I believe that the amount we receive for the Barnwell School District is around $30,000. If the law is repealed or the aid materially reduced, it would mean that in the Barnwell School District we would have to put on somewhere between 10 and 12 additional mills for school purposes or cut out some of the important subjects taught in our schools. This would apply particularly to the more expensive studies being taught such as physics, chemistry, and other similar subjects. As you know, we live in an agricultural section, with very little industries, and the bulk of our tax money comes from the farms and homes. The farmers have made very little money and actually any number of them are being forced out of business and we cannot to save our lives put additional taxes and burdens upon these people. The only alternative would be to cut down the number of subjects that we teach in our schools and this is contrary to what the Government wants done because they try to encourage us to teach more of the subjects and go further into the study of the sciences. I write you this letter because I know of your interest in our school system and with the request that you use all of the power at your command to help defeat any effort to reduce the amount now paid to the school districts under this law. As a matter of fact, there should be an increase in the amount of aid given us. With the coming of the Savannah River plant, we were forced to put on additional taxes for the purpose of giving additional police protection, fire protection, and enlarging our sewage and water systems in order to take care of the influx of people and the Government should not want us to increase our taxes to take care of the children of those parents now employed at the Savannah River plant and who pay very little taxes to our school district. This is true because many of them rent their homes and there are practically no taxes collected for school purposes from them other than the State taxes that they pay, such as a sales tax. It is true that a part of the sales tax money is used by the State government to support the schools. Our school district still pays a great portion of the money by way of taxes used for the operation of our school. Won't you please tell the other members of our delegation from South Carolina how badly we need this money and have them help you in this fight? Kindest regards. SUMMERVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT No. 2, COUNTY OF DORCHESTER, Summerville, S.C., August 6, 1959. Hon. MENDEL L. RIVERS, DEAR MR. RIVER: Again it seems that it is necessary to request your attention to Public Laws 815 and 874. We prefer them to stay as they are, and in our area particularly, since the Navy is moving in we shall need it more than ever. Our budgets have been made up anticipating continued Federal support and it would create a real hardship on Summerville to be denied help. This would amount to about $50,000 and practically all of our increase in enrollment is federally connected children. I know that you are very much interested in this program and the Trustees of Summerville School District No. 2 appreciate all you have done in the past, but want you to know that your continued support is needed. With best wishes, I am Sincerely yours, T. C. BRISTOW, Superintendent. August 6, 1959. Hon. JOHN J. RILEY, House Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. RILEY: We understand there is to be a hearing before the House Subcommittee on Health, Education, and Welfare on August 11 and 12, pertaining to Public Laws 815 and 874. Our school district has qualified to receive $77,000 under Public Law 874 for the coming school year. If this law is amend ed or removed from the code of laws, it will mean a 6-mill increase levied on the people of Sumter in order to educate the Shaw Field-connected children. We feel that this will be a great imposition on our people. We are asking that you give us all the support that you can, as you have in the past, in continuing Public Laws 815 and 874. I am writing this letter at the request of Dr. L. C. McArthur, who has just recently been elected superintendent of Sumter City schools. Sincerely yours, FRED E. WELL, Jr., AUGUST 3, 1959. Hon. ROBERT T. ASHMORE, State House, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN ASHMORE: I am writing with reference to H.R. 7140 which I understand is soon to come before the House. We estimate that under the present law with respect to Federal aid to fedrally impacted areas, we shall be entitled to $125,240.88 for the school year 959-60. Under the provisions of H.R. 7140, we would be entitled to an estinated $99,406.37. This would result in a reduction in the amount to be received y this school district of $25,834.51. I am sure that you are well aware of our tringent financial situation brought about, in part, by our very rapid pupil opulation growth without a compensating growth in revenues. The loss of early $26,000 in Federal aid would compound our difficulties in this respect. We shall appreciate it very much if you will exert your influence against the assage of H.R. 7140 and for retention of legislation in its present form as it ertains to this matter. Yours very truly, on. JOHN RILEY, .S. Congress, Washington, D.C. WM. M. ALBERGOTTI, Coordinator of Fiscal Affairs. AUGUST 4, 1959. DEAR JOHN: It appears that we need your help as never before because of mendments that have been introduced which will change entitlement as proded in Public Laws 874 and 815. For operation and maintenance alone Aiken County would receive $60,517 less an we are entitled to under the above laws should these amendments pass. Inasmuch as our budget has been approved for the 1959-60 school term and view of the fact that it is a very tight budget, we would necessarily run a ficit in the above amount next year. This, of course, would mean that the ard of education would have to borrow money for the budget this year or an ditional tax levy of approximately 3 mills would have to be instituted. For ur information our tax levy for maintenance operation alone is 39 mills. This ould be almost an unbearable burden on the taxpayers of Aiken County in order at we might maintain our current standards of education and provide educanal opportunities for the children of those who are in our county because Federal Government installed nontaxable property therein. Please do everything you can to get us at least the amount we are entitled under the existing laws. Sincerely, A. J. RUTLAND, Superintendent. AUGUST 5, 1959. -n. W. J. BRYAN DORN, -use Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR BRYAN: I wish to call your attention to bill H.R. 7140. I understand has the backing of Mr. Flemming, Secretary of Health, Education, and Wel-e. If this bill is passed, it will seriously reduce our income under Public ws 815 and 874. We have already received over $16,000 and are due approximately $9,000 more der Public Law 874. If this bill is passed, it will reduce my income to almost half of what I received this year. This reduction will seriously handicap my program and will eventually call for an increase in taxes. I hope you will use all of your influence to prevent this law from passing. The money received under Public Law 874 means a great deal to the opportunities of the children in McCormick County. Your efforts against the passage of H.R 7140 will be greatly appreciated by us. With kindest personal regards, I am, CHARLES M. LOCKWOOD, Superintendent. DEAR JOHN: It is my understanding that hearings before the House Subcommittee on Health, Education, and Welfare will be resumed on August 11 and 12 in connection with proposed reductions under H.R. 7140 in aid from Public Laws 874 and 815. The entitlement for this school district under Public Law 874 for the past year approximates $200,000. Proposed reductions would reduce our entitlement by approximately $100,000 for the 1959-60 school year. This would be disastrous to our budget, as it was necessary to include this anticipated revenue in order to balance income with essential expenditures. Mr. Edward L. Wright expects to be in Washington next week and will represent us before the subcommittee. We shall greatly appreciate all the support that you can give him. With kind personal regards, I am, GUY L. VARN, Superintendent. AUGUST 5, 1959. Hon. J. J. RILEY, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.: Reduction of Public Law 874 proposed under H.R. 7140 would mean estimated entitlement of $54,071.22 for District 5 of Richland County in 1959-60 reduced to $30,666.67, an estimated loss of $23,404.55. Such a substantial loss would necessitate drastic retrenchment in instructional and operational programs currently offered to a burgeoning student population. I have asked Prof. E. L. Wright to state our case and plead for no reduction upon his Washington visit. Your interest and your efforts in our behalf are always appreciated. Superintendent, Lower Richland School District No. 5, Richland County. ressman JOHN J. RILEY, BLACKVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ress of the United States, Washington, D.C. CAR MR. RILEY: It has come to my attention that efforts are being made to ce the aid under Public Laws 815 and 874. I am sure I do not have to tell what would happen to our local tax situation if this reduction is made. use of the administration and operation costs necessary to run our new and rged schools we are already operating in the red. Next year we'll probably to add 8 to 10 mills to pick up the deficit we are now running and if our and 874 aid is cut we'll have to add an additional mill for every thousand irs cut off. >ur past efforts are greatly appreciated and I'm sure you'll do everything in your power to give us the full amount of aid from Public Laws 815 874. ith best wishes, I am, Sincerely yours, L. D. JONES. mated reduction of payments to the school districts of Richland County, S.C., assuming revision of Public Law 874 under H.R. 7140 hese figures refer to students under subsec. 3(b)2. Pupils under subsec. 3(a) are not included in the figures. Payments for children whose parents both work on and live on Federal property are not ed. Ir. BAILEY. We have next Mr. William Simmons, superintendent chools, Romulus, Mich. The Chair would like to observe at this point that I have visited the a that Mr. Simmons is representing and I know something about conditions in the district. We would appreciate this opportunity to have you to bring us up to e on the situation. STATEMENT OF WILLIAM SIMMONS, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, ROMULUS, MICH. Ir. SIMMONS. Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate the oppority to come before this committee and say a few words this ning. nowing that the chairman and members of the committee have ted our area in the State of Michigan I am going to say at this e that I feel that the days that you reserved for us during the past imony and the extensive testimony you were willing to hear us preduring the past hearing still stands. do not feel it is necessary for me to go into the same kind of detail use I feel we have presented a case for the industrial contract secs of Public Laws 815 and 874. I think the case is the same in the State of Michigan as it has been during the past 2 year period during which time you have heard considerable testimony; and, as you have indicated, you have made considerable investigation in the local area itself. I do want to say this: Mr. Shain, president of my board of education, has been asked to testify at this time along with me. Mr. Shain, because of circumstances beyond his control, will be unable to be here, but he asked me to extend his regrets in this matter and to say a good word for the work that this committee has done in the past. What I have done, along with Mr. Shain, is to prepare a joint statement which I would like to submit for the record." As you know, the sections of the laws we are interested in are the industrial contract sections. These are called the twilight sections of the act, sir, but I think the record speaks for itself. I was interested to notice in the commissioners' report for the period ending June 30, 1958, that we still had 23,431 industrial impact eligible boys and girls under these two laws. I think this would clearly indicate to the committee that there is a need still for this kind of legislation, and I would point out, as the Chairman has earlier today, that with the expanding military budget that we look at each year as Congress comes along, we know there will be continued industrial impact. During the past few years I have been doing an extensive study of the history of this legislation, and it would seem to me that the type of very fine legislation that has been written throughout these two laws should be retained without any question. If one goes back into the history we know the chaos that there was because of lack of this kind of legislation. I would hold it is just prudent judgment to keep these laws alive if only a handful of eligible pupils are found and only a few classrooms are built because we never know when this need will arise. If we have to wait for extensive new legislation I am sure that the chairman knows the situation that would exist. Quite frankly, sir, I think my statement will cover our feelings. I do want to indicate that I speak not only for my own school district but I have had the pleasure of serving as the chairman of the group of federally affected school districts in Michigan for the past 3 years, and I am sure this presents their viewpoint. to As far as specific information concerning individual school districts, this is a matter of record before the committee, and I would also like say that Dr. O'Leary, of Garden City, Mich., presented a specific case in analyzing the situation that was in Garden City, Mich., and this case is comparable to the case found in the other impacted school districts. I would be glad to answer any questions, Mr. Bailey, should there be questions. I am sure you are completely familiar with and aware of the situation in Michigan. Mr. BAILEY. Just how much damage would 714 do here? Mr. SIMMONS. It would wipe out completely the industrial contract sections of both laws and it would make Federal aid, with the exception of those areas which are immediately adjacent to our military bases, inoperative in the State of Michigan. |