Evening star., 1934-01-07
$18D,O[)D,0OO IN AID
FOR 0RSCH00LSASKED
Committee Called by Zook
Maps Program to Save
Education in Crisis.

ALLEGATION from funds already in
cluded in general emergency appropria-
tions of sl5O,000,0o0 to keep all schools
open for the rest of this year, and ap-
preparation or ALLEGATION of an addi-
tional $4,000, 900 to assist students to
attend institutions of higher learning
from now until July /, 1895, was rec
commended by the Federal Advisory
Committee on Emergency Aid in Edu-
cation at the end Of an all-day execu-
tive session here yesterday.
The Advisory Committee recommend
ed also that "out of any new appropria-
tions made for public works not less
than 10 per cent be allocated for build
ings for schools, colleges and other
educational enterprises"
These and other sweeping recommen-
dations will be presented to President
Roosevelt and to Congress by a new
legislative committee of the advisory
body which is studying the proposed
program.
Other recommendations made by the
group in the interest of education in
cluded the request that local funds,
such as delinquent taxes and municipal
money tied up in closed banks be re-
leased for school maintenance by pro-
viding Federal loans to school districts,
municipalities or county corporations on
the security of their frozen assets.
Report to Zook
The committee. of which DR.. James
N. Rule, Pennsylvania State superin-
tendent of public instruction, was
chairman. was called by Dr. George F.
Zook. United States commissioner of
education, and was composed princi-
pally of representatives of national Or
CARNATIONS interested in education and
in keeping the schools open during the
present crisis. The report carrying
the recommendations was made to DR..
zook, who asked the representatives to
continue in an advisory capacity.
At the close of yesterdays meet
ing, which was held at the Brookings
Institution, an independent committee
was formed to draft details of the pro-
posed legislation Dr. James H. Rich
mond, State superintendent of public
instruction in Kentucky, was named
chairman of the Legislative Committee.
The committee, in its final report.
attacked the educational crisis and
framed its recommendations in six
steps.
In step No. its report asserted that
the emergency problem of keeping ele-
mentary and secondary schools open
on as nearly normal basis as possible
during the current academic year
should be met by a Federal appropria-
ton of S50,000,000 to be allocated ac-
cording to emergency needs in the sew
eral States" This sum, the commit
tee suggested, could be provided in one
of two ways by a special provision in
the relief act or, less preferably, by
separate Federal appropriation.
Would Be a Grant.
"In either case" the committee as
serted, such appropriation shall be ad-
ministered preferably by a board OF
which the United States commissioner
of education shall be chairman and
executive officer" This fund would
be distributed as grant"
In step No. 2, the Advisory Commit
tee considered the inability of many
communities to maintain their schools
adequately during the fiscal year 1884
35. To aid them. it recommended "a
Federal emergency appropriation or al
location of not less than S100,0o0,0 ,00O,'
to become available beginning July !.
This sum would be distributed lin an
objective manner, determined by a
board of which the United States Com
missioner of Education shall be chair
man and executive officer and based
upon reasonable evidence of needs and
resources" the committees report as
serted. This fund also would be
grant"
In step No. 3, the committee consiG-
cred the necessary elimination OF many
of the vital services" from the educa-
tional systems of States and communt-
ties. These services, such as medical
examination of pupils, cannot be re-
stored within a reasonable time without
Federal aid," the committee contended.
and it accordingly recommended that
a substantial sum be distributed from
the Federal Treasury to various States
to assist them in meeting this phase
of the emergency" And this aid would
be grant"
In step No. 4, the Advisory Commit
tee dealt with the release of local funds
for school maintenance. 1t recon-
mended: "(A) The ref1nancing OF
school district Indebtedness or such mu-
nicipal or county indebtedness as may
have been incurred in behalf of schools" :"
and (B) providing Federal loans to
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