CONTRACT RESEARCH Significant amounts of Federal funds have been expended for contracts with individual universities, groups of universities, and research departments of industrial establishments to provide research and training in research. The Commission's two divisions of (1) Physical Research and (2) Biology and Medicine are responsible for the development and supervision of research in the physical, biological, and medical sciences at the AEC installations as well as for outside organizations. Contracts for unclassified research in the physical sciences in university and college laboratories are currently proceeding at an annual expenditure of about $33.4 million, and in the biological and medical sciences at an annual expenditure of about $17.1 million. Generally, these contracts are for two kinds of research: (1) To solve a specific scientific problem, such as one dealing with the development of an isotope separation process; and (2) to add to the general fund of knowledge applicable to atomic energy development. Amounts for contract research in the 10 years from 1950-51 to 1959-60 are shown in column 4 of table 114. Table 114.-FEDERAL FUNDS EXPENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES BY THE ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION: 1950–51 TO 1959-60 This exhibit reflects "accrued costs" rather than "expenditures" in line with the cost performance budget of the Commission. Estimated. Capable scientists who are willing and interested in expanding and continuing research programs in atomic energy submit proposals for basic research to the AEC for their respective colleges and universities. Members of the Commission's scientific staff consider many factors before the decision is made that a project should be supported by Commission funds. These factors include the following: (1) Importance of proposed project to atomic energy development; (2) general need of the AEC for more persons trained in the particular field of study; (3) scientific achievements already made by the institution concerned; (4) probability of continued research performance; and (5) extent of participation of the institution in the work to be undertaken. FELLOWSHIPS Advanced training of young scientists is encouraged by a program of granting fellowships. Through the operation of this program, started by the Commission in 1948, approximately 1,060 fellowships were awarded by the end of the 1951-52 school year at a total cost of about $3.5 million. However, beginning with the 1952-53 school year the National Science Foundation, described on page 216, has sponsored a broad fellowship program which meets much of the need for the training of new scientists. Consequently, the Atomic Energy Commission now offers only a limited number of vocational fellowship awards in the specialized fields of radiological physics, industrial medicine, industrial hygiene, and nuclear technology. Under the 1959-60 fellowship program, approximately 150 college graduates will receive assistance for graduate studies in nuclear energy technology. Other fellowships to be offered include 89 in radiological physics, 8 in industrial hygiene, and 12 in industrial medicine. Federal expenditures for fellowships and for other training are shown in columns 5 and 6 of table 114. EXPENDITURES FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS In addition to the foregoing programs designed to develop more information and ability in the field of atomic energy, the Commission is required to operate or arrange for the operation of programs in public education for children living in the AEC owned and operated community of Los Alamos, N. Mex.; and provide assistance payments for schools at Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Richland, Wash., as required under Public Law 221, Eighty-fourth Congress. Amounts of AEC funds expended for the construction and operation of these schools in recent years are listed in column 7 of table 114. This table also summarizes the Federal funds expended for all educational programs administered by the Atomic Energy Commission. Amounts are not reported State by State, but it may be assumed that amounts for the development of scientists might affect students and institutions in most of the States. CANAL ZONE The Canal Zone Government, known as The Panama Canal prior to July 1, 1951, was created by section 4 of the Panama Canal Act of August 24, 1912, as amended. This agency under the supervision of the Secretary of the Army is charged with the civil government, including health, sanitation, and protection, of the Canal Zone. Operating services of the Canal Zone Government include hospitals and other health and sanitation services, schools, police and fire protection forces, customs and immigration services, postal services, and other civil affairs services. The educational services of the Canal Zone Government, as well as the apprentice school of the Panama Canal Company, are discussed in the paragraphs which follow. PUBLIC EDUCATION Among its other responsibilities, the Canal Zone Government provides elementary and secondary public education from the kindergarten through grade 12, and a junior college for grades 13 and 14. It is estimated that in 1959-60 approximately 11,050 children will be enrolled in the elementary and secondary schools and that the junior college will enroll approximately 160 students. This does not include enrollments in adult evening classes at the junior college, which are financed entirely from tuition fees. An apprentice school to provide training in the skilled trades is operated by the Panama Canal Company. Expenditures for the school are reported in table 115. Table 115.-FEDERAL FUNDS EXPENDED FOR EDUCATION IN THE CANAL ZONE: 1950-51 TO 1959-60 1 Current expenditures exclude depreciation but include general and administrative expenses. 2 Estimated. 30,000 Congress initially appropriates funds for the entire cost of the Canal Zone Government, including its educational program. The Canal Zone schools provide free education in kindergarten through grade 12 to United States citizen children of U.S. Government agencies' personnel residing in the Republic of Panama and in the Canal Zone; and in grades 1 through 12 to all non-United States citizen children resident in the Canal Zone. Tuition charges are made for junior college students and for resident non-United States citizen children in kindergarten. Amounts expended by the Canal Zone Government for furnishing education to employees of agencies of the United States and their dependents, other than the Panama Canal Company and the Canal Zone Government, less tuition payable by such employees and their dependents, are repaid to the Canal Zone Government by such agencies. Tuition fees received by the Canal Zone Government and the amounts paid by other Government agencies are deposited in the U.S. Treasury. The difference between the total of these amounts and the total cost of operating the schools is repaid to the Treasury by the Panama Canal Company. As required by law, the Panama Canal Company reimburses the U.S. Treasury as nearly as possible for the net differences between the appropriation for the Canal Zone Government, and the receipts for its services. The payments made by the Panama Canal Company to reimburse the Treasury are derived from tolls and other revenue the Company receives. Consequently, it would be proper to indicate that the funds reported in table 115 do not come directly or entirely from Federal taxation but are derived largely from canal tolls. Information for this presentation was obtained from the Canal Zone Government. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Governmental activities of the District of Columbia are similar to those of other large cities in the United States. One important difference, however, is in its dependence upon Congress. Congress has the final responsibility for financing all governmental operations in the District, determines the amount and kind of local taxes to be levied, authorizes the expenditure of tax revenues, and makes special appropriations of Federal funds to help finance the public services provided in the city. Except for the Capitol Page School, Federal funds are not appropriated specifically for the schools or other educational activities in the District of Columbia but are for all public services such as police and fire protection, maintenance of streets, health and welfare services, and education. It is assumed, in this presentation, that the proportion of total District funds provided for all public services from Federal sources can be applied uniformly to all of the separate governmental services including education. For 1958-59, this proportion of Federal support was approximately 14.5 percent. Local tax levies in the District of Columbia which include property taxes, sales taxes, and income taxes, provided the remaining 85.5 percent of the District's total revenue for local governmental services. PUBLIC EDUCATION A complete program of public education is provided for residents of the District of Columbia by Congress and the D.C. Government through the activities of the D.C. Board of Education. This program includes educational services from kindergarten through college offered in the elementary, junior high, senior high, and vocational schools, as well as the District of Columbia Teachers College. The teachers college grants the Bachelor of Science in education. Two other public institutions of higher education are also located in the District of Columbia, but, as indicated in chapter 3, Gallaudet College and Howard University are included in the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare budget and are not operated by the D.C. Board of Education. Howard University has a relationship to the District of Columbia that is similar to that existing between State universities and cities in which they are located. Table 116 indicates the amount appropriated for public educational services in the District of Columbia over the past 10 years. During the 1958-59 school year, the proportion from Federal revenue was Table 116.-FEDERAL FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: 1949-50 TO 1958-59 1 Does not include Federal funds reported under other programs in this bulletin. |