Evening star., 1955-02-17
Educators Critical
AfC Conlmiifee Inquiry
OF School Aid Bill
BY Mary McGrory

Educators took dim view Of
President Eisenhower's proposals
for emergency school aid in tes-
timony today before the Senate
Labor and Public Welfare COM
mittee. Four spokesmen called
for more aid and less Federal
control.
No representatives of the edu-
cational world friendly to the
three-year Eisenhower plan are
scheduled to appear before the
committee. The four-part pro-
gram calls for Federal support
Of State bond issues and estab-
lishment of State school build
ing authorities.
Samuel M. Brownell, commits
sioner of education. told the
committee that representatives
OF the National Education Asso-
citation had met with him after
the proposals had been drawn
up but had not assisted in the
formulation.
Calls Aid Inadequate.
william g. Carr, executive
secretary of the NEA. repeated
his claim that the bill "gives
our schools too little aid and
much too much control"
Senator H. Alexander Smith.
Republican, of New Jersey, q
sponsor OF the administration
bill. said he was "disappointed''
in NEA opposition. Senator
Douglas, Democrat. of Illinois,
said he was disappointed BY
Senator Smiths failure to CO.
operate on the Fill bill, a meas
ure previously considered by the
committee. which provides $500
million annually for two years
for emergency schoolhouse con-
struction.
Senator Smith pointed out
that Title 3 of his bill provides
5000 million in direct aid. Sem
ator Douglas retorted: Eyes,
but with one-eighth the funds" !"
State Provision Protested.
Mr.. Carr also took exception
to the provision which requires
States participating in the pros
gram to set up State building
agencies.
Chairman Hill agreed with
Mr.. Carr that no State could
get in the door for Federal aid
without setting up such an
agency. So
Another educational spokes-
man critical of the administra-
ton program was Erick L. Lind
man. professor Of school admin
istration, Peabody Teachers Col
lege. Nashville, Tenn. He called
Federal financial participation
"meager and elusive" and asked
why, If State authority is such
an effective way to finance
school construction, It, is SO little
used. -
Many State legislators are re-
luctant to establish State school
building authorities because such
action may lead to irresponsible
borrowing without constitutional
safeguards and without approval
of the electorate" he said.
He told the committee that ex-
perience in Pennsylvania, Maine
and Georgia indicates that liti-
cation viii delay the effectiveness
Of State school building authori-
ties and that their ultimate ap-
proval by the courts is not as
/ sured.
Frederick L. Hipp. executive
secretary of the New Jersey Edu-
cation Association. said the
Eisenhower plan was obviously
not a proposal designed to meet
the present school building emer-
gency."
Meanwhile. the Associated
Press issued the results OF a
national survey made to deter
mine which States would be in
q position to take advantage of
the Eisenhower plan.
Here are the major findings:
At least six States would run
into constitutional difficulties if
they tried to set up State school
building agencies.
Some legislation Needed.
In II States, officials believe
the building agencies would be
legal. In 13 others, SOME kind