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National Youth Administration, budget estimate, Mar. 1-June 30, 1941.

Expansion

Total__

VE-ND supplementary budget, first budget (13-week period), quartermaster replacement center_.

$85, 524. 78 24, 000. 00

109, 524. 78

34, 421. 09

9, 000. 00

43, 421. 09

15, 106. 00

Senator ELBERT THOMAS,

MONTANA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION,
Helena, Mont., April 25, 1941.

Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor,

Washington, D. C.

DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: I am writing you a brief statement of the reason that Montana desires Federal aid for education.

1. Montana believes in an equal opportunity for the children of the entire United States because we believe that the best defense that America can provide for democracy is a thorough education of all of the future citizens.

2. Montana now finds itself in a position where nearly 25 percent of all of the land is nontaxable. This includes land taken over because of the Fort Peck Project, many other irrigation and reserve projects, Indian reservations, national forests, national purchase of land, county delinquent land, and other public land. The money to finance the educational program must, therefore, come from some source other than local property taxes.

3. During the drought years several hundred children moved into the western part of Montana from the Dakotas and other Dust Bowl States. These communities have been hampered considerably because of this influx.

4. The average salary of Montana teachers today is $297 a year less than the average for the United States. This means that we are now losing a large number of the teachers of the State and we shall be forced to lower the standards of qualifications unless we shall have additional money to pay salaries somewhere commensurate with those paid in other fields of endeavor.

5. While the State of Montana will receive in return from the Federal Government not a great deal more money than it must pay back it does serve to equalize the opportunity and to collect the taxes from sources other than local real estate which now carries about 82 percent of the total cost of education.

We hope that Federal aid will be forthcoming during the present session of Congress. All Montanans who are thinking strictly in the terms of education favor Federal aid. There are a few who are prejudiced for one reason or another because of fear of domination from the Federal Government who may oppose Federal aid.

You can count on the Representatives and Senators from Montana to support this legislation as they have always pledged themselves to support such measures.

Sincerely yours,

317387-41-26

M. P. MOE, Executive Secretary.

SOUTH DAKOTA CONGRESS OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS,
Mitchell, S. Dak., April 25, 1941.

The Honorable ELBERT D. THOMAS,

Committee Chairman, Senate Committee on Education and Labor,
United States Capitol, Washington, D. C.

DEAR MR. THOMAS: I am vitally interested in the new bill for Federal aid to education, bill S. 1313. Our big task in South Dakota is to equalize educational opportunities in both our elementary and secondary schools, and we can only hope to do this through some form of Federal aid to education.

While all the provisions of the bill do not apply specifically to South Dakota, the first proposal is of vital interest to us. I have just returned from a complete tour of the State in which I have had occasion to talk to parents and teachers in every section of the State and find a deep concern over this problem.

Many rural people have lost their farms and many have moved into small towns or to the outskirts of larger towns. This presents an acute problem. The average teacher's salary is less than $600 per year, and in a great many parts of the State that salary is reduced because of discounted warrants. In fact, the average of rural, elementary, and high-school teachers is approximately $800 per year. Last week I visited a small rural high school that is operated solely on a tuition basis. Through the aid of W. P. A. and the dormitory plan, children are able to get a high-school education. Before the dormitory plan was set up one girl rode 17 miles on horseback against the cold cutting wind of South Dakota.

While the dormitory permits them at least to attend school, I personally feel that the health conditions are not what they should be. There is inadequate heat, flickering kerosene lights, and not too adequate a diet, although the school lunch program with W. P. A. labor and surplus commodities has improved this situation tremendously.

I know there are a great many problems confronting our Congress during these critical times, but it seems to me that equalized opportunity for education for these children in our great rural areas is a matter of primary importance and cannot be ignored much longer.

Very sincerely,

GERTRUDE E. FLYTE,

Past President, South Dakota Congress of Parents and Teachers.

THE IDAHO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION,
Boise, Idaho, April 25, 1941.

The Honorable ELBERT D. THOMAS,
Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor,

United States Senate, Washington; D. C.

DEAR MR. THOMAS: We have just received a copy of S. 1313, which you have recently introduced in the Senate for yourself and Mr. Harrison.

You may count on the educational forces of Idaho to give full support to this measure. We have, for a number of years, favored Federal aid to education, provided there is no possibility of Federal dictation or control of educational procedure and policies in the several States. This bill embodies principles which we already have approved. First, it provides that moneys provided by the Federal Government shall be apportioned and used only for public education and through public officers and agencies; second, it prevents Federal domination or control over public education, in that the measure shall be so construed as to maintain local and State initiative and responsibility and reserving explicitly to the States and their local subdivisions complete control over organization, administration, the processes of education, determination of curricula, methods of instruction, and selection of personnel-in short, complete control of public education; third, it provides for distribution of the Federal moneys on an equalized basis— that is, according to the needs of the several States.

To agricultural States, like Idaho, in which there are no big concentrations of wealth, Federal aid for education is a matter of tremendous importance. Much of the great wealth we produce in livestock, lumber, minerals, a id transportation resulting therefrom, flows into Eastern States, where it contributes nothing to the education of Idaho's citizens. The largely agricultural values left in the State are hard put to keep the schools open on even a minimum program basis. Indeed, our tax program for schools completely broke down in 1933, and schools began closing for lack of funds. Had not the State come to the rescue with an equalization program a majority of our schools would have been closed.

But even with State assistance for this equalization program, known as "the minimum program" and amounting to about $1,080 per year for each classroom unit, the burden of taxation in poorer communities, particularly in rural ones, is well nigh confiscatory, and still these communities are unable to conduct satisfactory schools. A few examples may serve to give a better picture of the situation.

For the present year, the county and district levies for education on the property of the Cole School District No. 5, Ada County, amount to 22.89 mills on the assessed valuation, the absolute limit of taxation permitted by law, yet the school board of that district appeared before the legislature and stated that with the money available it was impossible to pay salaries that would keep competent teachers and maintain even a moderately satisfactory school.

State and county school levies on the property of Malta District No. 7 of Cassia County this year amounted to 30 mills on the assessed valuation, and in addition there was a State school levy of 2.57 mills, making a total of 32.57 mills. With the tremendous approaching burden of our defense program and other heavy tax levies agricultural property cannot and will not pay such taxes indefinitely. Yet these schools and hundreds of others like them have a very meager school program, with low salaries for teachers.

A summary for the entire State for the last complete school year presents a picture with serious implications:

Total expenditures (including capital outlay).
Deducting $550,000, endowments and noniax sources.
Equivalent to a property tax levy of about...

$10, 185, 984. 97 9, 635, 984. 97 24. 9 mills

For an agricultural State a tax of 24.9 mills, when added to all other taxes, constitutes a tremendous burden. Indeed, it is probable, if not certain, that with increasing demands on Government, the property of Idaho cannot continue to raise revenues sufficient to operate its schools for an even moderately satisfactory program.

For the present program cannot be considered even moderately satisfactory for a self-respecting State in a democracy. Certainly it is far from extravagant, as the following tabulation will indicate:

Total expenditures (including capital outlay)
Average daily attendance (grades and high schools).
Cost per pupil in average daily attendance.
Median salary, elementary teachers.
Median salary for 1-room school teachers_
Median salary senior high-school teachers -

$10, 985, 984. 97 105, 985. 03

96. 11

928. 16

839. 46

1, 333. 98

Considering the fact that half of the school districts in Idaho have one-room schools, where the low enrollment entails a high per-pupil cost, the average perpupil cost of $96.11 is very low indeed. Salaries are below a decent living mini

mum.

Yet conditions in Idaho-and many other agricultural States-are not likely to improve. Just the reverse. In fact, with impending defense and other increasing burdens, unless the Federal Government comes to the aid of education in agricultural States, there is good reason to believe that public education is doomed. In that case, we can as well face the fact that democracy itself is doomed, for it rests upon a free system of public education.

On the other hand, the enactment of S. 1313 would go far toward stabilization of education in States such as ours. The $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 that would accrue to Idaho, not only should make it possible to raise standards in the poorer agricultural sections, but would also make it possible to reduce the excessive taxes in such communities.

In the interest of public education and Democracy, we in Idaho urge your committee to put forth every effort to obtain the enactment of S. 1313. We can pledge the support of the educational forces in our State. We believe, also, that when our citizens become informed they will favor such a measure.

Respectfully yours,

JOHN I. HILLMAN,
Executive Secretary.

Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS,

UNITED STATES SENATE, Washington, D. C., April 25, 1941.

Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

DEAR SENATOR: I enclose a letter from the Washington Education Associationin behalf of your bill, S. 1313. The letter gives information concerning the emergency facing a large number of schools in my State.

I know your committee will, in its hearings on the bill, give consideration to situations such as those described. I shall appreciate it if the attached lettermight be included in the record.

Sincerely yours,

Senator HOMER T. BONE,

HOMER T. BONE.

WASHINGTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION,
Seattle, Wash., April 23, 1941.

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

DEAR SENATOR BONE: The educational forces of the State of Washington are particularly interested in S. 1313, the Educational Finance Act of 1941.

We have many schools in the area-particularly around the Puget Sound area that have more than doubled their student enrollment since September this year, as you doubtless know. Fifty-one districts in the defense area have had more than a 15-percent increase in pupil attendance since last school year. One school in the defense area having no night-school classes last year has 2,072 pupils enrolled in night classes this year. Another school has 642 soldier students so enrolled. One school, DuPont, with 111 students last year has 214 this year. Of the 103 new students 73 are from out of the State of Washington. Attendance in this school will almost double again before the end of the year. They have been advised by Federal authorities to prepare for 500 additional students by September 1. State reimbursement for this year in Washington is based on last year's school attendance. Since this is the case, schools faced with a rapid increase in attendance are always in serious financial trouble.

Besides the defense problem in Washington, you, of course, are familiar with the migratory school problem in certain sections, particularly in the great fruit belt of central Washington and the clam beaches on the Pacific coast. School attendance in these districts fluctuates greatly.

In addition to the problem of rapid increase in school population we find that we have two problems in districts such as Bremerton that are brought about by the fact that much of the land in these districts belongs to the Federal Government and is tax-exempt, making it difficult to finance adequate school buildings and robbing them of the local support they would otherwise have through property tax for the support of their schools. This condition, of course, also prevails in our sections, having large numbers of Indian pupils as well as in defense areas. These are also two situations with which you no doubt are quite familiar. The Washington Education Association, speaking for its 10,000 teacher members, urges your support of S. 1313 and the principles it contains.

Very truly yours,

Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS,

JOE A. CHANDler,
Executive Secretary.

THE AMERICAN LEGION, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, Washington, D. C., April 26, 1941.

Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: Inasmuch as it will be necessary for me to be in Indianapolis, Ind., to attend our national executive committee meeting, it will not be possible for me to appear before your committee during the hearings on S. 1313, a bill "To strengthen the national defense and promote the general welfare through appropriation of funds to assist the States and Territories in meeting financial emergencies in education and in reducing inequalities of educational opportunities."

As you perhaps know, the American Legion has been interested in the subject of Federal aid to education and our last expression on this was at the national

-convention held at Chicago, Ill., in September 1939. I am enclosing herewith a - copy of that resolution and would appreciate it if it is given consideration by your committee in connection with the pending bill.

A reading of our resolution will disclose that the American Legion is opposed to the pending measure, S. 1313. I would further appreciate it if this letter, with the attached resolution, is made part of the record.

Very sincerely yours,

JOHN THOMAS TAYLOR, Director, National Legislative Committee.

FEDERAL AID TO EDUCATION

(Summary of proceedings, p. 54, Chicago, Ill., September 25-28, 1939) Resolution 302-A, adopted by the Los Angeles 1938 convention, recommended that the national commander consider the advisability of naming a committee of five members from the National Americanism Commission to confer and cooperate with the committee of the National Education Association, so that we shall have "Better Americans through Better Schools" and that this committee be directed to report and present recommendations at the next annual convention of the American Legion.

The said committee was appointed by National Commander Chadwick and this committee together with the director of the National Americanism Commission has had two meetings with representatives of the National Education Association subsequent to the Los Angeles convention.

Two bills were prepared for introduction in the last Congress, one of which had the direct endorsement of the National Education Association. Your committee felt that it was not advisable and neither did it have the power to give official endorsement to a particular bill involving conditions that were prevalent in the National Education Association's endorsed measure; consequently, our organization took no part in an attempted passage of either measure. As a point of information, neither bill reached final enactment.

Further deliverations of your committee with the National Education Association representative indicate that a new bill will be prepared for introduction in the next Congress, Be it

Resolved That the American Legion continue the present cooperating committee with the National Education Association; and be it further

Resolved, That we reaffirm our belief in Federal aid to education for the equalizing of educational opportunities for all children of our Nation, without Federal control, but we express as our belief that from past and present observations the conditions of "Federal control" in some measure will always be prevalent, unless the enacting legislation provides for such aid to be in the form of direct educational grants to States, and that supervision and expenditures of funds incorporated in such grants be solely under State and local control, and we recommend to the national convention that the national legislative committee be instructed to support only this type of legislation. Approved.

Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS,

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION,
Washington, D. C., April 29, 1941.

Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor,

United States Senate.

MY DEAR MR. THOMAS: It is my pleasure to transmit to you the following resolution adopted by the Fiftieth Continental Congress of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution:

"Whereas, bills before the Congress of the United States, through taxation and subsidy, would control education in the several States, and the trend of education in the United States;

“Resolved, That the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, call upon its members to register opposition to legislation that would take from the States the responsibility and control over education-powers reserved to them by the Constitution."

Sincerely yours,

GEORGIA D. SCHLOSSER,

Recording Secretary General, National Society, Daughters of the American
Revolution.

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