The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1959-07-23

rlDly important W US, do IL 10 W
SO many industries, because edu-
Gated manpower is the lifeblood
of our business. Without it we
cannot attract highly trained en-
cheering and managerial talent,
for such people can obtain posi-
tons anywhere in the United
States. They simply will not join
us unless their children can OBJ
tain as good or better education
here as elsewhere. Not only that,
but the individuals who are al
ready with us might very well
leave if good education opportu
mites do not continue to be
available for them and their
children.
Three major plants of General
Electric have located in Virginia
since 1854 because our studies led
us to the conclusion that Virginia
recognized its education prob
lens and was on the march to-
ward continued Improvement.
Of course, we should ask
whether Virginia really wants
industry. / am confident we do.
l believe we do recognize the alb
solute necessity of providing the
type of business climate and edu-
cation climate which will attract
new industry and, just as impor-
tant, permit industry that is al
ready here to continue to expand
in Virginia. If we still need to
reassure ourselves, however, let
us take a look at what industry
means to Virginia. l will use
General Electric as my example
only because I am most familiar
with it.
In Virginia there are some 640O
General Electric share owners
whose investment has helped
make possible three new General
Electric plants in Virginia with
in the last five years These
plants, plus General Electric sales
offices and service shops in other
cities, employ more than 300
people who earn over $21 million
annually in pay and other bene-
fits. The value of these jobs in
Virginia is indicated by the fact
that these 300 industrial jobs
have increased yearly retail sales
by over $13 million and have, on
the average, meant five new jobs
for each one brought in by Gen
eral Electric. General Electric an
nually buys more than So million
worth of goods and services from
over 500 Virginia suppliers
In addition, 5000 independent
business firms in Virginia derive
all or part of their income from
selling or servicing a wide range
of General Electric products.
Now, just multiply this one ex-
ample by the hundreds of other
industries in Virginia.
Of course, I am convinced that
the most important economic in
fluence in this great states future
are not only its natural resources,
its transportation, its power sup
plies, and it's tax structure, but
more important, its children. AS
Virginia's children grow they
must be able to compete with
school graduates from other
states. They must have the op-
portunity to get good jobs. They
must be able to get into college
and then, successfully compete in
college. And this must be true
for the children of our state re-
CARELESS of family income. :. We
must make sure that the children
of all Virginia families have equal
opportunity with children in 9TH
er states to be prepared to fill
these jobs.
Let us now look at another
phase of the problem-the eco
nomic consequences of new
school system +. We must be
alert to the consequences of add
ing an additional school system to
the present system, because a
new system in addition to our
present system, in my opinion,