Evening star., 1957-12-31

GETTYSBURG. Pa. Dee,
81 R.-FolloipiRg Is the tert
OF a memorandum from Sec
retarv OF Health. Education
and Welfare Folsom. ap-
proved yesterday bg President
Eisenhower:
Following our discussions over
recent months. the Department
Of Health, Education and We'll
fare recommends several new
proposals in education for sub
mission by you to the next ses-
sion Of the Congress:
These proposals reflect some
crucially important to long
term national security than
ever before.
Second. there are deficiencies
In education which. If allowed
to continue. could seriously
weaken our national security
effort.
Third, the main support for
education must come in the
future. as in the past, from
state. local. and private sources.
We must work to strengthen
not weaken-the American ira
dition Of State and local con-
troll Of education.
Provision for Termination
In the light OF these consider
ations. the department has
developed an emergency pro-
gram to help stimulate the
State. local. and private action
necessary to meet the critical
security needs which you out
hped in your address at Okla
homa City last November IS.
As these national needs are
more fully met through
increased State. local. and pri-
Sate action, Federal support
would no longer be needed. The
program will therefore contain
specific provision for its termi-
nation at the end Of the fourth
year. except for certain schol-
arship and fellowship activities
which must be phased out
gradually.
lt should be clearly kept in
mind that the department does
not view these undertakings in
the field of education as a
permanent Federal RESPONSE
bility in the usual sense of
that term. We do not pro-
pose that the Federal Govern
ment supplant the States in
these areas. Instead We want
to help the States play their
full and proper roles in develop
ing their educational systems to
meet the pressing demands OF
national security in the years
ahead.
Shortage In Trained Persons
I would like to outline the
general nature OF the proposed
programs and the critical ma
tional needs on which they are
based.
l. To reduce the waste of
talent.
National security Is already
handicapped by serious short
ayeS OF highly trained. high
elslity professional personnel
II science and engineering and
Ter critical fields. Even
though there may be short term
:.i~tions IN demand. these
shortages of talent are likely to
nscome even more serious in
the future.
And yet. each year. the Ma
ton loses the potential talents
OF many Of its ablest young
people.
The best available studies in
dicate that even in high school
one out Of flve students in the
upper fourth Of their class
drops out Of school before
graduation. Further. among
those who graduate in the up
per fourth Of their class. more
than one out OF three do moi
go on to college Altogether. ir
round numbers. about 200, ,0OC
OF these ablest students now
stop their education below the
college level.
The Nation simply cannot
AFFORD to continue such a tragic
waste Of its most valuable re.
young people.
Three Steps Proposed
Many intellectually abls
young people drop out OF schoo
chiefly because Of lack Of desire
or incentive for education ol
lack Of money to pay for IL
The proposed program. there.