Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-06

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graduate fellowships in science,
mathematics and engineering;
and $16.5 million in grants to
our colleges and universities for
baisc research facilities.
3. Reduction of adult litter
acy.
Adult education must be pur-
sued aggressively. Over 8 mil
lion American citizens aged rs
or above have attended school
for less than five years, and
more than a third of these
completely lack the ability to
read and write. The economic
result Of this lack of schooling
is often chronic unemployment,
dependency or delinquency, with
all the consequences this en-
tails for these individuals, their
families, the communities and
the Nation. -.
I recommend the authorize
ton of a five-year program of
grants to institutions of higher
learning and to the States, to
be co-ordinated in the develop
ment Of programs which will
offer every adult who is willing
and able the opportunity to be-
come literate.
4. Education Of Migrant
Workers.
The neglected educational
needs Of Americas one million
migrant agricultural workers
and their families constitute
one of the gravest 1eproaches
to our Nation. The interstate
and seasonal movement of mi
grants imposes severe burdens
on those school districts which
have the responsibility for pro-
viding education to those who
live there temporarily.
I recommend authorization of
a five-year Federal-State pro-
gram to aid States and school
districts in improving the edu-
ca-tional opportunities of mi
grant workers and their chill
dren.
5. Educational TeIevisiOn.
The use of television for ed
ucational purposes-particular-
ly for adult education - offers
great potentialities. The Fed
eral Government has sought to
further this through the reser-
walton of 270 television chan
nels for education by the Fed
eral Communications Commits
sion and through the provi-
sion of research and advisory
services by the Office of Edu-
cation. Unfortunately, the rate
of construction of new broad
casting facilities has been dis
couraging. Only 80 educational
TV channels have been assigned
in the last decade.
I urge the Congress to take
prompt and final action to pro-
vide matching financial grants
to the States to aid in the con-
struction of State or other nom
profit educational televiSion
stations.
6. Aid to Handicapped Chill
dren.
Another long-standing ma
tional concern has been the
provision of specially trained
teachers to meet the educa-
tional needs of children af-
flicted with physical and men,
tai disabilities.
I recommend broadening the
basic program to include as
sistance for the special train
ing needed to help all our chill
dren afflicted with the entire
range of physical and mental
handicaps.
7. Federal Aid to the Arts.
Our Nation has a rich and
diverse cultural heritage. We
are justly proud of the vitality,
the creativity and the variety
of the contemporary contribu-
tons our citizens can offer to
the world of the arts. If we
are to be among the leaders of
the world in every sense of the
word this sector of our ma
tional life cannot be neglected
or treated with indifference.
Yet, almost alone among the
governments of the world, our
government has displayed little
interest in fostering cultural de-
velopment.
Just as the Federal Govern
ment has not, should not, and
will not undertake to control
the subject matter taught in
local schools, SO its efforts
should be confined to broad en-
couragement of the arts
While this area is too new
for hasty action, the proper con-