EDUCATION
Congress Ready to Act on Aid to Education President asks $5.6 billion to help build schools and colleges, provide college scholarships, and improve teachers' salaries With President Kennedy's education message setting the pace, both the Senate and House plan to start work on education bills immediately. They expect to tackle a general bill to assist public schools first, leaving aid to higher education for later in the session. Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (D.-N.Y.), new chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, says he will have a school bill ready for House action by April 1. The President outlined his education program to Congress last week. His recommendations, which would cost $5.6 billion, are on a much smaller fiscal scale than that suggested by his education task force. But they include many of the measures endorsed by this group. President Kennedy's program would: • Establish a three-year program of grants to the states for building public elementary and secondary schools and improving teachers' salaries; 10% of the funds allotted to each state would be earmarked for "areas of special educational need." The program would cost from §666 to $866 million a year, assuring every state at least $15 per student. Under the formula proposed, low income states could receive almost twice this amount. • Extend the current college housing loan program—$250 million a year for five years—to allow colleges to build housing for students and faculties. As a start, additional funds would be needed for fiscal 1961 to take care of loan applications already approved. • Establish a similar five-year longterm, low-interest loan program authorizing $300 million a year to finance construction and remodeling of college classrooms, labs, and libraries. • Establish a five-year program, starting with $26 million the first year, of state-administered college scholarships for talented and needy students. Some 25,000 student grants averaging $700 each would be provided during 40
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the first year of the program. Later, as many as 50,000 a year would be available. Schools would receive $350 a year for each of their federal scholarship students.
" . . . this Congress will make a landmark contribution to American education
In his education message, President Kennedy told Congress, "These stimulatory measures represent an essential though modest contribution which the Federal Government must make to American education at every level. Congress has wrestled with this problem . . . and searched for a workable solution. I believe that we now have such a solution and that this Congress will make a landmark contribution to American education."
Senate Approval Expected.
The
President's recommendations for determining public school aid follow those set up by the McNamara bill (S.-8) passed by the Senate last year (C&EN, Feb. 15,' 1960, page 3 0 ) . On this basis, the Senate is expected to approve a similar bill this year. But the President's 107c provision for special educational needs is new and must be tested in committee before it is included in a general bill. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare Abraham Ribicoff says that proper use of these "special" funds could break new ground and bring new leadership to education. He would approve their use to help solve problems related to slum areas, rural
areas, migrant workers, and mentally retarded as well as gifted children. For example, he says, the funds might be used to introduce programs for talented high school students such as the Advanced Placement Program. House Action Not So Certain. Although congressional leaders know that the obstacles facing general aid to education in the House are fewer this year than they were last year, two problems must still be resolved. One of these concerns the use of federal funds for teachers' salaries. However, House Speaker Sam Rayburn (D.Tex.), who opposes this measure, says the Administration's proposal, allowing the states to decide between using the funds for building schools or improving teachers' salaries, could ease the problem somewhat. Another issue which will come up in the House is the Powell Amendment, denying funds to states that refuse to desegregate public schools. Rep. Powell says he will not delay action by introducing his amendment in committee. But unless the Administration clarifies this point, he says, he will move to add the restriction when the general bill reaches the floor. Secretary Ribicoff, speaking for the Administration, says he knows of no authority that would allow him or the President to override Congress in this matter. H e believes education aid is so important that nothing should be done to block its real intent. No child should suffer because of the philosophies of his elders or of a school board, he adds. Whether the House education bill will include all of the President's recommendations for public school aid is not known. On the other hand, there is some speculation that the general bill might get stronger Southern support if it included relief for "impacted areas." This aid, now furnished in a separate program, provides school funds in areas where the Government has large numbers of its personnel stationed.
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Cenco Enters Educational Films Field New motion picture production unit, Cenco Educational Films, marks the entry of Central Scientific, Chicago, 111., into the educational audiovisual field. Guided by producer-director David Wisner, the unit is working with noted educators and scientists to produce several series of 16-mm. sound films in color and black and white. Now available: "Discovering Solids/' five films on high school solid geometry; 13 films called "Science for Children" for the elementary grades; and a 28 minute film "Exploring by Satellite>, on the launching and tracking of the satellite-carrying Vanguard missile. To develop the scripts, Cenco Educational Films is collaborating with such men as Professor E. H. C. Hildebrandt of Northwestern University's mathematics department, who helped to prepare the solid geometry series, and Professor Edward Victor of Northwestern's school of education, who is assisting in the planning and developing of an elementary science film program. Professor Samuel K. Allison of the Enrico Fermi Institute of Nuclear Studies is working with Cenco to produce a seven-film series called "Nuclear Radiation." Designed for the high school physics class, these films cover the latest in nuclear instrumentation and techniques to explain the detection and uses of radiation in medicine, earth study, industry, and outer space. This series will be available in the near future.
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Cenco plans another physics series on heat and cold for secondary schools. Also in the works: a series on plane geometry and 187 films on elementary science. Of the latter, 105 will be on matter and energy, 62 on plants and animals, 11 on the earth, and nine on astronomy. The company also furnishes associated 35-mm. color filmstrips with each film. These pick up the important teaching high lights and can be integrated into the teacher's discussion of the subject, Cenco says.
The North American Treaty Organization is sponsoring a number of Advanced Study Institutes, open to U.S. citizens, to be held in NATO countries during 1961. The courses run from one week to about two months, include specialized study in theoretical chemistry and physics, low temperature physics, nuclear physics, biophysics, particle theory, semiconductors, liquid helium, statistical mechanics, meteorology, and oceanography. The National Science Foundation has a limited number of transAtlantic travel grants available to U.S. participants. NSF's Office of Special International Programs, Washington 25, D.C., will furnish institute locations and director's names.
Engineers' salaries rose about 5% a year between 1958 and 1960, says the Engineering Manpower Commission of Engineers Joint Council. Its latest biennial salary survey (1960) shows that the overall median annual rate now stands at $9600, up from $8750 in 1958. Engineers with 10 years' experience, in mid-1960, were earning $9975 a year (median) in industry, $9100 in education, and $8750 in government.
Cornell University's School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Ithaca, N.Y., again offers a three weeks' summer course in chemical microscopy, starting this year on July 10. The course covers particle size measurements, quantitative analyses, study of crystals and polymeric materials, physical chemistry of crystallization, optics and photomicrography, and introduction to qualitative analysis.
