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3. The question of pupil failure is always a subject for discussion, and very rightly so, since each year that a pupil fails means an additional year of expense for the educational program of the county. Therefore, every effort should be made to provide the type of school program by which the largest possible number of children could be promoted. Our records show that failures from a random selection of counties varied from 10 percent to 32 percent in one-room schools; 5 percent to 33 percent in two-room schools; and 6 percent to 24 percent in threeor-more-room schools. In other words, the failures in the county elementary schools, both white and colored, will cost the taxpayers of Tennessee more than one and one-half million dollars for failures during 1939-40.

A careful study of table IV will reveal the same conclusions reached in connection with white schools to be true with colored schools, except in a more pronounced manner. The colored children in many of the strictly agricultural sections of the State, because of the economic situation of their families, are forced to lose much time from school in order to work in the fields. The work of these children is necessary that they and their families may have food and clothing. This loss of time from school, and accompanying loss of interest, in connection with_inadequate housing and poor instruction, results in a percentage of withdrawals from school and failure to complete the work of the grades as shown in the abovementioned table.

The differences in educational opportunities enumerated above are almost entirely due to economic conditions arising from differences in the wealth, income, taxpaying ability of the various counties of Tennessee, and the number of children to be educated.

In wealth per child enrolled in school in Tennessee there is a variation from $4,464 in one of the richer counties to $794 in a poor county as shown in table V. In other words, one county has five times as much wealth as the other providing educational facilities for its children. These facts show that it would be a physical impossibility to provide equal educational opportunity for the children of these counties without aid from outside sources.

A study of table VI shows that the tax rate for elementary schools varies from 23 percent of the total amount levied for all county purposes in one county, to a total amount of 40 percent in another county, with an average of 25 percent for the State as a whole. This reveals the wide variation in tax rates necessary for a county under the present system to operate its public elementary schools.

A further study of table VII shows that the State school funds required to supplement county funds varies from 27 percent in one county to 87 percent in another county. This verifies the fact that the State is making every possible effort to provide an 8-month term for each child in the State, but even then must have aid from the Federal Government to equalize opportunity for advancement as well as equality of time spent in school.

On the whole, the poorer counties spend a larger proportion of their tax resources for education than the wealtheir counties as shown in table VIII. While a strictly rural county with no industry other than agriculture spends $57.60 per pupil in average daily attendance, a more wealthy county with various industrial plants to supplement its revenue spends only $18.88 per child in average daily attendance. Finally, the schools of any State cannot be better than the teaching personnel, and the best teachers cannot be obtained unless they receive at least enough money to live comfortably. Insofar as the State is concerned, the teachers, white and colored, in 84 of the 95 counties of Tennessee, receive a uniform salary based on training and experience, but everyone agrees that the salary scale is far too low. Under the schedule adopted by the State Board of Education a teacher with less than 1 year of college training receives a maximum of $400 for a term of 8 months. The scale is graduated so that a teacher with a Master's degree receives a maximum of $920 for a term of 8 months. There is a further provision which allows a principal $3 per month additional for each full-time teacher under his supervision, or $3 extra if he is principal of a one-teacher school, provided that he has completed a minimum of 2 years of work in an approved college.

The State must have additional funds to supplement teachers' salaries, or all the better teachers will leave the profession to seek more lucrative employment in the various fields of industry. In fact, many of our better men teachers are already leaving the profession in large numbers.

The emergency that exists today in our Nation in its defense program applies particularly to the schools of America. Not only must the school teach the youth of America the principles of democracy, but it must also instill within the soul of youth these principles. It not only must train the physical bodies of American youth to work and to endure hardship, but it must also train youth to use its brain intelligently in working out our great problems. It must not only train

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youth to be able to work, but it must also train youth in the skills of labor in order to turn out a worthy product.

For the accomplishment of these aims, the best equipment, the best teachers, and the best environment possible must be supplied. This the local unit and the State alone cannot furnish. It therefore becomes a function of the Federal Government to see that these facilities are provided that the Nation may stand and prosper.

TABLE I. This table shows the scholastic population, enrollment, average daily attendance, and the number of the various types of schools in Tennessee, white and colored

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County

White

Colored

Total

461, 565

63,006

479, 571

333, 278

54, 190

387, 468

80

86

81

271, 092

44, 311

315, 403

65

70

66

1,907

635

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2,542 48

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TABLE II. This data shows the scholastic population, enrollment, and average daily attendance in 6 counties chosen at random. It also shows the wide variation in the percentage of attendance and enrollment from 1 county to another

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TABLES III and IV.-Number of pupils enrolled, promoted, dropped, and failed in both white and colored schools of 6 counties of Tennessee ranging from rich to poor in assessed valuation

County

WHITE

Promoted

Dropped

Failed

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TABLE V.-Showing the assessed valuation per child in average daily attendance in 8 counties in Tennessee, selected by random

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TABLE VI.-Showing the valuation, tax rate for elementary schools, total county tax rate, and the percent the school rate is of the total rate

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TABLE VII.—This table shows the amount of State funds and county funds expended on the elementary program, together with the percent of funds furnished by the State

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TABLE VIII.—This table shows the wide variation in cost per pupil in average daily attendance from 1 county to another

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The high schools of Tennessee have made phenomenal progress during the past 20 years in spite of the fact that financial support from the State has been far below what was needed. In other words, the high-school program has advanced because of careful planning and close supervision by the division of high schools of the State department of education. It must be said, however, that the course of study in the majority of the Tennessee high schools is still the academic or college preparatory course, due to the fact that these subjects can be taught with very

little expenditure of money other than teachers' salaries. In fact, many of the high school graduates have had so little practical training that they are completely lost for a few years after graduation if they are not permitted to enter college.

The time has come when the Tennessee high schools must be broadened in scope if the youth are to receive adequate training for the scientific age in which they are to live. The majority of the rural high schools, as well as many of the larger urban high schools, are short on vocational and commercial training. For that reason we are in dire need of additional funds to be used in erecting and equipping vocational high schools, or for adding these courses to already existing plants. This deficiency in the high-school training program has been shown very clearly since the inauguration of the national defense program as a great number of the highest paid workers and technicians are bring brought in from other parts of the country. This need not have been the case if Tennessee had been able to provide the funds necessary for trade schools during the past decade or more.

Another great problem facing the high-school program of Tennessee at the present time is the losing of many of the best qualified and experienced of its teaching personnel. This is brought about in many instances by the fact that the State has a very limited amount of funds for high-school assistance. The major part of the burden is therefore left to the individual county, city, or independent district, and a shortage of funds results in low salaries for teachers. Then, in many cases, the teachers are forced to take a discount of as high as 10 to 15 percent before receiving actual cash for their work. Since the average annual salary for men teachers in Tennessee is $1,148.49, and some teaching for as little as $898 per year, it is very easy to understand why they are leaving the teaching profession by the dozens to accept employment in the various fields of industry. Likewise, the average annual salary of women in the high schools of Tennessee is $885.15, with some receiving as little as $600 per year. Therefore, the great problem of today is more money for our high-school program to enable it to go forward and prepare the youth for active participation in our national life, or go along without aid, use inefficient teachers, offer a poor program, and train boys and girls to become charges of the State and Nation rather than active worth-while citizens.

NEEDED EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES FOR DEFENSE WORKERS

The State of Tennessee, along with many other areas of the United States. now has a great many defense activities in operation or under construction. This, of necessity, has brought a large number of workers with their families to the location of these projects. For months the State department of education has been receiving urgent requests for additional teachers in these congested areas since the local authorities could not handle the large number of additional children with the quotas of teachers previously allotted by the department. Every effort was made to assist these areas, but practically every dollar of available school money had already been allocated before this emergency became known.

In addition to the requests for teachers came the requests for additional building facilities, but there are no funds available for buildings in the school funds of the State at the present time. In order to assist officials in making the best of their facilities, representatives from the Department of Education were sent to the various areas affected and assisted in providing additional classroom space. This was done in many instances at the expense of cloak room space, libraries, gymnasiums, and cafeterias.

During the month of December a survey was begun, at the request of the United States Commissioner of Education, Dr. John W. Studebaker, to determine the needs for additional school facilities caused by activities of the National Defense Program. This survey was conducted by a member of the staff of the Department of Education who visited each of the areas thus affected and held conferences with project managers, school officials, real estate officials, and other interested groups.

As soon as the study of an area was completed, the findings were submitted to the United States Office of Education at Washington, together with a letter of explanation which attempted to show why the amount asked for in each case was justified.

At the present time these surveys have been completed in the nine areas in which defense activities are in operation. A study of the table accompanying this report will show the estimates submitted for each phase of the program. Some of the items may appear to be rather large, but this includes all school units affected by the plant, some of which may be 20 to 25 miles away, due to the fact that employees in large numbers are living in these localities.

If the Federal Government does not provide aid in the immediate future many children will be deprived of training during the next school year because the local school units do not have the funds with which to erect buildings, and have no way to secure the money within a year or more. Many of the school units thus affected are already bonded to capacity and cannot possibly furnish the facilities needed during this period of national emergency. The workers are trying to do their part and the Government cannot afford to allow innocent children to grow up without the advantage of educational facilities which should, and can, be provided.

TABLE IX. This table shows the amount of money needed for buildings, equipment, operation, and teachers' salaries in areas affected by national defense activities in Tennessee

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teachers in Tennessee is The fact that 84 of the

The inequality of salaries between white and colored not as great as a person outside the State might think. 95 counties of Tennessee qualify under the laws of the State to share in State equalizing funds means that the colored teachers in these counties receive salaries based on training and experience the same as the white teachers. same is true in 32 cities and independent districts of the State.

The

Before a county, city, or independent district can participate in equalizing funds the officials in charge must agree to operate all schools for an 8 months' term, collect a definite amount of elementary school money, and pay the teachers at least a salary equal to that adopted by the State board of education as a basic salary.

The school officials in the counties, cities, and special districts not sharing in State equalizing funds have the privilege of paying the salaries which their funds will permit. Therefore, some salaries are above the State salary schedule and some are below the schedule. The schools in some of these units are in session for a full term of 9 months while some are in session for only 5 months.

The salaries paid colored teachers in the nonequalizing units vary from salaries paid white teachers in each case, but the difference is relatively small in most instances.

The most serious problem facing Tennessee in connection with the colored schools is the large sum of money required to modernize many of its more than 1,000 buildings. Of this number only 15 percent are considered to be on a par with the white schools of the State. In other words, more than $2,000,000 would be required in the immediate future for construction and repair of school buildings and equipment.

The annual amounts of additional money required for teachers' salaries in Tennessee to equalize the white and colored employees is shown in the following table.

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