The CHAIRMAN. I would like to say for Senator Ellender's benefit that those of us who have been working on the defense problem have never gone before an administrator without pointing out the complexities of that problem, the concentration of troops, the building of houses, and we have always emphasized the social effect of any of these activities upon the communities concerned. But in any emergency the prime objective to be in the mind of the Administrator and the prime objective is always something that has to do with speed, and as a result these ills will come in the wake of an action, and they are not discovered until they face the Administrator. Such things, for example, as pointing out that our country has specific problems in regard to lumber or lumber buildings, that there would be a lumber scarcity and a shortage of carpenters; that, therefore, we should use concrete in communities where we have cement, sand, and gravel, cheap labor, and all of those things. They see it now. Those of us-and by "those of us," I mean Dr. Dawson and the educators who are thinking in terms of doing a job for the educational need of the average child-those persons are not heard in the beginning of these activities. You have to create the emergency before you can get attention. That is one of the saddest statements a man can make about our social activities, but it is, nevertheless, fact, and was so long before we were here; and if you and I can carry on in such a way that it will not be so the next time, then we have accomplished something. Senator ELLENDER. I don't know, Senator. This war has been going on now for almost 2 years and we are having evidence every day of the kind of warfare that is being carried on, bombing in various communities. That, in itself, ought to be an incentive to force our Government to not concentrate too many people in one place but to spread them around in our country, especially in the great Mississippi Ohio, and Missouri Valleys, between our mountain ranges. The CHAIRMAN. That is true. Senator ELLENDER. The idea of further expanding shipbuilding on the Atlantic coast and the Pacific coast and causing a lot of people to migrate there from various parts of the Nation in order to get probably only temporary employment is just simply short-sightedness on the part of our planners. The CHAIRMAN. I agree with that. Senator ELLENDER. Why not utilize our great Gulf coast? Dr. DAWSON. Of course, Senator, in some of these places it seems that the Government has tried to follow a policy of not too high a degree of concentration. For instance, they put up an ordnance works in Charlestown, Ind., which is a little village. In those circumstances you can easily have the public-school facilities faced with taking care of three times as many children as they had before, even though the works is not such a big affair. Senator ELLENDER. I admit that you have a few cases where that has been done, Dr. Dawson, but I am now speaking generally. I know of my own knowledge that expansions have been made of existing facilities when, as a matter of fact, the same thing could have been done by building anew in some other place remote from where these facilities exist-places that would not be apt to be bombed in the event of war and where there would not have been a migration of our population. I think it is bad judgment on our part to dislocate our population. Our worries will be great after the emergency And ceases to exist. Dr. DAWSON. Senator, there will be some of the Government people here before the committee who know a great deal more about that than I do. Senator ELLENDER. Maybe. Dr. DAWSON. I have one or two other things on the specific provisions of this bill and I shall close. It is further provided that each State, either through its legislature or through its State educational authority, shall set up a plan of apportioning funds among the local school jurisdictions so as to reduce substantially inequalities of public elementary and secondary schools, especially among local school jurisdictions serving rural children and the children of minority races. This particular provision should be read in connection with section 7, which stipulates that the money is available to the States for distribution to local school jurisdictions and other State educational agencies for all types of expenses for public elementary and secondary schools and for the purchase of land and for the construction and improvement and equipment of school buildings and for the expenses of the State department of education. For such State department of education the amount would not exceed 2 percent of the funds going to a State. Inasmuch as the purposes for which funds are appropriated are specified in section 1 and again in section 3, the State plan of apportionment must of necessity make adequate provisions for these purposes. Section 8 provides that the United States Commissioner of Education shall audit the expenditure of funds under this act by each State educational authority and to review the audits made by such authority with respect to its local jurisdiction. Attention is especially directed to the provision: All funds expended under the provisions of this act shall be expended only for public purposes through public agencies and under public control. Section 10 provides that the Secretary of the Treasury shall suspend payment under the act whenever the Commissioner of Education certifies that, after notice and hearing, any such State has failed to replace any funds received through this act which are lost, or unlawfully used, or expended in a manner contrary to the provisions of this act or has failed to make the required report with reasonable promptness. In keeping with this provision, it would be the duty of the Commissioner of Education, through his audit and through reports received, to determine whether the plan set up by the State is carried out in good faith. It should be pointed out in this connection that this does not mean that the Commissioner of Education can dictate the terms of the plan which that State will provide. It does mean, however, that it is his duty to see that the State acts in good faith by executing the plan it has made and submitted to the Commissioner. Section 11 provides funds to the United States Office of Education for necessary administrative expenses and for carrying on the necessary research in connection with the efficient administration and use of the funds made available under this act. The Commissioner of Education is instructed to lend advice and counsel to the States when they request it in working out legislative or administrative plans for the expenditure of funds received from the Federal Government. Section 12 provides that the Commissioner of Education shall publish annually a full and complete report showing accurately the educational status of the respective States and present data that will show the degree by which the funds made available through this act have been used in substantially reducing inequalities of educational opportunity. Section 13 provides that the Commissioner of Education make necessary rules and regulations not in conflict with the provisions of this act to enable him to carry out its provisions. It also provides that the title to school buildings and equipment constructed or bought with funds appropriated pursuant to this act shall remain in the United States, unless purchased by the State or local school jurisdiction, if the construction or acquisition of such buildings or equipment was made necessary by the establishment or enlargement of an industry performing work in connection with national defense contracts. The reason for this provision is that in many cases where school buildings are needed immediately, within the course of a few years the property not now on the tax books will eventually become subject to taxation and the local school jurisdiction may be able to pay for such facilities. Inasmuch as the administration of this act is under the general supervision of the Federal Security Administrator, I am informed by a competent legal authority that the Federal Security Administrator has full power to look after the matter of title to the properties mentioned. The remaining provisions of the bill have to do with definitions of terms appearing in other parts of the bill. Mr. Chairman, for the record I would like to leave a page or two of quotations from some of the leading statesmen on the question of education, especially as it affects the Federal Government. The CHAIRMAN. Those quotations will be included in the record. (The quotations referred to are as follows:) George Washington: "Procure then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened." Thomas Jefferson: "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be. "There is no safe deposit (for the functions of government) but with the people themselves; nor can they be safe with them without information." ** * Daniel Webster: "Education, to accomplish the ends of good government, should be universally diffused. Open the doors of the schoolhouse to all the children in the land. Let no man have the excuse of poverty for not educating his offspring. Place the means of education within his reach, and if he remain in ignorance be it his own reproach. On the diffusion of education among the people rests the preservation and perpetuation of our free institutions." Woodrow Wilson: "Popular education is necessary for the preservation of those conditions of freedom, political and social, which are indispensable to free individAnd ual development. * * * no instrumentality less universal in its power and authority than government can secure popular education. * * * Without popular education, moreover, no government which rests upon popular action can long endure. The people must be schooled in the knowledge, and, if possible, in the virtues, upon which the maintenance and success of free institutions depend." Franklin D. Roosevelt: "We have believed, we have believed wholeheartedly, in investing the money of all the people on the education of the people. That conviction, backed by taxes and backed by dollars, is no accident, for it is the logical application of our faith in democracy. "Man's present-day control of the affairs of nature is the very direct result of investment in education. And the democratization of education has made it possible for outstanding conribution to the common weal. "We cannot afford to overlook any source of human raw material. Geniusgenius flowers in most unexpected places; it is the impetus of the undistinguished host that hurls forth a Diomed or a Hector. "No government can create the human touch, the self-sacrifice which the individual teacher gives to the process of education. But what government can do is to provide financial support and to protect from interference the freedom to learn." Senator Pat Harrison: "If, according to the Declaration of Independence, one of the inalienable rights of man is the right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it must necessarily follow that the right to be educated is an inalienable one. "No man has liberty nor can pursue happiness who is permitted by his country to grow up in the thraldom of ignorance. "The opportunity to have one's abilities, aptitudes, and capacities developed to their fullest potentialities is necessary to the pursuit of happiness and is, therefore, the inalienable right of every American child. "The preamble to the Constitution of the United States declares that the Constitution is ordained and established 'in order to form a more perfect union, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.' "It is an obvious fact to enlightened people everywhere that none of these blessings is possible unless each generation of citizens is educated. "Hence the schools are our most fundamental public institutions and are a matter of first concern for our Government." * * * Paul V. McNutt: "In the decisions that this Nation makes respecting its support of public education, it is dealing with one of the deathless values of civilization * * * If a nation is short-sighted in the decisions it makes, it cannot confine the wages of its sins to the generation that blunders. We cannot put educational opportunity for our children in cold storage for the duration of the war or even of a period of financial stress and restore it later to an unschooled generation grown old. These must go through life a lost generation poisoning the processes of popular thought, political action, economic prosperity, and the national defense with their ignorance, lack of skill, and undisciplined judgments." Dr. DAWSON. I would like to close my remarks by saying that I think it is now, and it ever will be, as the Father of our Country said 160 years ago, "In a country like this if there cannot be found money for education, there is something amiss with the ruling political power." * * * Senator HILL. Dr. Dawson, let me ask you a question. Many of us have favored and have worked for education many years now. As you suggested, there have been about three or four bills. I think it went back to the old Towner bill. Dr. DAWSON. The Sterling-Towner bill. Senator HILL. There have been a great many of these bills here. It has had a wonderful history. Men like my predecessor, Mr. Justice Black, Mr. Towner, and others, who gave much devoted work and thought to it. Some who did favor the educational features may have had some doubts about this provision or that provision in certain particular bills providing for Federal aid. Don't you think now that this bill has been worked out to such shape that it is just about the best possible bill that you could hope to have in a Federal-aid bill? Don't you think all the holes have been calked up, that all the kinks have been pretty well worked out of it? Dr. DAWSON. I am very strongly of that opinion, Senator. Senator HILL. We might consider this thing for many years yet to come and would not have a bill better than we have now. Would that not be true? Dr. DAWSON. Yes; I think also it is very timely, because it faces a condition and not a theory. Senator HILL. You haven't any suggestion that you can make to us as to what might be done to get this bill through and passed now, do you? Dr. DAWSON. Senator, I would like to have a few private councils of war with you on that. Senator HILL. I will be delighted to confab with you. Dr. DAWSON. Anything I can do I assure you will be done. Dr. DAWSON. I would like to insert in the record a copy of a letter, from H. M. Roland, superintendent of schools, North Carolina, addressed to the United States Office of Education, stressing the urgency for additional school facilities because of increase in population due to Federal defense work. The CHAIRMAN. It will be incorporated in the record. (The letter follows:) APRIL 19, 1941. Re: Anticipated assistance Wilmington and New Hanover County public schools. account of Federal defense work. UNITED STATES OFFICE OF EDUCATION, Washington, D. C. DEAR DR. ALVIS: Since the filing of our report and letter of March 29, the following changes and substantiating data have arisen. The shipyards have increased their contracts in expectation of employees up to a minimum of 7,500. It is assured that practically all of the officers of Camp Davis with families will keep them in Wilmington. Also a great many of the officers of the marine base on the New River will keep their families in Wilmington. Other defense projects now contemplated will bring in over 1,000 more families to Wilmington. A conservative estimate of the number of families to find homes in Wilmington in the next 12 months is 4,000. In addition to these, there will be a large number of families coming into town temporarily for business reasons who will stay for the duration of the defense work. The telephone company has installed 890 telephones in the last 7 months. Plans are being drawn up and contracts let for over 2,000 home units to be erected immediately. Many others are contemplated. We will be confronted with an increase in school enrollment of something over 1,500 pupils at the beginning of school in September. This number will be constantly increasing during the year as houses become available. We have received 570 new pupils since Christmas. We have more pupils than classroom space available. We will need 40 or more classrooms by September 1st in order to maintain our present standard of work in our public schools. The maintenance, operation and instruction of this increase in our school system will have to be provided for. Our present cost per pupil runs approximately $50 per year for current expenses. The intention of this letter is to show that our estimation of 3,200 pupils directly added by national defense, and 1,500 more indirectly brought in because of national-defense work was too conservative. I would like to submit another report as soon as you consider it advisable. Any suggestions or instructions from your office would be sincerely appreciated. Yours very truly, H. M. ROLAND, Superintendent of Schools. Dr. DAWSON. Mr. Chairman, I prepared a memorandum that contains more data and statistics than I have been able to present in this short time, and with your permission I would like to present it for the record. The CHAIRMAN. We will be glad to have it. |