Newspaper Page Text
T
o
i
♦
THE BULLETIN, September 19, 1959—PAGE 5-B
FIRST CATHOLIC "PRIEST ORDAINED IN U. S.
Father Theodore Badin, (1768-1853) first priest ordained (1793) within the limits of the 13
original United States, and pioneer missionary of Kentucky, is depicted in this mosaic tym
panum on the east porch of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington,
D, C. A native of Orleans, France, he died in Cincinnati in 1853, (NC Photos)
Will, -All Good UU
ies
TO
The Catholic Layman’s
Association
Front
The Officers, Directors
And Employees
Of
SfWftnrmtt
ompfiny
REACH FOR...
u
Savannah Home Folks Bread
For Four Generations
##
The National Defense Education Act
find
Catholic Schools
(By Rev. O'Neill C. D'Amour)
(Associate Secretary, Dept, of
School Superintendents,
National Catholic Educational
Association)
On September 2, 1958, the
Congress of the United States
passed the National Defense
Education Act. This legislation
is of great significance for Cath
olic education in that for the
first time, nonpublic schools re
ceive explicit recognition in a
national legislative act involving
the appropriation of funds.
In the provisions of the Act,
Congress acknowledged the
pluralism of education in Amer
ica. In so doing, it gave renewed
strength to the traditional Amer
ican approach and in effect gave
its support to the decree of the
United States Supreme Court’s
decision in the Oregon case. This
Act reassures the American peo
ple that it is not the intent of
Congress to make the education
of children the sole prerogative
of government.
'A LONG HARD LOOK'
The National Defense-Educa
tion Act came into being as a
result of the scientific challenge
of communist Russia. With
science becoming a major factor
in war potential, the nation
found itself confronted by a
powerful enemy, seemingly su
perior in the field of science. It
became obvious that American
educational efforts would have
to be increased.
Americans began to take a
long hard look at their schools.
What they saw was not encour
aging. Over the years, under the
impact of various philosophies
of education, schools had failed
to keep pace with developments
in science, mathematics and
languages. There was a dis
tressing lack of interest on the
part of students in these fields.
Furthermore, the voices of the
perennial critics of the schools
now began to be heard with
new clarity.
Americans were informed by
some that their schools had lost
their sense of timeliness. Others
said that American schools had
abandoned traditional methods
and materials without finding
adequate substitutions.
Confronted with this situation,
the Congress recognized the im
perative need to improve edu
cation. Results of the delibera
tions of the Congress are to be
found in the National Defense
Education Act with its pro
visions of Federal aid in fields
of, science, mathematics, lan
guage and guidance.
The impact of this Act on
Catholic schools of the nation
has been somewhat uneven,
partly on account of the nature
of the provisions made by Con
gress and partly on account of
the difficulties inherent in the
implementation of any new leg
islation. The use made of the
funds provided under several of
the NDEA titles has been quite
limited. The situation at the
present time is as follows:
(a) Title II: Loans to students
in Institutions of Higher Educa
tion.
This Title provides means by
which student loan funds at
low interest rates can be made
available to young people wish
ing to pursue their education in
colleges and universities. The
Federal Government contributes
90 per cent of the capital for
such funds and the college or
university ten per cent.
The original authorization by
Congress amounted to $47,500,-
000. However, the actual appro
priation of funds amounted to
only $6,000,000. This small ap
propriation has caused great dif
ficulty since the institutions re
quested approximately $60,000,-
000, Since the Act provided no
granted.
(b) Title III: Loans to Private
and Parochial Schools for the
Purchase of Equipment in the
Teaching of Science and Lan
guage.
While the public schools were
given outright grants for the
purchase of such equipment,
private . and parochial schools
had loans made available to
them. The restrictive nature of
the use of the funds under this
Title did not make them very
attractive to Catholic school ad
ministrators.
Since in most institutions
relatively small amounts would
be needed by schools for the
purchases determined under the
Title, the administrators felt
that they would rather borrow
from local sources. This would
not have been true if the
amounts had been greater and
their use less restrictive. As a
result only a small proportion
of the funds have been applied
for.
(c) Title IV: Graduate Scholar
ships.
The purpose of this Title was
to increase the number of stu
dents in graduate programs, es
pecially those interested in
teaching in colleges and univer
sities. Officials of the Office of
Education stated that the intent
of the Title was to spread can
didates for the doctoral degree
to more and more institutions.
Once again the shortage of
funds has hampered the devel
opment proposed. For example,
originally, 1,0 0 0 fellowships
were to be awarded in 1959. As
of May 1959 only 186 had been
awarded. Catholic graduate
schools have generally lost in
terest in this Title. The condi
tions have been shown to be too
impractical and the terms too
risky. For example, any pro
gram to be approved must be
“a new program or an expanded
old one.”
The preparation of new pro
grams is often quite costly. Uni
versities hesitate to incur such
expense when there is no assur
ance that the program will be
accepted. If the program is not
accepted when it begins in the
fall session, it is no longer a
new program under the sense of
the Act and therefore no second
application can be made.
(d) Title V: Guidance Coun
seling and Testing.
It is in the area of testing thaf
this Title applies to Catholic
schools. This Title grants funds
to each state for testing. It pro
vides that where the State law
permits, the state educational
authority shall arrange for the
testing in the private school as
well as in the public.
In those states where the law
does not permit the state edu
cational authority to arrange for
the testing in the private schools
the United States Commissioner
of Education is empowered to
do so on a basis comparable to
the testing in the public schools.
It is under this Title that the
Act seems to be of greatest help
to private education. No serious
difficulties have arisen and
there is reason to hope that
testing procedures will be im
proved through the funds pro
vided under this Title.
While the NDEA does give
recognition to the nonpublic
schools, it contains discrimina
tory provisions. For example,
under Title II, Loans to Stu
dents in Institutions of Higher
Education, students who accept
such loans are able to have them
remitted up to 50 per cent if,
upon graduating, these students
teach in public elementary or
secondary schools. They are not
remitted if the teaching is in
private schools.
Under Title V, Guidance,
Counseling and Testing, and un
der Title VI, Language Insti
tutes, provision is made for the
establishment of Guidance and
Language Institutes. Teachers
from the public schools attend
ing such institutes are entitled
to receive a stipend at the rate
of $75 a week for the period of
attendance and $15.00 a week
for each dependent. Such sti
pends are not given to teachers
from, the private schools. There
is no evident reason for these
discriminatory features. They
are not based upon constitu
tional limitations.
Catholic educators point out
that if it is essential for national
defense that American educa
tion be improved, the needs of
nonpublic schools should not be
ignored. There are well over
5,000,000 young people in such
schools and the educational wel
fare of these students is of vital
concern to the nation. Catholic
educators hope that with the
discriminatory provisions elimi
nated, the general statesmanlike
approach to the educational
problem evident in the NDEA
will provide a basis for all
future legislation.
Educators are very grateful to
Dr. Lawrence Derthick, United
States Commissioner of Educa
tion and his staff for the way
in which they have implemented
this Act. There are always dif
ficulties involved in providing
the machinery to administer
such new legislation. Dr. Der
thick has had to employ and
train a new and large staff. He
has done so and has succeeded
in securing a very competent
group of men and women.
The Commissioner and his
staff have sought to meet the
needs of the nonpublic schools.
In implementing the Act for
such schools they have worked
closely with the representatives
of Catholic education as well as
with the representatives of oth
er nonpublic schools. Every ef
fort was made to help the non
public schools in their utiliza
tion of the help provided under
the Act.
Any man who teaches tol
erance has a real religious back
ground.
People who are habitually
crooked, never know which way
they are turning.
McKENNA SUPPLY COMPANY
THE PROMPT SHIPPERS
Established 1881
WHOLESALE PLUMBING, HEATING
WATERWORKS SUPPLIES
PHONE 2-7141 P. O. BOX 3428
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
fixed formula for application,
the reduced figure forced in
stitutions to resubmit their ap
plications. The resulting con
fusion has made this Title quite
ineffective thus far.
During the month of May,
Congress appropriated more
funds but since the school year
was about over, these funds
were of little use. The United
States Office of Education has
devised a new formula for al
location in an attempt to obviate
the difficulties of last year. This
formula states that any institu
tion requesting a sum equivalent
to $20 for each student enrolling,
may use a “short form.”
However, institutions desiring
more than $20 for each student
enrolled, will be required to use
a “long form,’ ’This form will
involve submitting evidence of
need for the greater amount.
In either case, there is no guar
antee that the sum will be
Savannah Ice
Delivery Co.
POST OFFICE BOX 715
SAVANNAH, GA.
Enjoy the pleasure of using our
PACKAGED ICE
Keep a bag on hand at all times
Best Wishes
© a r
BAR-B-Q
tticfca Steaks Seafoods
SAVANNAH BEACH
Tests and Specifications
Lighting Fixtures, Motor Repairs
and General Electrical Construction
Peerless Electric
Company
531 BROUGTON ST., EAST
TELEPHONE AD. 3-3543
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
Edward A- Leonard
Italian Statuary
Imported from Italy
Cut from Beautiful
White Carrara Marble
World Famous!
ALTARS — RAILS — FONTS — STATIONS
PEDESTALS — SHRINES — STATUES — GROUPS
Oglethorpe Marble & Granite Co.
Manufacturers of Memorials in Savannah Since 1907
M. J. LITTLE, Mgr.
EAST BROAD AT WALDBURG — SAVANNAH, GA.
RAYMOND L. BOURNE, President
JIMMY LOGAN, Secretary & Treasurer
VICTORY
LUMBER
COMPANY' Inc
Manufacturers and Distributors
LMSEt Ml
BUILDING MATERIALS
728 East Gwinnett Street (ACL Yards)
P. O. Box 374
Phone AD 3-6692
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
VWUliLI II I 11-11 1