Statement by Commissioner of Education Earl James McGrath to Benjamin Fine of the New York Times

STATEMENT * Teacher Shortage The teacher shortage in the United States, especially at the elementary school level continues to be grave. The wave of children resulting from the increased birthrate since 1940 will, however, soon 3weep over the high school San as well. Conseguently, the present shortage of teachers will be intensified in the next several years. The enrollments in the teacher training institutions show that the situation will not the significantly allergated in the next four years Since the supply of teachers graduating will Sal: far below the depand every effort should be made by educators and laymon as well to encourage young people to enter the profession of teaching The situation 7A3 now reached the point in this C untry where a yours person is decide upon an occupation may consider it his patriotic duty to enter teaching 1: be or she is qualified to perform the duties 01 the profession. An unusual shortage of teachers exists in the Field o: special education concerned with the education of exceptional children sucr as the centally and physically handicapped. A growing awareness amons, our people of the special educational needs of these handicapped children is resulting in a denand for special teachers and special facilitios to take care of them. Exceptional children, millions in number, constitute a large reservoir of potentially useful manpower. Their potential usefulness, however, can be realized only if proper educational services are provided in the home and the community while these citizens are still children. Their welfare demands that the community provide teachers who are equipped by specialized knowledge, skills, and understandings * By Earl J. McGrath, U.S. Commissioner of Education, Federal Security Agency, Washington, D. C., as given to Mr. Ben Fine, New York Times, January 1953.