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.' "' 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, 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 confront red 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. 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 en ployees 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. 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. This 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 this type of aid through the years has fully justified in every way its beginning in this trying period. It would seem that in the present grave world emergency it would be a most appropriate time to enact legislation of the type suggested in your bill for general aid to education throughout the country. I happen to be president of the National Council of Chief State School Officers and you might be interested to know at our annual meeting in Chicago last December a resolution was unanimously adopted by that organization in the following language: "Resolved, That this council, believing as it does, that the education of the youth is the best defense measure for the present and future of our country, strongly urges the maintenance of the present educational program and its improvement during the present emergency. It furthermore affirms its conviction that Federal aid to public education is more imperative now than in normal times." I sincerely hope your committee may be successful in enacting this legislation at as early a date as possible. Yours very sincerely, B. E. PACKARD, Commissioner. STATE OF WYOMING, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: In compliance with a request from Mr. Willard E. Givens, we shall attempt to give you some idea of the need for Federal aid in Wyoming. We have listed below the five needs for financial assistance to the States for public schools, and have tried to estimate the needs which apply to this State. A. Reduction of educational inequalities in elementary and secondary schoolsThe School Equalization Fund cares for inequalities in most sections of the State; however, a need is felt for additional funds in those sections in which there are irrigation projects, such as at Pavillion and Eden Valley. The valuation per child at Pavillion is only $1,191. B. Increase of salaries for Negro teachers made necessary through recent Federal court decisions-None. C. Educational facilities and additional teachers in defense areas, both military and industrial-There are no industrial areas in the State particularly connected with defense areas, so the only defense area would be the military post at Fort Francis E. Warren. We are enclosing copies of the report made to the National Office of Education for the increased activities due to additional school needs caused by the Fort Warren National Defense Program, and the report of the national defense training program in operation in the State. A total of $183,000 was requested for the Cheyenne school district to care for the educational facilities for the Fort Warren increase. D. Educational facilities for children of migratory workers-None. E. Educational facilities for children of Federal employees residing on Government property and reservations. We have repeatedly had requests from Federal employees in Yellowstone Park to provide educational facilities for children of these families. Since there are 30 children of grade-school age in the park, $10,000 would be required to care for schools, teachers and transportation. It is definitely the duty of the Federal Government, we feel, to provide for the education of these children. There is also an Indian Reservation in this State. Although no figures are available as to the number of children who require educational facilities there, it is quite probable that there are as many or more in the reservation as there are in Yellowstone Park. The per capita cost of education for the past year in this State was $107. If we can be of further assistance in your study, this department will be happy to cooperate in every way possible. Yours very truly, ESTHER L. ANDERSON, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OF THE STATE OF WYOMING FORT WARREN NATIONAL DEFENSE PROGRAM The following amounts were recommended to the National Office of Education for the increased activities due to additional school needs caused by the Fort Warren National Defense Program: (These figures are based on Fort Warren housing 7,600 enlistees): For 1 new building (the site has already been purchased by the local school board) _ _ Requested for 2 additional rooms at Alta Vista School For equipment_ _ _ Total, for building and equipment _ _ _ $125, 000 20, 000 15, 000 160, 000 In addition to this, $5,000 has been asked for operation and maintenance, and $18,000 for salaries of additional teachers. Since it is rumored, and with quite definite information, that the fort will be increased to a capacity of 16,000 enlistees, we are advising the newly formed commission that our needs are estimated as follows: In addition to this, $15,000 is requested for operation and maintenance, and it is estimated that $50,000 will be needed for salaries of additional teachers. REPORT OF THE VOCATIONAL DIVISION OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE STATE OF WYOMING NATIONAL DEFENSE TRAINING The report attached is a summary of the national-defense training for Wyoming in the following types of programs: Program I.-VE-ND: (a) Refresher courses. (b) Supplementary courses. Program II.-Equipment: Equipment to carry on in program I. Program III-Engineering: Conducted at the Engineering College, University of Wyoming, Laramie. Program IV.-Out-of-school youth: The reports of this work change daily and it is difficult to give a report today that will be accurate tomorrow. Any further details that may needed will be gladly furnished. Respectfully submitted. |