Kentucky, and I am mighty glad to see these high-school students here this morning and hope you enjoy your visit in the Capital. The session of the House convenes at 12 o'clock, and I know you will enjoy observing the session of Congress. Mr. WIER. And Congressmen are always delighted to feed the guests. Mr. PERKINS. And I will be delighted to feed the guests today. We will be very glad to hear from Congressman Rivers, of South Carolina at this time. STATEMENT OF HON. L. MENDEL RIVERS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA Mr. RIVERS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My name is L. Mendel Rivers. I represent the First Congressional District of South Carolina. If you will permit me, I will stand up and present what I have. Mr. PERKINS. Go on in your own way. Mr. RIVERS. I appear this morning in the interest of your bill designed to extend the Federal aid for impacted areas. As at least one of your distinguished committee members, Mr. Wier, knows firsthand, the district which I have the honor to represent has about 75 percent of all the military installations in the State of South Carolina. We have very large installations in the Beaufort area, where Parris Island is located. Incidentally, we lament what happened there recently. Also, we have the new jet wing being moved out of Florida; and at Charleston we have the Headquarters for the Sixth Naval District; headquarters for a mine fleet of over 80 vessels; and the naval base at Charleston which will handle over 20,000 passengers per month; the largest transportation depot in the East, with an inventory of over $270 million; and most of the military installations in my State. We remember vividly when the first concept of extending aid to the impacted areas was proposed. It was an appropriation idea initially, and then your distinguished committee made it permanent by legislation. At the point where it stands to expire, we urge that you consider the bill which the distinguished chairman of this subcommittee has introduced. We think that your bill, Mr. Chairman, cures what defects there are in this legislation in the manner in which it is administered to the beneficiaries of this fine aid to the impacted areas. I asked one of my school superintendents in the Beaufort area to compile for me a brief on this as it affects Beaufort, and I would like to present, that to the committee and insert it in the record, because I think it is representative. I would like to say this is a fine compilation. It contains what I believe would be representative of all of my people. We urge that your committee carry out the concept as it is proposed in the chairman's bill, because we think that would be more equal to all the participants and would serve more people in a more democratic way. Mr. PERKINS. Have you discussed these amendments with the Office of Education? Mr. RIVERS. No. I understand they are not in complete accord with you, but we are in accord with you. I do not know how the Office of Education feels on this. I have a letter from one of my school boards at Charleston, and I assume they refer to the Office of Education not being entirely in accord with your bill, I do not know, but we favor your bill. We think it is a good bill and we think it will cure what defects there are in the original legislation. Mr. PERKINS. Mr. Wier. Mr. WIER. Have you had any complaints from any of your impacted areas? Mr. RIVERS. Yes, sir. They say the law is not equal in its administration under the organic law. They feel that Mr. Perkins' bill would more nearly cure whatever defects there are in the basic legislation. If you will permit me, Mr. Chairman, I will include in my remarks this brief. Mr. PERKINS. Without objection, it will be included in the record. (The matter referred to is as follows:) STATEMENT CONCERNING PUBLIC LAWS 815 AND 874 AS THEY AFFECT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT No. 1, BEAUFOrt County, S. C., PREPARED BY 0. K. MCDANIEL, ADMINISTRATOR OF SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, MARCH 30, 1956 Beaufort County School District No. 1 has been a recipient of the benefits of Public Laws 815 and 874 since their first enactment. It has three installations located in or adjacent to the district, namely, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island; Naval Hospital, Beaufort, and Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort. In addition to the children of workers on the above installations the district has children of workers who commute between this area and Naval Base, Charleston, S. C., and Savannah River project, Aiken, S. C. As of March 5 of this session 1,809 federally connected pupils have been enrolled in the schools of this district with an average daily attendance for the 6 months of 1,509. This gives an average daily attendance of 83.5 percent based on the enrollment. It is evident from this high percentage of attendance that the majority of these federally connected pupils who migrate into the district are remaining for the school year. Of these pupils 557 are in the high school and 1,252 in the elementary. According to standards set up by our State these extra pupils make it necessary for the district to employ 54 additional teachers. The average teacher's salary in this district for 1955-56, according to records from the district superintendent's office, is $2,989.64. Therefore, the additional burden of salary is $161,440.56. It has been estimated that the teachers' salaries are from 60 to 75 percent of the total cost of instruction. If we estimate the teacher's salary as 70 percent of the total cost of instruction and add to this such items as janitorial services, heat, lights, and transportation we will have a total cost of $230,630 for these additional pupils. The State will give us some aid in carrying this extra load. However, since the per capita income of Beaufort County is about the same as that of the State as a whole we pay into the State treasury about as much as we receive. Therefore the State aid is in reality our money simply sent back to us from the capital. Our only other source of aid to carry this extra burden has come from the benefits of Public Law 874. For this reason it is very urgent that this law be continued. By further observing the fact that we have 1,809 federally connected pupils which require 54 additional teachers it is likewise noted that these additional pupils require 54 additional classrooms or teaching stations. Up to the present time Beaufort County School District No. 1 has been fortunate enough to share in the benefits of Public Law 815. A total of 44 classrooms have been built with the money from this source and also some additional facilities such as office space and cafeterias. However, this still leaves a burden of around 10 classrooms for the district to carry. The benefits of these laws have meant much to this district and it is very urgent that they be continued. However, there is something much more alarming just ahead of us than anything we have had to face in the past. It is the probable influx of federally connected pupils which we will have within the near future as a result of the activities at the old Beaufort Naval Air Station. We are submitting as exhibit A a letter written by Col. F. M. June, Headquarters, Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field, Beaufort, S. C., dated March 13, 1956. Colonel June has charge of the reactivating of the Old Naval Air Station and the expanding and transforming of same into the Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field. In this letter he predicts that the school populationin our district, as a result of this activity, during the session 1957-58, will be increased by a minimum of 1,225 children from the military personnel alone. No estimate has been made of the increase due to the advent of the children of civilian workers. This increase is already reflecting itself in the present enrollment. We are making about all the local effort possible to take care of the situation. Though the assessed valuation of property for school purposes was practically the same for 1954-55 as for 1953-54, the tax rate for current school expenses was raised from 22 to 28 mills. For 1955-56 the total assessed valuation of property for school purposes has been practically doubled and is now $10,065,770 and the tax rate has been reduced only 5 mills (The tax rate in 1954-55 was 28 mills. It is 23 mills for 1955-56). We have exhausted our present entitlement for school buildings as provided by the South Carolina Educational Finance Commission and we are asking for permission to borrow additional funds for building and maintenance in anticipation for future entitlements. Our other source is from the benefits of Public Laws 815, and 874. With the tidal wave of children descending upon us it is most urgent to us that these laws be extended and changed in such ways as will give us even more help in the future than in the past. After working with and observing the operation of these laws for several years a group of school men, including myself, representing all geographic areas in the United States, has worked out some proposed changes in the laws which we believe will make them more functional and render their benefits more equitable. We are submitting a copy of these proposed changes in Public Law 874 (Maintenance and Operation Assistance) as exhibit B and those of Public Law 815 (School Construction Assistance) as exhibit C. We desire to discuss only certain items of each of these as they affect our district. EXHIBIT B. PROPOSED CHANGES IN PUBLIC LAW 874 (MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION ASSISTANCE) Item 1.-Provision should be made to eliminate the 3 percent absorption for the school year 1956-57 and for any further extension of this legislation. We submit an example of how it works in Beaufort: (a) Total average daily attendance of all pupils 1954–55--. (b) 1⁄2 total average daily attendance sec. 3 (b) pupils. (c) Item (a) minus item (b) (no Federal pupils) (d) Pupil loss (3 percent of item (c) (non-Federal pupils). (e) Total local contribution rate-- (f) Monetary loss in funds (item (d) X item (e))- 4, 590 755 3, 835 116 $79.21 $9, 188.36 Our district can ill afford to lose this amount. Item 2.-Provision should be made for the Federal responsibility for children of military personnel who migrate into the district to continue as long as the children remain in school following the transfer of the parent from the school district upon military orders. We have several children in school now who entered when their fathers were stationed on Parris Island. Now the fathers are scattered to the four corners of the earth, but the children are still attending the Beaufort schools and the district is still providing educational facilities for them. Item 4.-Provision should be made for section 4 (a) children whose parents either work on or live on Federal property to be eligible for payment as now provided regardless of the percentage such children are either to the total or the non-Federal pupil load. We submit below an example of how this works in Beaufort: (a) Total average daily attendance of all pupils 1954-55_ (e) Total estimated Federal average daily attendance for 1955-56(f) Total estimated Federal increase (e) minus (b)- 4, 590 1,418 3, 172 159 1, 563 145 A representative of the field office of the United States Office of Education made a survey of our district during the first week in March of this year and on the basis of our records for the first 6 months his estimate of the increase of the federally connected children was 145 for the entire session. Under the present law it is necessary that we have an increase of 159. We have the burden of the 145 children but we are not allowed the benefits under section 4 (a) due to the present percent requirement. Item 5.—Provision should be made to increase the present "floor” for local contribution rate under section 3 to "not less than the average local contribution rate for the Nation during the second year preceding the application, provided, that such local contribution rate shall not be more than 90 percent of the per capita cost in the applicant's State for the same year." The present floor of one-half the per capita cost of the applicant's State during the second preceding year has proved inequitable in many States due primarily to the difference in district organization and pattern of taxation between several States in district organization and pattern of taxation between several States. EXHIBIT C. PROPOSED CHANGES IN PUBLIC LAW 815 (SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE) Item 1.-Provision should be made to extend this law in a fashion which will allow the Commissioner of Education to consider the pupil load, both federally and nonfederally connected, for the year in which the application is filed and to estimate the increase in pupil load to June 30 of the succeeding year in determining Federal responsibility. By referring to exhibit A, Col. F. M. June's letter, it will be noted that we may expect a gradual increase for the year 1956-57 mostly consisting of children of civilian workers and that the tidal wave of children will rescend upon us during the session 1957-58. If we could be allowed to file application next year covering the actual increase during that year and also the firm estimated increase for the succeeding year we would be in position to take care of these children when they arrive. Otherwise we may have them filling basements of churches, courthouses, lodge halls, and probably sitting on benches in the park. Item 3.-Provision should be made so that the non-Federal growth requirement would be changed from 5 percent per year to 3 percent per year or 6 percent for 2-year period instead of 10 percent. The 3 percent per year increase is adequate to assure that applicants under Public Law 815 will assume a normal increase on the non-Federal pupil load the same as other school districts who are not applicants under the act. There are other important items suggested as proposed changes and badly needed by other school men and other districts that operate under different circumstances. In discussing the above we have confined our remarks to those items most vitally affecting Beaufort County School District No. 1. ADDENDUM No. 1 Since beginning the work of this statement we have received notice from the United States Office of Education that our application for school construction assistance under Public Law 815, as amended, has been processed and the sum of $112,500 has been set aside for us under project No. S. C.-56-C-6A6, This means that the 10 rooms referred to in first paragraph, page 2 of this statement, has been provided for. Our concern now is for the future assistance under these laws in the light of the anticipated increases mentioned above. EXHIBIT A HEADQUARTERS, MARINE CORPS AUXILIARY LANDING Field, Dr. L. C. MCARTHUR, Beaufort, S. C. DEAR DR. MCARTHUR: Following our conversation Monday I asked my staff to compile data from the most recent information available to us which would provide you with the latest figures on the anticipated increase in student load generated by the activation of this station. Accordingly, our latest computations indicate that approximately 2,450 children of all ages will be living with their parents in the Beaufort area by September 1, 1957. Of these 2,450 children, I suppose 50 percent, or 1,225, would be of school age. However, I believe this figure should be considered the minimum rather than the maximum number of students you can expect. It is anticipated that the bulk of these students will arive in Beaufort after the end of the 1956-57 school term and prior to the beginning of the 1957-58 school term (September 1, 1957). The military buildup and the related student increase prior to this time should be gradual, and I don't think the student load will be much more than 75 prior to the end of the 1956-57 school term. These calculations do not take into account the influence on the student population by the increased number of civilian employees working for the various construction firms. Unfortunately, there is no way to determine the exact number of civilian workers who will be hired from Beaufort and the nearby communities or who will come from other areas and bring their families to Beaufort. I hope this new estimate will be of value to you in your school planning. Sincerely yours, F. M. JUNE. EXHIBIT B PROPOSED CHANGES IN PUBLIC LAW 815 (MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION ASSISTANCE) 1. Provision should be made to eliminate the 3-percent absorption for the school year 1956-57 and for any further extension of the legislation. Reason: Federally impacted school districts have many extra fiscal problems other than those recognized in Public Law 874. Usually these districts have also experienced a non-Federal impact far in excess of normal which creates further fiscal difficulty. Thus, they are in no fiscal condition to absorb any part of the Federal responsibility which is recognized by this act. 2. Provision should be made for the Federal responsibility for children of military personnel who migrate to a school district to continue as long as the children remain in school following the transfer of the parent from the school district upon military orders. Reason: Usually the families of military personnel cannot immediately be accommodated with housing facilities at a new assignment. Thus, it is highly inequitable for the Federal Government to discharge its responsibility merely by transferring its military personnel. 3. Provision should be made so that deduction for tax payments in connection with real property will be made only when Federal responsibility for children is claimed in connection with such Federal property. Reason: Federal payments were made because of many Federal properties prior to the enactment of Public Law 874. They were authorized on a completely different basis of Federal responsibility, and such payments have no connection with those under this act unless claim is made which is based on the Federal responsibility accepted by this act. 4. Provision should be made for section 4a children whose parents either work on or live on Federal property to be eligible for payment as now provided regardless of the percentage such children are of either the total or the nonFederal pupil load. Reason: Pupil impact normally presents a greater fiscal problem the first year than any succeeding year. Yet under the present act the Federal Government accepts a responsibility for hundreds of children during their second year's attendance regardless of need, but does not accept a responsibility during their first year of attendance even when based on need. 5. Provision should be made to increase the present "floor" for local contribution rate under section 3 to "not less than the average local contribution rate for the Nation during the second year preceding the application, provided that such local contribution rate shall not be more than 90 percent of the per capita cost in the applicant's State for the same year." Reason: The present floor of one-half the per capita cost of the applicant's State during the second preceding year has proved inequitable in many States due primarily to the difference in district organization and pattern of taxation as between the several States. 6. Provision should be made for a continued Federal responsibility on a diminishing basis for children residing in Federal Public Housing when such housing is disposed of either to private owners or a municipal housing authority. |