TENNESSEE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Senate Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: The following resolution was adopted by the Tennessee Public School Officers Association in convention assembled on Friday, January 12, 1945: "We believe that in order to equalize tax burdens and educational opportunities that Federal aid to education is necessary. We, therefore, commit ourselves to continue to work for the passage of Senate bill 181 and H. R. 1296. We recommend that the secretary of this association furnish the National Education Association, the Senators and Congressmen of Tennessee a copy of this section of these resolutions." There were some 250 superintendents and other administrative and supervisory officials present when the above resolution was adopted by the Public School Officers Association. The following resolution was adopted by the representative assembly of the Tennessee Education Association in its annual meeting on Saturday, January 13, 1945: "It is recommended that the representative assembly reaffirm its stand on Federal aid for education and that we, as a body, and as individuals, pledge our best efforts to gain support for the Federal aid bills which have been introduced in the Seventy-ninth Congress." Approximately 650 representatives voted affirmatively on the above resolution. They represented about 19,000 Tennessee teachers. There are, of course, many reasons why Federal aid for public education is needed in Tennessee. I am taking the privilege of listing some of those reasons below. 1. The teacher shortage In an effort to meet the current teacher shortage, the State Department of Education has issued more than 7,000 emergency permits to teachers who do not possess the necessary qualifications to secure a regular teacher's certificate. More than 2,600 teachers in the schools of Tennessee at the present time have not more than a high-school education themselves. More than 500 have less than a high-school education. Unfortunately, the greatest shortage of teachers exists in those fields which are considered most essential to the war effort such as elementary teachers and high-school teachers of industrial arts, agriculture, physical education, mathematics, science, and commercial subjects. Many high schools have been forced to discontinue one or more of these courses because teachers could not be found to teach them. Turn-over among all high-school teachers has been tremendous since 1939-40. Enrollments in teacher training institutions are low and many of those enrolled in these schools do not plan to teach. There is no convincing evidence that teachers will return to their classrooms in great numbers after the war. This, in spite of the fact, that the need for teachers will continue to grow as postwar plans call for expansion of adult education, preschool age training, increased enrollments, change in curricula and varied educational programs for returning service men and women. Present salaries for teachers in Tennessee will not attract capable young people into the profession. More than 12,000 rural elementary teachers receive an average weekly wage, based on 52 weeks, of approximately $18.50. In contrast to this, workers in elevator industries, aircraft plants, and retail clothing stores receive an average weekly wage of from two to three times more than that paid to rural elementary teachers. If this condition is allowed to continue it cannot be expected that capable young people will enter a service field which provides neither adequate financial remuneration nor chances for fast promotion. 2. Per capita income Tennessee has one of the lowest per capita incomes of any State in the Nation, ranking forty-fourth in this respect. In fact, no Southern State has a per capita income that anywhere near approaches the per capita income for the United States as a whole. It is often argued that the cost of living is lower in the South than in other areas. Statistics, however, fail to reveal any extreme dif ferences in the cost of those items that are considered the necessities of life. The United States Department of Labor estimates that the cost of living has increased more than 31 percent since the beginning of the war. Since teachers' incomes must be spent on those items known as the necessities of life, it may be safely assumed that the cost of living for teachers has increased much more than 31 percent. Tennessee ranks fifteenth among the States of the Union in total population. Thus the picture in Tennessee is much like that of all the other Southern States, one of the highest birth rates in the Nation and one of the lowest per capita incomes with which to clothe, feed, and educate its young. Numbered in the State's population figures are 508,000 Negroes. It is clearly recognized that Negroes are a part of the economic, political, and social pattern of Southern life. They have made worth-while contributions to the communities in which they live. It is a foregone conclusion that the educators of our State will wisely include the Negroes of Tennessee in any postwar plans to bring more education to more people. Tennessee's large population requires the expenditure of more money in order to provide an adequate education for all people within the State. Both State and local governments are making the greatest financial effort in the history of the State to provide this education. The relative rank of the State in financial effort is far higher than its relative rank in per capita income. It seems extremely unwise at the present time to place further financial burdens upon the State government or the local governments. The type of educational program needed, however, cannot be provided with present revenues and both the children of the State and the adults, including returning service men and women, will suffer the consequences unless steps are taken to provide the kind of expanded educational program needed for the people of Tennessee. Federal aid to public education seems the only solution to this difficult problem. 3. Postwar needs The postwar period will call for many adjustments in the operation of the schools of Tennessee. Financial assistance will be needed in bringing needed organizational, curricular, teacher personnel and school plant adjustments. No other institution in the State has felt the impact of the war as has the school. Many teachers have entered the armed services or industries, schools are operating with limited administrative personnel and repair work on school plants has been almost completely discontinued. Many communities need new buildings or additions. The children of the State will suffer the consequences for years unless steps are taken to assure good teachers in good schools. The kind of program needed cannot possibly be undertaken without Federal aid to public education. I trust that the above information will be of some help to you as you plan for your committee hearings on this important legislation. DEAR SIR: The National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs during the last Congress supported S. 637 for Federal aid for education, and we, as a State federation, also supported same. We understand that Senate bill 181 has been introduced in the new Congress, containing the same provisions as formerly. In support of our national legislative program, we are glad to add our endorsement to this bill to aid the schools of our country. We therefore urge the passage of such legislation at the present term of Congress. Sincerely yours, (Mrs.) LEWISE M. COBBS, President. TENNESSEE ASSOCIATION FOR CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: May we direct your attention to bill S. 181, providing for Federal aid to education, which is scheduled for a hearing Monday, January 29, 1945. The Nashville branch of the Association for Childhood Education, representing the teachers of the early elementary grades of the Nashville schools, endorses this bill and pledges the efforts of its membership, both as a body and as individuals, to gain support for its passage. This organization is a member of the Tennessee Association for Childhood Education, which, in turn, is a regular department of the Tennessee Education Association. This association believes that the cause of education throughout the entire Nation would be benefited greatly by the passage of this bill. That this belief is widespread is evidenced by the fact that national organizations having a total membership of over 18,000,000 responsible citizens are on record in behalf of Federal aid for education. As the title of this organization indicates we are interested in childhood. We shall continue to direct our efforts to the end that every child in this country will be insured an adequate educational opportunity. Many States require financial assistance to accomplish this, and they are looking to the Federal Government to provide it. In the interest of the boys and girls of America, this association asks that you support the passage of this bill. Yours truly, MARGARET HITE YARBROUGH, Legislative Chairman, Nashville Branch. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, WASHINGTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, Chairman, Senate Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. MURRAY: The Washington Education Association, comprising 11,500 of the State's 12,500 teachers, has long advocated Federal contribution to public-school support, such support routed through and applied by the educational authorities of the States. We believe that a Federal share in support of general education is sound in principle, advantageous by reason of Federal facilities in tax collection and necessary for supplementation and equalization in financing an adequate school program. Education for good citizenship is a primary responsibility and function of the common schools in our democracy. As such it is obviously as much a concern of the National Government as of State and local governments. Furthermore, the extreme mobility of the American people, whether in war or in peace times, makes it impossible for a State to assume full responsibility for the requisite culture and character of all its citizens. We hold, therefore, that the Federal Government should assist the States in the maintenance of a reasonable provision of universal education. The association's representative assembly at its 1944 session declared: "Inadequate or defective education in one part of our country is the concern of every other part through its effect on our national attitudes and habits. We urge continued effort for the passage of the Federal-aid-to-schools bill and further recommend that all Federal and State funds be channeled through the regularly constituted educational agencies in order to insure continued local control of education." We recognize that the channels of economic operation, out of which all public revenues must come, largely disregard State boundaries and tend to concentration in national financial centers, making the National Government rather than the State governments the most effective tax collector. We believe the Federal Government must, in discharge of its obligation to promote the general welfare, collect taxes and allocate them to the several States for functions most satisfactorily controlled and managed by the States and their subdivisions. 73384-45-pt. 1—16 Furthermore, the tremendous increase in Federal taxation necessary to finance the Nation's part in this World War makes Federal taxes now and for the indefinite future such a large share of total tax resources as to leave the State and local taxing units little leeway for meeting the increasing needs and rising costs of general education. The substantial help of the Federal Government is fast becoming imperative. The State of Washington has gone far in equalizing educational opportunity and school cost within its borders. Only 25 percent of the present cost of Washington's schools is furnished by district taxation, and this local support is largely equalized by a special State equalization fund. What Washington has accomplished in equalizing school support among its local subdivisions we hold the Federal Government should do among the States. The schools of this State are doing their utmost to keep pace with advancing living costs so as to maintain its well-established standards of public-school service. But the financial problem, in the face of the comparatively high-wage standards of our war industries, makes the problem of financing the schools a very difficult one. It is significant that over 2,700 of our 12,000 teachers of last year taught on war-emergency certificates. These conditions are not, of course, of the State's making, but are the Federal Government's responsibility. We believe that the Federal Government not only should but must assume a fair share of the cost of general education. Our chief concern is that the share assumed shall be sufficient and contributed in the right way-without Federal control of what should be locally determined. To assist the States in meeting the critical needs of the present and postwar emergencies, we strongly urge enactment in this session of Congress of the Educational Finance Act of 1945, S. 181, H. R. 1296. Respectfully, JOE A. CHANDLER, Executive Secretary. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, WEST VIRGINIA STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, United States Congress, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: In behalf of the public schools of West Virginia, the West Virginia State Education Association desires to be recorded as favoring Federal aid to education. The association, acting through the delegate assembly in general session October 27-28, 1943, unanimously endorsed the following resolution: "Whereas the wealth and taxable resources of our Nation are being centralized more and more in the populous industrial sections of our country; and "Whereas this leaves many States of the Nation with inadequate bases for taxation for the support of State educational systems, thereby creating extreme inequality of educational opportunities; and "Whereas the Federal Government should be deeply interested in the maintenance of high standards of education for all of its citizens without regard to the State or section of the country in which they live; and "Whereas many States with high rates of taxation are not able to maintain schools of modern standards: Therefore be it "Resolved, That the members of the representative assembly of the West Virginia State Education Association declare their support of the principle of Federal aid for the maintenance of proper educational standards for all sections of our country and for the equalizing of educational opportunities for all the children of the Nation; and be it further "Resolved, That this association, through its accredited representatives, urge upon its representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives the support of the bills now pending for providing Federal aid to the public schools of the Nation, and declare further that it is the belief of its membership that education of all the people is an obligation, resting not only upon the States, but upon the Federal Government, and that we hold to the opinion that such aid can be extended without in any way affecting the local autonomy of our State school systems." The West Virginia State Education Association, through delegate assembly action, November 3, 1944, again renewed its support of Federal aid to education. The delegate assembly called upon the association to exert its influence in behalf of the children and youth of the country by working continuously for Federal aid for public education which will result in all the children of the country having more nearly equal and improved educational opportunities. West Virginia is making a greater effort to provide good schools for its youth than many of the more wealthy States. It is now spending 52 percent of its budget for public education. Because West Virginia is seventh from the top in the number of children to be educated, and because of the low incomes of its people and the low returns from taxable resources, the State is not financially able, even though it spends more than half of its income from taxes, to support a school program that will give the children of West Virginia an educational program which will prepare them to take their places as citizens in any State in the Nation. Enclosed are statements regarding action taken by certain lay organizations in West Virginia. It is hoped that this information may be helpful in gaining legislative support of Federal aid to education. Extending to you the full support of the teaching profession in West Virginia, we remain, Sincerely yours, PHARES E. REEDER, Executive Secretary. STATE ORGANIZATIONS FAVORING FEDERAL AID TO EDUCATION The American Legion, Department of West Virginia, in convention assembled at Parkersburg favored aid for the States for educational purposes without any control by the Federal Government over the expenditure of such funds. The Methodist Church of West Virginia, through its annual conference, approved the proposal "that this Nation set an example for the rest of the world for providing equalization of educational opportunities without regard to race, creed, color, or financial status of any or all of the sovereign States." The West Virginia League of Women Voters pledge their support to any measure which provides Federal aid to education without Federal control. The West Virginia Association of Business and Professional Women's Clubs have gone on record as favoring Federal aid to education. The West Virginia Association of University Women includes in its legislative program an item for continuous support of Federal aid to education without Federal control. Charleston branch of the American Association of University Women: "Since the whole is no stronger than its parts, we feel, that if education in the United States is to maintain and improve its standards, the States, less financially able to support schools systems comparable to the best in the Nation, will need Federal aid." Charleston Business and Professional Women's Club: "We feel that Federal aid is necessary to maintain a high national standard of education and equalize educational opportunities in the United States and thus raise the national level." STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. MURRAY: The important part education has had in the development in the Nation's civilization, the part it is having today, and the inability of many States to provide their boys and girls educational facilities to which they are entitled, impels my writing you in their behalf. In normal times, West Virginia needs more money for teachers. The war emergency makes that need imperative. The teacher situation in West Virginia is both alarming and tragic. Within the school year 1943-44, approximately 750 entered military service, and 1,000 left the teaching profession for more remunerative positions. This year the condition is worse, with more withdrawals from the profession for similar purposes. Within last year, 2,512 emergency certificates were issued, and within this year 1944-45, 2,122 have been issued. As salaries are lower in teaching than in the industries and Federal agencies, schools were required to take the left-overs, to find teachers by issuing certificates to those left-overs, those who wanted to stay closer home, or those who were not prepared for positions in industries. The outlook for the future is even darker. |