school on March 28 whose parents were at the Army aviation post at Lowry Field, Aurora, or Lowry Field, Fort Logan; 80 at General Iron Works in Englewood; 36 at the Federal Prison in Jefferson County; and 17 at the Remington Arms Plant. A new survey now under way will determine increases since March 28. Englewood, Garden Home, and College View have large portions of their districts located on military highways and within a few miles of the Remington Arms Plant. This land is being sold by a company at $1 down, $1 per month, and no taxes for 2 years. In Englewood district alone there were 207 houses under construction on March 28, 100 of this group within the $1 down area where there will be no taxable wealth. This is double the new homes that were under construction at this time last year. The Arapahoe County Welfare Department shows 20 percent increase in transient relief applications during the first quarter of 1941 as compared with 1940. These three districts receive the majority of all relief cases. Every cottage camp in the Englewood school district is filled at the present time and numerous trailers are landing each week. Our county defense committee, composed of representatives from health, welfare, recreation, nutrition, and education groups, estimate that Englewood will have an additional impact of 1,350 children to accommodate by September 1, 1941, or shortly after. We have no funds with which to build buildings or to employ additional teachers; $1,500 valuation back of each census child makes it impossible. We are now trying to house 2,523 children in buildings built to accommodate 1,865. Statement from Harper Johnson, Superintendent of Garden Home School, School District No. 18, Arapahoe County The Garden Home district lies south of west Alameda and is just 31⁄2 miles east of the Remington Arms Plant. We made a survey a month ago and found that there were 287 people living in the district engaged in some kind of defense work. Also there were 163 houses under construction at that time and several more have been started since March 20. The activity that is under way now seems to be mostly in anticipation of work that may be available. I could not predict what the situation will be 6 months from now. In 1936 the school census of our district was 614 and by 1940 it had increased to 1,224. The Garden Home district is now bonded up to the legal limit. If there is further increase we will not be able to meet the situation. Statement from Fletcher M. Miller, Superintendent of Lakewood Schools, School District No. 47, Jefferson County We have had a very rapid increase in the number of children for the past 10 years. In 1930 our school census numbered 352. In 1941 it will number approximately 1,100. During the past 10 years we have had to add to our building or build new buildings almost every other year. During this time a complete basement and manual-training room has been excavated and placed under the grade-school building. The west end of the grade-school building has been added, a new junior high school has been erected, a new gymnasium building which serves both the junior and senior high schools, and a new senior high school. Facilities in our senior high school will care for approximately 250 as a maximum; we have 240 enrolled at the present time. We can care for approximately 250 in our junior high school with a total enrollment of 220. Our grade school is greatly overcrowded at the present time. We have 12 grade rooms available, 11 of which are now occupied. We have divided all of our grades except the third and fourth which must be divided next year. We would like to keep the maximum in any grade room at approximately 35 pupils. At present the average daily attendance in grade 1 is 78; grade 2, 81; grade 3, 60; grade 4, 66; grade 5, 71; grade 6. 74. As you can readily see, we are not only up to our maximum in grade facilities but already have a crowded condition which should be relieved. The Lakewood school district is located approximately between the city of Denver and the location of the new Remington Arms Plant. The school buildings proper are located a mile and a half from the Remington Arms Plant buildings. The main thoroughfare, Sixth Avenue, just passes within 4 blocks of the school which is located on Tenth Avenue. The school district extends north and south of the plant and occupies practically all of the territory between the plant and the city of Denver. The Lakewood Public Schools are the nearest schools accredited by the North Central Association and the State accrediting agency. Due to this fact Lakewood already receives as tuition students the high school pupils from the Daniels district which borders the plant on the north and from the Bancroft and Washington Heights districts which border the plant on the south. Due to the above fact, it is logical that the greatest incres se will be in the Lakewood area. While the total enrollment has increased, our allowance per child has dropped from $2,609 to approximately $2,200 this year. We are able to issue approximately $40,000 in bonds. One or two new elementary schools, as well as additions to junior and senior high school, will be absolutely essential if we are to properly care for the increase when the Remington Arms Plant is in full operation. This means that the district alone should have approximately $400,000 to care for the increase due to the new defense plant. Daniels, which is located directly west and north of the Remington Plant, is a small district with a school erected without toilet facilities and designated for only 8 grades. It is terribly overcrowded at present and numerous shacks are being erected which add to the difficulties of the distret. This district as well as Washington Heights, Bear Creek, and Garden Home will be effected under this program similarly. We have approximately 225 families now living in the Lakewood school district who are engaged directly and indirectly in defense work. The schools in Jefferson County alone are in need of approximately a million dollars to take care of the estimated increased population of 30,000 coming into the territory from the employment of 10,000 people in the Remington Arms Plant, which is situated in the Daniels and Lakewood districts. A large percentage of these people are erecting homes in unrestricted areas where there are no sewage or other utilities. Many homes are being erected of discarded lumber, billboards, tin cans, and other materials which are made into shacks not fit for habitation. In addition to shacks of this nature, many of the buildings can be assessed to only $50 to $75. In general, the average tax from these homes will fall below $3 and many will have several children to enter the public schools. A very small part of the territory is zoned and only a small part of the district will be served with sewage and utilities. Many trailer and cottage camps are already being built each week. At the present rate of increase, school facilities will be almost unbelievably inadequate next September. Each district responds to the limit but it is difficult at the present time to see how they can carry on without some Federal assistance. The four statements noted above clearly indicate that if the children of parents employed by these defense projects are to be reasonably cared for from an educational standpoint some form of Federal aid will be necessary. The State of Colorado provides no funds that may be legally used to meet such emergencies. 3. Colorado has a migratory workers' problem, particularly in the beet-raising areas of the State, which our people feel is really a Federal problem of their maintenance as well as for provision for the education of their children. Federal aid for Colorado to help school districts take care of their increased educational load due to the influx of migratory workers will be a wise and constructive expenditure of Federal funds. 4. The problem of adequately caring for the educational opportunities of the children of parents who live on Government posts in Colorado is a serious one. We believe that the provision in your bill S. 1313 which creates a committee to study this problem and make provisions for its solution by the use of Federal funds is also a wise and constructive proposal for the use of Federal funds to make provision for the education of these children. Respectfully submitted. W. B. MOONEY, Executive Secretary. [Telegrams] Senator ELBERT D. THOMAS, JUNEAU, ALASKA, April 28, 1941. Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, D. C.: Federal aid under S. 1313 imperative for educational program in Alaska. Due to defense program school population in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kodiak, Sitka, Unalaska, and Duthharbor has increased beyond local and Territorial ability to provide buildings, teachers, and other school facilities. Fear hundreds will be without school opportunity next year unless Federal aid becomes available in next few weeks. Lack of shipping facilities and short building season in Alaska necessitate early construction if schools are to be provided for next school year. Refer you to Anthony J. Dimond, Delegate from Alaska for further detailed information. Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS, JAMES C. RYAN, Commissioner of Education. SPRINGFIELD, ILL., April 29, 1941. Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor: Our association favors the enactment of S. 1313, particularly as it applies to school costs in defense and governmental areas. House Joint Resolution 34, of the Illinois Legislature, provides same endorsement. IRVING F. PEARSON, Executive Secretary, Illinois Education Association. Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS: WASHINGTON, D. C., May 3, 1941. Being unable to attend hearing before Committee on Education and Labor on S. 1313, permit me to respectfully request that the American Coalition be recorded in the record of hearing as in opposition to this bill. Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS, JOHN S. TREVOR, President, American Coalition. STATE OF NEVADA, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, United States Senator, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR: Elementary schools in Nevada receive the major portion of their financial support from State and county apportionments based on the average daily attendance in the school for the preceding school year. High school districts are supported largely by county aid or special high-school district tax. A very serious burden is put on any Nevada high school or elementary school which has a sudden increase in school population, since, under our system, there is no provision made by our statutes whereby additional funds may be provided for school districts, apart from emergency loans or special taxation. This department is quite perturbed over the situation which threatens to face three or four established school districts next year, due to the expansion of the national-defense program in certain areas. Boulder City, Las Vagas, and Hawthorne are at the present time anticipating increases in the school population due to the fact that families are moving into this area to work on Federal projects involving new airports and the naval munitions depot. Children of these families will undoubtedly not own taxable property in this State, yet the children must be supplied with an education. The established schools in these three communities are already crowded, and each is financially handicapped at the present time due to lack of adequate revenue with which to support the schools. It will be a serious problem for any of these school districts to have to provide additional teachers next year for the increased enrollment due to the influx into school of these children whose parents are engaged in national-defense work, since the State and county apportionments to be made during the 1941-42 school year will be made on the basis of the present school population which does not include these newcomers. The school budgets were prepared in February and submitted to county boards of commissioners in March, so no provision was made in these budgets for any added revenue to the schools involved by means of special district taxation. What is true of the schools in Hawthorne, Boulder City, and Las Vegas will also be true of any Nevada schools directly affected by national defense programs, for there is no discretionary fund set up in this State to take care of similar situations. On the other hand, Nevada school districts and the State Department of Education are sincere in believing that the best educational opportunities should be offered to every child who lives in the State, and we would not, if we could, turn away from our school doors these children of defense workers or the children of Federal employees residing on Government property and reservations. With the above situation in mind, the State Department of Education of Nevada strongly urges the passage and approval of S. 1313. We are sincere in believing that it will tend to reduce the existing educational inequalities in elementary and secondary schools, that it will enable us to furnish educational facilities and the needed additional teachers in defense areas (both military and industrial), and that it will also make it possible for children of Federal employees residing on Government property and reservations to have educational facilities in our established schools without, at the same time, depriving the Nevada children who reside in that district from the facilities which should be afforded to them as the sons and daughters of Nevada taxpayers. May I request that a picture of the situation in areas such as those which exist in Nevada may be furnished the Committee on Education and Labor when the hearings on S. 1313 commence on Monday, April 28. We have faith that if the members of the committee understand the situation they will report the bill out favorably and sponsor its adoption into law. Respectfully yours, MILDRED BRAY, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. |