Evening star., 1959-11-29
By G. X. HODENFIELD

For two years this country
has been talking about crash
programs to train more scien-
fists. We're still talking, but
the programs apparently have
Topped.
When the Soviets sent Sput-
mix / into orbit in the fall of
1857 there was a great outcry:
I'VE are tagging behind the
Russians" it went. "Our
schools are to blame"
The school was a handy
scapegoat. Today's students
are tomorrow's scientists, and
any national program to train
more scientists has to start in
the classroom.
In some communities there
has been remarkable improve
ment. But at best this is spotty
progress. Nationwide, so-called
crash programs seem to be
wrapped in apathy and tied
with red tape.
Down q RathOle'
DR.. Ellsworth Obourne of
the United States Office of
Education says this country is
now spending between $50 and
$50 million a year to improve
science teaching. That includes
expenditures by the Govern
ment as well as foundations
and private industry. y
This money is being poured
in at the top of a funnel" says
DR.. Obourne. Every little is
getting through to the local
level where it is needed. It's
like pouring money down a rat
hole"
In comparison to that $50
so million, the Government this
year is spending $68 million on
our fish and wildlife program.
1t is spending $82.5 million to
develop the recreational uses
of our parks and public lands.
1t is spending more than 500
million for an atomic subma-
Tine.
Scientists and educators
agree there are five essentials
TO a good school program IN
science.
There must be a broad, COM
sprehensive course of studies,
from elem entary grades
through high school. There
should be one well-trained
guidance officer for each 200
800 high school students. And
there must be good teachers,
good textbooks, good equipment
and facilities.
DR.. James B. Conant, noted
educator and former president
of Harvard University, recently
completed a two-year study of
the American high school.
He found rs per cent of them
too small to offer a diversified
program except at exorbitant
expense. They can't afford ad-
vanced science courses for only
q few students, they can't af-
ford special teachers for those
classes, they can't afford guild
ance officers, up-to-date text
books, or laboratory equip
ment.
These too-small high schools
enroll about one-third of the
Nations high school students,
The larger schools are doing
better, but they, too, are
strapped for money.
Outline of Situation
This is the situation, point
by-point, based on the latest
studies and on a series of inter-
views with scientists and edu-
Gators:
/. Curriculum-with a few
notable exceptions, science
study in the public schools
hasn't changed much since the
turn of the century.
A new physics course has
been worked out by experts al
the Massachusetts, Institute OF
Technology. Similar work ir
biology is under way at the
University of Colorado al
Boulder. 1t may well be years
however. before these new pro-
grams are in general use
throughout the country.
According to one expert
"there is a lag of at least 10 tc
IS years between what goes or
in science and what is taught
in our schools"
There are heartening ex-
ceptions, however, such as in
San Angelo, Tex, where there
is a co-ordinated science pro-
gram from the first grade
through the twelfth. The junior
high and high school courses
have to be beefed up each
year as better prepared pupils
come into those grades. A some
what similar program got under
way in Georgia just this year.
Baltimore County, Md, has
overhauled its teaching of