Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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