vocational acts, that are specifically designed for older people who are retired or are approaching retirement.

In response to the question, How many older people past 60 are enrolled in adult education classes? only seven States could report such information. California was first with over 47,000; New York had 7,000 older registrants, while New Jersey reported 6,270; South Carolina, 940, and Massachusetts, 907. Unfortunately, 38 States reported that these data were not collected. Holden further reported that among State department representatives there appears to be enough interest and activity in the education of the aging to warrant further exploration and study. A limited number of successful and comprehensive programs are being carried out in New York, California, Florida, and Michigan. Many additional State departments have indicated an interest in developing a number of educational activities for this age group.

The National Education Association, through its divisions, departments, commissions, and committees, is in a unique position to bring great impact to bear upon the total educational world in relation to building an awareness of the problems of aging. Through its division of adult education service and through the National Association of Public School Adult Educators, a direct means of implementing programs of adult education for the aging is provided for the public school systems.

are

The problems of aging which are directly related to education

1. The need to provide general community programs about aging.

2. The need to make provisions for continuous learning opportunities for older people.

3. The need to train volunteer and professional workers to adequately equip them to work with older people.

4. The need for additional research and documentation on aging by institutions of higher education.

5. The need for the identification and more effective utilization of the talents of older persons for community service in educational programs.

The complexity of the problems of the aging as well as the diversity of their needs indicate that it is advisable for all community agencies to be involved in the development of programs for the aging. Education has a central role to play in most programs and the local school district should feel free to take primary responsibility for initiating communitywide planning. This does not mean that noneducational functions would be taken over by the school, but that initiating leadership can properly lie with the local director of adult education.

There is an urgent need to develop comprehensive programs of adult education which will assist the older adult in making the necessary adjustments for living effectively and completely in a changing society. The commitment of local, State, and Federal governments to the solution of the problems of the aged and aging will be revealed by the enactment of appropriate legislation and the degree to which such legislation provides for adequate leadership and financial support.

New York State is one of the few States which has been active in providing educational services for the aging and the aged. We

have asked Henrietta F. Rabe, supervisor, education for the aging, Bureau of Adult Education, State Education Department, University of the State of New York, to testify before this committee as an expert witness on education for the aging.

At this point, with your permission, I will let her proceed.

Senator MCNAMARA. Thank you. We are glad to have you here. You may proceed.

STATEMENT OF DR. HENRIETTA RABE, SUPERVISOR OF EDUCATION FOR THE AGING, BUREAU OF ADULT EDUCATION

Mrs. RABE. Senator McNamara, in New York State education for the aging is considered one facet of a broad, comprehensive program of public school adult education. Its development has been as follows:

In 1950 the New York State Education Department took cognizance of this large and fastgrowing segment of our population, namely, that of the older adult, and his many problems. It made a 6-month study of these problems-that of health, mental health, employment, retirement, housing, leisure-time needs with one question uppermost in mind, What are the implications for education? The answers to this question provided the framework for our program of education for the aging.

First, it appeared that adult education could make a major contribution with respect to use of the excess of leisure time that all too many retired men and women seem to have. By "retired" I mean persons retired from the job as well as the aged housewife who, in widowhood, is psychologically retired and frequently lacks interests to fill the many hours of free time. It is this lack of meaningful interests in combination with a lack of social usefulness that contributes to the loneliness, unhappiness, and frustration of so many older people.

Second, through education older men and women can be helped to remain active citizens with an interest in the local, State, and national problems that keeps them in the mainstream of living; indeed, in many cases, helps them to find a new role of social usefulness in retirement living.

Third, faithful to the philosophy of lifelong education, retirement could be made a time when men and women might truly have an opportunity to develop their potentialities to the fullest something which, through lack of time or opportunity earlier in life, they were unable to do.

Fourth, some older men and women could be helped to learn skills that might be a source of supplemental retirement income; and retraining could be provided for the older worker still in his forties and fifties.

Fifth, as a means of prevention, persons in the middle years can be helped through adult education to prepare for retirement living. Sixth, there was an educational job to be done in the way of community education to change social attitudes with respect to aging and to make people more informed about the implications of an aging population.

Lastly, lack of available leadership for the aforementioned adult education needs made it clear that the State education department

would have to develop a training program for lay leaders employed by the public school to work with the aged.

It was on the basis of this that New York State began to build its program of education for the aging.

In addition to the study, the State education department in 1950 made a survey of enrollments in existing public school adult education classes, by age, and this showed that 1.5 percent of those enrolled were over 60 years of age. This represented about 7,000 persons, which is the figure used by John Holden in the publication referred to earlier by Dr. Van Orman. However, this is not a picture of the situation today. The figure represents the number of older peoples who were enrolled in the general adult education classes before New York State initiated any special program of education for the aging.

The fact that the proportion of older adults in public school classes was low in contrast to adults of other ages was the more significant in view of the excess amount of free time about which retired people frequently complain. One reason appeared to be that through long years of habit the older adult is used to being busily occupied during the day and, for the most part, to remain home at night; and secondly, an unawareness of the value of adult education, having had limited schooling and no concept of the need for continuing education. Statistics show that among today's older adults one out of every five has had 5 years of formal schooling or less. Fewer than 50 percent have completed grammar school. It was apparent to the New York State Education Department, therefore, that in order to serve a larger number of older persons, new methods would have to be used and educational content specially tailored to meet their interests and needs.

Thus, daytime classes are now being offered as well as night classes and special activities for persons over 60 years of age. These are held during the day, for the most part, frequently with cooperation from voluntary agencies, and in combination with recreation. It is through this approach that new doors are being opened to large numbers of older men and women through a rich variety of adult education. It is on this basis that New York State now provides specially designed education for the aging in 108 different communities. Through these special classes as well as through the general adult education classes, it is estimated that the public schools are reaching and serving about 25,000 older men and women in New York State.

We realize, of course, that we have a very long way to go before a majority of the older population sees the value of some form of adult education and takes advantage of existing opportunities; but whatever success we may have achieved to date may be attributed to the fact that (1) in the State of New York adult education is considered an integral part of the public school system, (2) the State education department, through its bureau of adult education, gives assistance and encouragement to local boards of education to provide adult education and to develop comprehensive programs (and no program is truly comprehensive unless it gives consideration to the needs of the aging), and (3) public school adult education is State-aided. This latter, we believe, has done a great deal to encourage schools to add adult education to their operations.

In view of the fact that in only a very small number of States are the schools providing any form of education for the aging, and in view,

47461-59-4

have asked Henrietta F. Rabe, supervisor, education for Bureau of Adult Education, State Education Department, of the State of New York, to testify before this comm expert witness on education for the aging.

At this point, with your permission, I will let her pro Senator MCNAMARA. Thank you. We are glad to ħa You may proceed.

STATEMENT OF DR. HENRIETTA RABE, SUPERVISOR O

FOR THE AGING, BUREAU OF ADULT EDUCAT

Mrs. RABE. Senator McNamara, in New York Stat the aging is considered one facet of a broad, compreh of public school adult education. Its developme follows:

In 1950 the New York State Education Depart zance of this large and fast growing segment of namely, that of the older adult, and his many prob 6 month study of these problems-that of health, n ployment, retirement, housing, leisure-time needsuppermost in mind, What are the implications for answers to this question provided the framework f education for the aging.

First, it appeared that adult education could tribution with respect to use of the excess of leis many retired men and women seem to have. I persons retired from the job as well as the age widowhood, is psychologically retired and frequ to fill the many hours of free time. It is thi interests in combination with a lack of social tributes to the loneliness, unhappiness, and fr older people.

Second, through education older men and w remain active citizens with an interest in the le problems that keeps them in the mainstrean many cases helps them to find a new role retirement living.

Third, faithful to the philosophy of lifelo could be made a time when men and wom opportunity to develop their potentialities t which, through lack of time or opportunity unable to do.

Fourth, some older men and women cou!. that might be a source of supplemental r training could be provided for the older and thes

24h as a means of prevention, perso he helped through adult education to pr SA. There was an educational job to MARIŠLA DÉNORAZon, to change social attituc to make people more informed about t podulazion.

Lasty, lack of available leadership ednenciar, needs made it clear that the

ething to say as to ressed their meeting ing one of the finest America. They are They have an insurivil service employees, projects.

n the Association of Rethey are accustomed to

is, Mr. Chairman. There their lives to public service

that they have the opporturight?

States have very good teacher social security. Some have a on social security, but in many d before they could get these