Evening star., 1950-06-26
Report by NEA Clears
Stork Of Some Blame.
IFor Crowded Schools.

The stork, reputed to be the bird
behind overcrowded schools, today
was cleared of some blame for the
nation wide crisis.
In its release of an annual pro-
fessional report to the public, the
National Education Association
cited half dozen factors-besides
the increased birth rate-which
have caused enrollments to soar.
The NEA studies are concerned
with the national picture. School
officials in the District. and other
large cities, however, are not in
clined to speak softly of the stork
as contributor to swollen classes
and part time sessions.
1.-The birth rate Is a principal
factor in the Districts needs for
more teaching space and more
teachers in the white elementary
schools" DR.. Hobart M. Corning,
superintendent of schools, said.
"Its impact is being felt now
even in the fourth grades. There
are twice as many children in the
first, second and third grades as
in the next three"
Other Factors Cited.
Willard E. Givens, NEA execu-
tive secretary, in his report Our
School Formulation" stated:
while it is true the birth rate
has increased from II babies for
each 1000 population in 1888 to
q per 1000 in 1947. many other
factors during the last so years
have contributed to the present
crisis"
Future planning, he said during
a press conference, must take into
consideration all these things that
were 'long time in the making"
The report names population
shifts, heightened school terms,
abolition of child labor, the in
crease in the average income OF
the American family and the de-
sire of illiterate parents to have
educated children.
Calling the last purely psyche
logical" the report said it was,
perhaps, the most important sin
gle cause" of the phenomenal ex-
pansion of the American school
systems in the first half Of this
century.
Most of the factors responsible
for our growing school population
will continue" the report pointed
out. Total elementary and high
school enrolment will Jump from
26, 1855, 900 to 34,o91 900 in the next
decade"
Salary Problem.
Mr.. Givens declared an "ade-
quate teaching staff in elementary
schools is not in sight and will not
be until there is an increase in
salaries" He added that where
we have teachers, there is a short
age of places to teach"
One reason there are enough
certified teachers in the high
schools, the report stated, is that
many school systems pay them
more than lower grade instructors.
This is wrong. according to Mr..
Givens, who holds the opinion that
there should be equal pay for
service rendered.
The report estimated that at
least $40 billion will have to be
forthcoming in the next ten years
to remedy the critical building
shortage. The present 81 billion
education expenditure, Of which
IS per cent is teachers salaries,
will have to be raised from Sc to
So billion, it further was added.
To get the necessary teachers,
Mr.. Givens said he thought the
salary range should be from a
$2,700 minimum up to S., 1000 add
ing:
IT think a person with four
years of college, which a properly
trained teacher must have, should
get at least 81 900 more a year than
a person just out Of high school
entering the Government. for ex-
ample"
The NEA official stressed that
the increased expenditures will be
possible only through Federal aid.