8. long as the museum must beg for funds from the schools, its opportunities for introducing innovative techniques and broader concepts into the school curriculum are severely circumscribed. There is little two way exchange of ideas. The museum must fit into the school's plans as determined by the school administrators, or else the museum and its physical and personnel resources will not be incorporated into the school's programs. I am pleased to note that S 3151 permits the Commissioner of Education to make grants or enter into contracts with "institutions of higher education and other public or private agencies, institutions, or organizations" to carry out the purposes of the act. This could clearly permit the Commissioner to fund a museum such as our directly. While I would hardly favor the funding of a local museum program completely independent of the program or goals of the local educational agency, I believe wise administration of this direct authority by the Commissioner could bring about a far stronger cooperative effort between museums and local schools. It would thus be possible for the Commissioner, in formulating regulations under the act, to require cooperative arrangements between museum and school. This is not presently the practice when the Federal Government funds local school districts under the Elementary and Secondary Education act. It will perhaps be argued that S 3151 establishes yet another categorical grant program for education, at a time when the present Administration's policy lies in the opposite direction. I think 9. this objection overlooks the fact that this environmental education bill is not aimed at the permanent support of local environmental education programs, which should be a function of local educational agencies. The program envisioned by S 3151 is really a program to sharply increase the resources and techniques available to a vital area of education which has been sadly ignored in past years. When effective curriculums are developed and evaluated, when the findings of demonstration programs are in, when teacher training techniques are perfected and a wide range of educational materials are available, then S 3151 will have served its purpose. It could then be allowed to expire, since by that time it would no longer be needed as badly as it is now. Mr. Chairman, I support this bill and hope your Committee will report it favorably to the Senate. I am satisfied that the operative language of sec. 3 permits the Commissioner of Education to make grants directly to community museums engaged in developing new environmental education techniques. I would, however, make one specific request: that your report to the Senate explicitly make the point that community-based museums offer significant potential for achieving the objectives of the act, and that it is the Committee's intent that the Commissioner of Education should embark on an active program for using these museum resources effectively, and for using the authority conferred upon him by the act to strengthen cooperative relationships between museums and local educational agencies. 10. Mr. Chairman, I very much appreciate this opportunity to appear before your Subcommittee, and I will be happy to answer any questions the members of the Committee may have. 1. The Fairbanks Museum St. Johnsbury, Vermont SUMMARY of Testimony by Frederick Mold, Director of the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on S 3151, the proposed Environmental Quality Education Act, before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Education, Washington, May 19, 1970. The Fairbanks Museum, located in Northeastern Vermont, has since 1890 been engaged in environmental education programs for the young people and adults of three Vermont counties. 2. There is today a sharply increasing recognition of the long-ignored need for educating young and old in the importance of protecting and preserving our environment and ecology. S 3151 would help meet that need by supporting new curriculum development, evaluation techniques, demonstration projects, teacher training, community education, and dissemination of environmental education materials. 3. Community based natural history museums offer very important, and presently underutilized, resources for achieving the objectives of S 3151. Congressional recognition of the importance of community museums, along with authorization of Federal assistance directly to museums, would do much to achieve greater results in this area. 4. Under S 3151, the Commissioner of Education would have authority to assist in the development of stronger cooperative relationships between local museums and school districts. Under present arrangements the museum, because it can be funded only through the school system, becomes a stepchild of the school, under the control of school administrators and auditors who do not fully comprehend the differing procedures and requirements of community museums. 5. Although the bill would create a new categorical aid program, it is a demonstration and stimulation program in nature, and desperately needed at this time. Later, when it has resulted in widespread incorporation of environmental education programs into regular school curriculums at all levels, the act could be allowed to expire. 6. While the present language of S 3151 clearly permits direct funding of museums, it would be helpful if the Committee report on the legislation would make explicit the potential contribution of community museums, and encourage the Commissioner in administering the act to give special attention to realizing that contribution. |