Statement By Commissioner Of Education Earl McGrath Before the House Subcommittee on Education, Federal Aid To Education

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FEDERAL AID TO EDUCATION Statement made by Earl James McGrath, U. S. Commissioner of Education Federal Security Agency before the House Subcommittee on Education Wednesday, May 18, 1949 The Office of Education of the Federal Security Agency has, for a number of years, consistently favored Federal aid to the States in the support of their programs of public elementary and secondary education. As Commissioner of Education, I strongly favor such a Federal aid program. In my opinion, the evitience in favor of a sound program of Federal aid to education is overwhelming. I recognize that there are high-minded groups and individuals throughout the Mation sincerely opposed to any Federal aid for schools. I believe, however, that much of this opposition is based either on a misunderstanding of some of the important evidence or on fears and misapprehensions which will largely disappear when care- fully examined in the light of all the pertinent facts. Importance of Education in a Democracy My own study of the evidence leads me to favor a sound program of Federal aid for public elementary and secondary schools for the follow ing reasons: 1. The very existence of our great democratic Nation depends on a highly enlightened citizenry. In our form of govern- ment, the citizens are called upon again and again to decide great national and international issues. Wise decisions cannot be made unless those issues and the implications