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4526251
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Lee High School P.T.A., Founders Day Meeting, Wyoming, MI, February 9, 1970
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4526251
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Lee High School P.T.A., Founders Day Meeting, Wyoming, MI, February 9, 1970
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
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Education
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1970-02-28
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1970
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1970-02-01
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The original documents are located in Box D28, folder "Lee High School P.T.A., Founders
Day Meeting, Wyoming, MI, February 9, 1970" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press
Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
NOTES
GRAND RAPIDS
FEB. 9, 1970
Congress of the United States
Office of the Minority Leader
Herald R. Ford
house of Representatives
M.C.
Washington, D.C. 20515
-
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
LEE HIGH SCHOOL PTA
FOUNDERS DAY MEETING
WYOMING, MICHIGAN
FORD LIBRARY
Digitized from Box D28 of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
LEE HIGH SCHOOL PTA. FOUNDERS DAY MTG...2/9/70 2/9/70
WYOMING, MICH.
1. WE ARE
HERE TON IGHT BECAUSE WE ARE DEEPLY
X
CONCERNED. CON CERNED ABOUT ALL OF AMERICA'S PROBLEMS
BUT PRIMARILY THE EXCELLENCE OF EDUCATION.
2. LET ME SAY КИ AT THE OUTSET THAT I YIELD TO NOONE
IN MY CONCERN ABOUT EDUCATION. I THINK THAT THROUGH
QUALITY EDUCATION AND GOOD JOBS WE CAN LICK THE
IBRARY
PROBLEM OF POVERTY IN THIS COUNTRY AND IMPROVE
2/ LEE PTA
THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE ENTIRE NATION.
3. IF WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED WITH
QUALITY EDUCATION, WE MUST ASK OURSELVES HOW QUALITY
EDUCATION IS TO BE ACHIEVED XNXX AND WHAT WE MUST DO
TO ACHIEVE IT.
R.FORD LIBR
4. I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED.
AND I
ASSERT AGAIN
TON IGHT THAT THE FOUNDATION OF
QUALITY EDUCATION IS QUALITY SCHOOL PERSONNEL.
3/ LEE PTA
5. I AM TALKING ABOUT XXXXXXX BOTH E ADMINISTRATIVE
AND TEACHING PERSONNEL. BUT PRIMARILY ABOUT TEACHERS.
6. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR GOOD TEACHERS. WITHOUT
FINE TEACHERS, WEEHAVE NOTHING IN SCHOOLS.
7. TO HAVE FINE TEACHERS, WE MUST HAVE AXMENSEREEX THE
PROPER INGREDIENTS FOR A QUALITY EDUCATION EN VIRONMENT
IN A COMMUNITY.
4/ LEE PTA
8. WE MUST HAVE A COMMUNITY WHICH HONORS ITS
TEACHERS. HONORS THEM BY ACCORDING THEM THE PRESTIGE
AND STANDING THEY DESERVE. AND ALSO HONORS THEM BY
PAYING THEM A SALARY COMMENSURATE WITH THEIR
TRAINING, THEIR ABILITY, AND THE ZERNETANZ XROZEZTHES
INFLUENCE THEY EXERT ON THE LIVES OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
9.
AS FOR THE TEACHERS, TREREXXX A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
RESTE UPON THEM. WHSTEVER THE PHYSICAL FACILITIES
5/ LEE PTA
AVAILABLE TO THEM, IT HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND AGAIN
THAT AN EXCELLENT TEACHER IS ABLE TO IMPART KNOWLEDGE
AND A BURNING DESIRE FOR LEARNING TO HIS OR HER
PUPILS, REGARDLESS OF DEFICIENCIES IN PHYSICAL
SURROUNDINGS. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT WE XXX DO NOT
WANT THE BEST WE CAN PROVIDE IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND
EQUIPMENT FOR OUR YOUNGSTERS. BUT IT IS TO SAY...AND TI
E
6/ LEE PTA
TO EMPHASIZE. THAT THE TEACHER IS BY FAR THE MOST
IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN THE IEARNING PROCESS.
10. THAT IXEX LEADS ME TO THIS POINT. EDUCATION STILL
IS...AND SHOULD BE PRIMARILY A STATE AND LOCAL
RESPONSIBILITY. THERE IN IS A FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY,
BUT IT IS SECONDARY TO THAT OF THE STATE AND THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY.
7% LEE PTA
11. I WOULD ALSO MAKE THE POINT THAT XXX WHILE
ADEQUATE FUNDING IS NEEDED TO ATTRACT COMPETENT
TEACHERS,XN HIGH PER-PUPIL EXPENDITURES DO
NOT AUTOMATICALLY QUARANTEE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION.
12. NO, WE MUST CONSTANTLY EVALUATE THEXEXX OUR
MESCHOOLS, MEASURE THE RESULTS, DETERMINE IF AND
WHERE THE RESULTS ARE DEFICIENT, ANDINEN THEN MAKE
UP THE LACK.
8/ LEE PTA
13. THE BASIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR Kingergarten through
12th GRADE SCHOOLING IS THAT OF THE STATE. THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY ANDITE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST SUPPLEMENT
AND MUST CONSTANTLY SERVE AS A PROD, AS SHARP
OVERSEERS, TO TRY TO MAKE THE EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
THE BEST POSSIBLE.
GERAL
RARY
9/ LEE PTA
14. HAVING SAID THAT, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE
NIXON ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING AS A HELP TO THE
STATES AND LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN FISCAL 1971.
15. FEDERAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WILL STRESS:
a. A PROGRAM OF EXPERIMENTAL SCHOOLS ANDMX OTHER
RESEARCH XX ANDE EVAULATION EFFORTS TO DISCOVER WHAT
ACTIVITIES INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
10/ LEE PTA
b.
EMPHASIS ON IMPROVED EDUCATION FOR DISADVANTAGED
STUDENTS AND ON EXPANSION OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL.
C. GREATER ATTENTION TO CHILDREN DURING THE FIRST
5 YEARS ****** OF LIFE.
FORD
817
d. PROPOSED NEWPX PROGRAMS OF REVENUE SHARING WITH
THE CITIES AND STATES AND WELFARE REFORM WHICH WILL
EASE THE WELFARE BURDEN OF THE STATES, AND THUS HELP
11/ LEE PTA
FREE MORE STATE AND LOCAL DOLLARS FOR SCHOOLS.
e. INITIATION OF EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE THE 'RIGHT TO
READ' GOAL FOR THE 70's.
f. CONSOLIDATIONS, REDUCTIONS AND ELIMINATIONS OF
EXISTING LOWER PRIORITY PROGRAMS OF CATEGORICAL
FEDERAL AID...SUCH AS FOR SO*CALLED FEDERALLY
IMPACTED SCHOOLS.
12/ LEE PTA
g. EXPANSION OF MAJOR CULTURAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING
THOSE OF THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE
HUMANITIES, AND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
h. AND A NATIONAL REVIEW DIRECTED AT REFORM OF THE
BASIC FINANCIAL STRUCTURE OF ELEMENTARY XXN AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION.
FORD LIBRARY i
13/ LEE PTA
16. THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS FAILEN FAR SHORT OF ITS
RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION.
17. THE FACTSEX ARE THAT EKEEET FEDERAL OUTLAYS FOR
EDUCATION HAVE GROWN FROM LESS THAN XXE 1 BILLION
DOLLARS IN 1960 TO MORE THAN 5 BILLION IN 1971. xtetal
18. TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING FOR EDUCATION, INCLUDING
14/ LEE PTA
GRADUATE TRAINING, ACADEMIC RESEARCH, VETERANS
EDUCATION BENEFITS AND OTHER PROGRAMS, WILL EXCEED
$10 BILLION FOR 1971 COMPARED WITH $2 BILLION IN 1961
19. OUTLAYS ESTIMATED AT $2.7 BILLION IN 1971 WILL
SUPPORT A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS FOR PRESCHOOL, ELEMENTARY
AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH
DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS AND OTHER HANDICAPS.
15/ LEE PTA
20. I WOULD ALSO CALL ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT
A NEW OFFICE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN CREATED
IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH*EDUCATION*AND*WELFARE.
THIS WILL PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATION FOR
SLL FEDERAL PROGRAMS FOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN. THE
PRESCHOOL PERIOD IS CRITICAL BECAUSE THIS XX IS WHEN
EDUCATIONAL DEPRIVATION OFTEN BEGINS AND THE FUTURE
COURSE OF A LIFE MAY BE DETERMINED.
16% IEE PTA
21. THE FEDERAL ROLE IN EDUCATION IS INDEED EXPANDING,
BUT THE MERE PROVIDING OF MORE FEDERAL E DOLLARS IS
NOT THE ANSWER TO ACHIEVING QUALITY EDUCATION.
22. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO
GREATER FEDERAL AID TO SCHOOLS, THROUGH DIRECT AID
AND THROUGH FEDERAL SHARING, BUT IT
IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FEDERAL, AND STATE AND
LOCAL DOLLARS AS WELL, WILL BUY SOMETHING.
17/ EEE PTA
23. IT WILL DO LITTLE GOOD TO PROVIDE MORE DOLLARS
TO
FOR TEACHER SALARIES
ATTRACT GOOD TEACHERS
IF THE VALUERKX OF THOSE DOLLARS CONSTANTLY KEEPS
DROPPINGI,
24. AND SO THE PRE SIDENT IS CONCERNED. AND se SHOULD
WE ALL BE...WITH NOT JUST HOW MANY DOLLARS WE HAVE TO
SPEND FOR SCHOOLS AND OTHER PURPOSES BUT WITH WHAT THOSE
DOLLARS WILL BUY.
1
LEE PTA
25. WE DO HAVE A FINANCIAL CRISIS IN OUR SCHOOL
AFFAIRS. BUT IET US FACE IT SQUARELY. LET US FACE
IT WITH COMMON SENSE. LET US NOT BLAME THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT FOR IT, OR LOOK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
TO AIL US OUT. LET US JOIN HANDS IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO KEEP OUR DOLLAR AS
SOUND AS POSSIBLE AND TO USE ALL OF OUR EDUCATION*
AVAILABLE DOLLARS TO ACHIEVE
191 LEE PTA
THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE FOR OUR BOYS XNE&XR AND
GIRLS. WE CANNOT DO MORE. TO DO LESS WOULD BE TO
SHIRK A SACRED TRUST. I AM SURE NOONE HERE WILL
BE FOUND WANTING.
######