You say your county population is about 31,000? Dr. KUHN. Yes, sir. Mr. CAREY. How many pupils? Dr. KUHN. 10,329. Mr. CAREY. How many schools? Dr. KUHN. I forgot to mention in my statement that 30 years ago we had 148 schools in Wyoming County. Today we have 46 schools, elementary and secondary. We have already almost reached the limit with regard to consolidation. We have only two 1-room schools in Wyoming County. I think that has been a wonderful example of consolidation in Wyoming County. Mr. CAREY. I am glad to see that you are thinking in an adventuresome fashion, ahead of the bill, that you would put into effect using the funds in this bill. You didn't mention, for instance, a preschool program. Would that have any benficial effect in your area? Dr. KUHN. I am sorry to say this: At the present time the school laws of the State of West Virginia do not permit us to enter children in school under 6 years of age. That is most regrettable. Mr. CAREY. In other words, below 5 years of age, they cannot participate? Dr. KUHN. Below 6. Mr. CAREY. They cannot participate in a school program? Dr. KUHN. They must be 6 by November 1 of the school year. Mr. CAREY. What about a voluntary community program, under, for example, the Economic Opportunities Act? Dr. KUHN. We are looking to that phase. Mr. CAREY. You would look upon that as a beneficial program for the schools? Dr. KUHN. I think that would be the most vital project that could be placed in effect. In our area, like a lot of other areas, there is a large percentage of the children whose home environment, where the parents have not received much education, they are 2 years behind and sometimes 3 years behind, a beginning student. In other words, when he starts in the first grade, he is actually about two grades behind. They are behind to start with and they are never able to actually catch up. I think that part would be very vital. I think it would be very important. Mr. CAREY. Had you been here on the first day of hearings, I think you would have seen your principle well identified by the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and his eminent counsel, Mr. Wilbur Cohen, who was in the room, on today, that this gap widens as the learning process extends. By the time you reach the eighth grade, the gap is so very, very drastic, so wide, that the child's whole learning process is impaired from that point on. And of course, the teacher's problem becomes more acute. Your instructional aids, maps, globes, and so forth, are at the level of about $1.50 per child in your county, now, or half the State level. Dr. KUHN. Yes, sir. Mr. CAREY. Per child, how much would that increase with the funds. you estimate under this bill? Dr. KUHN. I estimated $32.00 additional money. Mr. CAREY. Per child? Dr. KUHN. Yes. Approximately $300,000 in title I, and $20,000 in title II. It would increase it approximately $30 per child. Mr. CAREY. For your instructional materials, how much would that be? Dr. KUHN. I think that would at least triple. Mr. CAREY. That would allow you to get into some of the audiovisual concepts and the use of some key instructional materials that would be a holding force in the upper grades, as against dropouts? Dr. KUHN. Yes, sir. Now, I would like to mention this? Around approximately 4 or 5 years back there was money taken from the current operating funds and put in teachers' salaries to retain the teachers. We have one lump sum of money, and when it is transferred to something else, that lowers that. At one time we were $7.50 per student. We spent that for instructional aids and $3.50 for library books, but to retain teachers we had to shift some of that to teachers' salaries. Mr. CAREY. In other words, we need this bill in Wyoming County equally as much to keep the schooy system from going backward as we do to keep it moving forward? Dr. KUHN. Yes, sir. Mr. CAREY. In other words, to keep your teachers, you have to cut back necessary services and equipment that heretofore you had been acquiring and supplying to the students, so we need this bill to keep the system itself from sliding, as you try to improve teachers' salaries? Dr. KUHN. Yes, sir. Mr. CAREY. That is very important testimony, Mr. Kuhn, and we appreciate your coming in." Mr. FORD. I have no questions. I would like to compliment Mr. Kuhn on the effort he has put forth in coming here. My colleague has already commented on the extremely difficult weather conditions that made your trip certainly an adventure, coming down here. And also, your patience in waiting until almost 5 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon to get a chance to speak to us. As I said a little earlier to the people who preceded you on the panel, the majority of the commitee will form its judgment on the merits of this legislation, will form its judgment on the opinions of people such as you, and we are making the record of this committee on the legislation by your coming here to tell us in precise terms how this legislation could go to work now, immediately, upon its passage, and produce immediate benefits in your State. I think you have done a great deal toward helping to pass it. Dr. KUIN. I certainly thank you, gentleman. I am glad to have been here. Mr. CAREY. Patience is a very admirable virtue. We have had a great deal of patience waiting for this bill, itself. I might observe, your coming from Wyoming County. I had the privilege of serving with two generations of Kee's, waiting for this bill, Mr. Kee's mother, of course, was a distinguished representative from West Virginia before Mr. Kee. I think we have waited a long time, long enough, no matter how patient we are. Mr. PERKINS. If my colleague will yield to me, I recall that I have served with the father of the present Congressman Kee. He was here when I came in 1949, and he was very enthusiastically supporting general aid to education back in those days. Then the present Congressman's mother continued to evidence this keen interest in education legislation. Now Jim Kee has put in a personal appearance, and I think the Kee's and West Virginia have waited long enough. I regret none of our Republican friends were present this afternoon to hear such important testimony. Thank you very much, Professor Kuhn, for appearing. The committee will now recess until 9 a.m. on Monday morning, and we are going to wind up the hearings that day. (Whereupon at 4:50 p.m., the hearing was adjourned, to reconvene Monday, February 1, 1965, at 9 a.m.) 42-738-65-pt. 239 AID TO ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1965 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, GENERAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to adjournment, at 9 a.m., in room 429, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Carl D. Perkins (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Representatives Perkins, Carey, Thompson, Ford, Scheuer, Goodell, Ashbrook, and Bell. Also present: Dr. Deborah Wolfe, Education Chief; H. D. Reed, Jr., counsel for General Subcommittee on Education, and Charles Radcliffe, minority counsel for education. Mr. PERKINS. The committee will come to order. A quorum is present. Let me at the out set welcome you here, Dr. Martin before this subcommittee to testify in behalf of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. To my colleagues, I must state that Dr. Robert Martin is one of the most outstanding educators in the whole country. He has served his State as the chief State school officer, as State superintendent of public instructions in Kentucky and did such a fine job in that capacity that he was later selected by the board of regents of Eastern States Teachers College to become the president. He has served in that capacity for several years. He is well known for the many outstanding contributions he has made to education. We welcome you here. Proceed in any manner you prefer. STATEMENT OF DR. ROBERT R. MARTIN, PRESIDENT, EASTERN KENTUCKY STATE COLLEGE, RICHMOND, KY. Dr. MARTIN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With your permission, I would like to read the statement I have prepared here. Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee on Education, it is a privilege to have this opportunity to provide testimony relative to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, known as H.R. 2362, a bill designed, in its own language— to strengthen and improve educational quality and educational opportunities in the Nation's elementary and secondary schools. Mr. Chairman, in the 88th Congress you introduced legislation that reflected a keen perception of the intricate, often evasive, but essential 1335 |