Estimated additional needs for Pennsylvania children not residing on Federal 1 Information submitted from Philadelphia does not break the figures down into those residing on and those not on reservations. 2 Hatboro gave an estimated transportation cost of $35,000. Marsh Run Military Depot's present facilities are adequate for any increase in school population. At the last report, approximately 25 children of commissioned and noncommissioned officers of the Army Medical Post at Carlisle were attending the public schools of Carlisle Borough. Apparently the burden for the tuition costs must be borne by the members of the Army post for the per pupil tuition charge. The Honorable ELBERT D. THOMAS, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. UNITED STATES SENATE, Washington, D. C., April 24, 1941. DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: In connection with S. 1313, the Educational Finance Act of 1941, which you introduced in the Senate on April 7 and on which I am informed hearings are scheduled to be held beginning Monday, April 28, I attach hereto copy of a letter just received from Mr. J. L. Goins, superintendent of the Cheyenne Public Schools at Cheyenne, Wyo. Mr. Goins is one of Wyoming's most prominent educators. H. H. SCHWARTZ. CHEYENNE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Hon. H. H. SCHWARTZ, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR SCHWARTZ: A copy of the bill, S. 1313, has come to my attention. I have examined the provisions of this bill carefully and I am taking it upon myself to write you to ask your support of the bill. Cheyenne is vitally interested in the provisions of this bill since, as I read it, I think it will help districts that are taking care of children residing on nearby Federal reservations and State national-defense projects. For your information I might say that it has been necessary for Cheyenne to add 6 additional teachers to take care of the children who are either residing at the fort (Fort Francis E. Warren) or are living in Cheyenne and whose parents are connected with the activities at the fort. Our enrollment at present is approximately 300 more than it was 1 year ago today. This has caused considerable congestion, particularly in the elementary schools. I can easily see where our increased enrollment may reach as high as 500 with the arrival of the new troops which are scheduled to come within the next few days. Every classroom in the elementary school buildings of the city is now in use. At least 3 basement rooms, which are not entirely satisfactory, are in use. As additional pupils continue to come, the district will be embarrassed to provide for them without some outside assistance. For your further information, I might say that the school district's current mill levy is 9.7 mills and, as you know, it can go only to 10.5 mills. You see that allows & leeway of only 0.8 mills to take care of additional increase. As you know the people of Cheyenne have always been anxious to cooperate with the Federal authorities in providing facilities for the education of children at the fort. I assure you that there is no change in that attitude and whether or not additional help comes from the Federal Government, the citizens of Cheyenne will do their best. I do feel that Federal assistance in this particular activity would be fair and equitable. The policy of Federal aid to education, in my opinion, is sound and one that the Government should adopt for all educational activities instead of special types of vocational education and other similar activities. I shall appreciate your consideration of this bill; however, I realize that after you have studied it that you will vote in the best interests of education whether it means support of this bill or not. Very truly yours, Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS, J. L. GOINS, Superintendent. ASOCIACIÓN DE MAESTROS DE PUERTO RICO, Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, United States Capitol, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: The Puerto Rico Teachers' Association, a professional body with a membership of 5,500 teachers who represent 90 percent of the whole teaching force of the island, heartily recommends the approval of Senate bill 1313. To show the need for Federal aid for education in Puerto Rico, we quote from a memorandum presented by the board of directors of the Teachers' Association of Puerto Rico to Dr. Rupert Emerson, head of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, November 12, 1940: "Economic limitations.-Incredible as it seems, the people of Puerto Rico are putting forth twice as great an effort to educate their children as those of the continental United States. But our most strenuous exertions are so handicapped by the very poor economic conditions of the island, that our educational accomplishments are ridiculously small. The following table will illustrate our point: Comparison between certain educational data of the United States and Puerto Rico 1 Abstract of the Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930; p. 184. Percent distribution, etc. 2 Censo de P. R. 1935. Polbación, p. 7. 3 World Almanac 1937. Brooking's, Puerto Rico and its Problems (property value in Puerto Rico calculated as $341,371,000). 5 Bienniel Survey of Education in the United States, 1934-36, vol- 2, ch. 1, pp.8 and 32. 6 Report of the Commissioner of Education of Puerto Rico, 1937. 7 Bienniel Survey. Statistics of State School System, p. 109. 8 Report of the Commissioner of Education, 1938; p. 86. Abstract of the Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930, p. 263. 10 Census of Puerto Rico, 1935. Población No. 2, p. 12. "It is evident that, only through the discovery of some highly productive source of revenue, can we hope to possess a satisfactory school system. "We are quoting the advisory committee in this connection: "When account is taken of the fact that fewer than half of the children of school age are enrolled in school and that the amount expended per year per pupil enrolled in less than $26, it becomes apparent at once that Puerto Rico falls far short providing public education according to American standards. If a reasonable goal in education, such as is required in a democracy, is to be realized in Puerto Rico, the amount of money expended for education must be increased to perhaps three or four times the amount that is now spent. This cannot be done without very large Federal grants-in-aid.' "' 1 If to the conditions described above we add the changes brought about by the concentration of soldiers and workers for national defense in several of our leading cities, the need for Federal aid will look greater. Believe me, Yours very truly, LUIS MUNIZ SOUFFRONT, President. COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARDS, Senator E. D. THOMAS, Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: United States Senate, Washington, D. C. Our organization is very much interested in the passage of S. 1313. Enclosed herewith is copy of a formal resolution which was passed at the annual convention of the Colorado Association of School District Boards held at the University of Colorado, Boulder, on April 11, 1941. School districts in the vicinity of Denver, such as, Aurora, Englewood, Garden Home, and Lakewood are unable to provide adequate educational facilities for the children due to the great influx of population due to the exigencies of national defense. The Colorado State Association of School District Boards strongly urges the passage of S. 1313. Yours very truly, COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARDS, RESOLUTION Whereas certain communities in Colorado have been selected as locations for large national-defense industries and training camps, and adjacent communities are confrontred with unusual and serious problems incident to the construction and operation of said defense projects; and Whereas the prospective employment of some thousands of workers in such plants and training camps will unquestionably bring an influx of people into these communities, with a consequent demand upon certain of these facilities, especially the public schools, far beyond the ability of the communities to meet without outside financial assistance: Be it Resolved, by the Colorado Association of School District Boards in regular meeting assembled, That the continued well-being of our citizens, and those of other communities similarly situated, can only be insured during this period of national emergency, by provision of adequate financial assistance by the Federal Government, for the extension and enlargement of public school, water, sanitary, and other community services, where the demands upon such facilities exceed the ability of the local community to provide the same; and be it further Resolved, That this organization requests our Representatives and United States Senators to consider and support legislation enabling the extension of such aid by the Federal Government upon proof by the local community of actual need for the same; and be it further Resolved, That certified copies of this resolution be forwarded by the secretary of this organization to our Senators and Representatives. Adopted at Boulder, Colo., this 11th day of April 1941. Attest: C. R. PHILLIPS, President. DON C. SOWERS, Secretary. 1 Public Education in the Territories and Outlying Possessions. Staff Study No. 16 prepared for the Advisory Committee on Education. (U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C.), 1939. Ch. V, Education in Puerto Rico (George A. Works), pp. 129-130. STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS, Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: In connection with the new Federal aid bill for schools, S. 1313, I wish to submit the following statement regarding three provisions of the bill. The State of Oregon has need for Federal aid to provide (1) educational facilities and additional teachers in defense areas, both military and industrial; (2) educational facilities for children of migratory workers; and (3) educational facilities for children of Federal employes residing on Government property and reservations. Defense projects in the State include the following areas: CLATSOP COUNTY AREA A. Fort Stevens coast defense near Astoria. B. Camp Clatsop-troop-training area. D. Astoria-possible shipbuilding development. MULTNOMAH COUNTY AREA A. Portland-defense industries, shipbuilding, etc. B. Portland-air base. C. Bonneville area-possible industrial defense-plant developments. UMATILLA COUNTY AREA A. Hermiston-ordnance depot. B. Pendleton-air base. All of these areas are being subjected to a heavy influx of troops and/or civilian defense-project employees which threaten and in some cases are now causing educational burdens far beyond the ability of local communities to support. This problem is very pressing. A preliminary survey of the need in these areas was submitted to the Federal Office of Education some time ago. Migratory-workers' camps have been established in the State causing a concentration of such workers and thus an increase in the problem of furnishing school facilities. One such permanent camp is located in Yamhill County near the village of Dayton. The camp is in a rural-school district employing one teacher and the burden of providing for the children of migratory workers from the camp is clearly beyond the powers of the local school district. Arrangements have been made with Dayton to care for the children but such an arrangement is but a temporary solution of the problem. This Approximately 52 percent of Oregon's land area is either owned by the Federal Government or in the custody or trusteeship of the Federal Government. 52 percent is approximately 32,000,000 acres of Oregon's total area of 61,000,000 or more acres. The children of Federal employees residing on these lands ordinarily are accepted by nearby schools. However, concentration of Federal employees on vast irrigation, power, drainage, and defense projects has caused and is causing a refusal on the part of school districts to accept children from these areas. This problem is clearly one that requires Federal aid in solving. It should be pointed out that: 1. 98 percent of the support for schools in Oregon comes from a property tax most of which is a levy by the local district. 2. There are no State funds available for relieving overburdened school districts where Federal projects are located. 3. Federal aid is of vital importance if school facilities are to be furnished to children of Federal employees and civilian workers sent to these areas. In connection with these problems involving Federal projects, I herewith submit a copy of Senate Joint Memorial No. 4 passed by the 1941 session of the Oregon. Legislature. Sincerely yours, REX PUTNAM, Superintendent, Public Instruction. [Forty-first Legislative Assembly-Regular Session] SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL No. 4 Introduced by Committee on Education and read February 12, 1941 Whereas sudden and large shifts in population resulting from Federal defense projects and other federally supported and controlled projects within the State of Oregon often impose severe financial burdens upon school districts and other local units of government that have neither the facilities nor the funds to cope with such emergencies; and Whereas such projects being Federal in nature do not increase the taxable wealth of such school districts and other local units of government in proportion to the obligations which the increased population compel such local units to meet; and Whereas this condition is so acute as seriously to threaten the solvency of certain school districts and other local units of government by forcing them to resort to unreasonable and exorbitant tax levies in addition to those normally required; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of Oregon (the House of Representatives jointly concurring therein): 1. That the Congress of the United States be requested to take immediate steps to relieve such overburdened school districts and other local governmental units with definite financial assistance and to provide for such exigencies in the future when projects are initiated. 2. That a copy of this memorial be sent to United States Senators Charles L. McNary and Rufus C. Holman, and to Congressmen James W. Mott, Homer D. Angell, and Walter M. Pierce, and that they be and they hereby are requested to support legislation which will make the objective of this memorial effective. 3. That the secretary of state of the State of Oregon be and he hereby is instructed to forward a certified copy of this memorial to the President of the United States, the President and Chief Clerk of the United States Senate, and to the Speaker and Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the United States. STATE OF MAINE, COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: I am writing to you relative to S. 1313, the bill introduced by you to provide Federal aid for public education. Personally, I have long been interested in a bill to provide Federal aid for education to reduce inequalities among the States and without Federal control. I have carefully read S. 1313 and believe it embodies provisions which should prove to be satisfactory to the great majority of our citizens throughout the country who believe in the necessity of Federal aid for public education. Insofar as my own State is concerned, there is serious need for additional funds to reduce inequalities in elementary and secondary schools especially in the rural areas and there is also need for additional educational facilities for teachers in defense areas, both military and industrial, and also great need for providing educational facilities for children of Federal employees residing on Government property and reservations. I know the same need exists in as great or greater degree in many other States. It seems to me your bill wisely embodies not only the necessity of providing educational facilities in connection with the immediate national defense but also in a long-range method of assistance in reducing serious educational inequalities. As a matter of fact, I am convinced that in the matter of national defense public education in all its aspects constitutes our front line of defense in a type of government such as we have. May I point out that it has been in connection with grave national situations that public education has received added impetus and assistance from the Federal Government. It was during the throes of the Civil War that the Morrill Act was passed establishing land grant colleges, a most constructive and forward-looking act in relation to higher education in this country. It was during the World War that Federal aid was established for vocational education and the necessity for |