EXPANSION OF PUBLIC LAWS 815 AND 874 THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1964 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND PUBLIC WELFARE, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to recess, at 9:28 a.m., in room 4232, New Senate Office Building, Senator Wayne Morse, chairman, of the subcommittee, presiding. Present: Senators Morse (presiding) and Yarborough. Committee staff members present: Stewart E. McClure, chief clerk; Charles Lee, professional staff member of the subcommittee; and John D. Stringer, associate minority counsel. Senator MORSE. The hearing will come to order. Because of the sad death of Senator Engle I wish to adjourn this meeting at 10:50 when the Senate will meet and adjourn immediately upon convening at 11 o'clock in memory of Senator Engle. Therefore I must ask witnesses to summarize their statements, if possible, and insert their prepared statements in the record unless their statements are reasonably short. We will have 5 witnesses this morning and each witness should plan to take about 10 to 15 minutes. Both Senator Gruening of Alaska and Senator Dodd of Connecticut have indicated to me their desire to be with us this morning to testify in person. Since the time element may prevent our being in session when they are free I shall, without objection, open the hearing with their statements. STATEMENT OF HON. ERNEST GRUENING, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF ALASKA Senator GRUENING. Mr. Chairman, we never really expect a disaster to strike close to home. When it does, we are stunned. Then we get to work removing the rubble, counting our dead, building again for today and tomorrow. But recovering from a disaster of major proportions cannot be done by the citizen or his communty alone. We had in Alaska earlier this year a stunning example of the devastation which can be caused when the most severe earthquake ever recorded on the Richter scale, and over an unprecedentedly wide area, strikes without warning and within minutes sets up forces which will inflict damage totaling more than half a billion dollars. Schools in the earthquake area were badly damaged, and the March 27, 1964, earthquake in south-central Alaska wiped out 50 percent of the economy of the State. Because we are 50 united States, the legislative and executive branches of our Government have moved quickly to help Alaska re build. I will not attempt today to detail numerous steps taken to assist the State. They include generous acts by the Federal Government and by thousands of private citizens. Today I want to commend this subcommittee for introducing S. 2725, a bill to amend Public Laws 815 and 874 by providing financial assistance in the construction and operation of public elementary and secondary schools in areas affected by a major disaster. My colleague from Alaska (Senator Bartlett) and I are cosponsors of this proposed legislation. We are well aware of its need. This proposed amendment to Public Laws 815 and 874 originally approved by Members of the 81st Congress would apply to an area which has suffered a major disaster as a result of any flood, drought, fire, hurricane, earthquake, storm, or other catastrophe, which the President determines warrants disaster assistance by the Federal Government. I hope the Senate will act favorably on S. 2725 this session of the Congress. We in Alaska have been fortunate, I use the word "fortunate" as it applies to the assisting forces fortunately located within the disaster area in our State-the military forces who utilized their every resource to help our citizen forces in time of national disaster. Our words of gratitude to these brave men can never adequately express our heartfelt appreciation. I call particular attention to the help of the military in Alaska because similar aid is not so close in every State. For this reason the need for S. 2725 is greater. On April 8, 1964, Dr. Don M. Dafoe, superintendent of schools in Anchorage, Alaska, reported on the earthquake loss to schools in the State when he appeared before the Federal Reconstruction and Development Planning Commission for Alaska. He His statement covering all school losses was prepared and presented at the request of Gov. William A. Egan and I ask unanimous request that it appear at the end of my statement as exhibit No. 1. Dr. Dafoe was Territorial Commissioner of Education from 1953 to 1959. has worked for the U.S. Office of Education here in Washington, D.C. I consider him to be eminently qualified to speak for the State on education matters. His ability to speak authoritatively is demonstrated today for the analysis he made of school losses less than 2 weeks following the earthquake has changed very little. Alaska schools suffered capital losses of approximately $10.5 million. Alaska schools lost operating funds because of tax losses within the school districts totaling approximately $4.2 million. And there were other losses. Let me quote the summary of losses presented to the Alaskan Commission by Dr. Dafoe: SUMMARY It is apparent then that there are two major requirements for schools: 1. Grants for reconstruction and repair_ 2. Grants to offset revenue losses 1963-64 (Anchorage only). 3. Grants to offset revenue losses for 1964-65, State and local_. 4. 1965-66 revenue loss, State and local---- Total____ $10, 356, 000 2,000,000 6. 000, 000 4,000,000 22, 356, 000 We should emphasize that the Alaskan people have consistently supported a sound educational program, both from the standpoint of capital outlay and current operations. They have made an extensive financial effort and are willing to continue to do so. However, the repair and replacement of facilities from Federal funds and the provision of operating grants to offset revenue losses during the rebuilding period are essential. Many Alaskan schools in the earthquake area were destroyed. The intensity of the earthquake and the area struck are unprecedented in size. Damage was wrought over an area 1,500 miles from east to west and 300 miles from north to south. The area struck totaled 30,000 square miles. More than 30 schools in south-central Alaska were damaged, some totally destroyed, by the March 27 disaster. Because one picture truly is worth 1,000 words or more, I ask that a photograph of the Government Hill Elementary School in Anchorage taken after the earthquake be printed as part of the hearing record. The picture was taken by Marshall Lockman of Black Star, New York. It is made available through the courtesy of Mr. Lockman and Mr. Howard Chapnick of Black Star Publishing Co. The modern, turquoise green Government Hill School had an enrollment of 425 students but the children, grades 1 to 6, were not in school Friday, March 27. Good Friday was a holiday. As it turned out, the last day of classes in Government Hill School was Thursday, March 26. For at 5:36 p.m. March 27 giant natural forces embodied in an earthquake which registered 8.5 on the Richter scale, strongest ever recorded, twisted and destroyed much of south-central Alaska. Among the hundreds of inanimate victims was the Government Hill School. Now 4 months after the earthquake the rubble at the Government Hill School site has been removed. Most of the remains of this 20room classroom school ripped in two have been removed. The boilerroom and one other room remain, boarded up but usable elsewhere. I do not wish to crowd the hearing record with stories relating to the Alaska disaster. I hope that interested persons will check the Congressional Record which contains a good bit of the disaster relief story as it was written in Congress, in the executive branch and elsewhere. For the sake of humanity I hope this story is never repeated. For the benefit of humanity I urge positive action of bills which will help this Nation be better prepared should there be a national disaster. EXHIBIT No. 1 STATEMENT TO SENATOR CLINTON ANDERSON'S COMMITTEE ON ALASKA RECONSTRUCTION My name is Dr. Don M. Dafoe, currently superintendent of schools in Anchorage, Alaska, and I was territorial commissioner of education from 1953 to 1959. This statement covering all school losses, both capital losses and estimated revenue losses for operation has been prepared and is being submitted at the request of Gov. William A. Egan. The following statistical information has been compiled from State and local agency reports: Alaska earthquake losses to schools |