NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

which commerce, industry and agriculture can be expanded in rising degree.” During and immediately after the war, however, our schools began to go down hill to a shocking degree. This decline is revealed in: 1. A shortage of qualified teachers. 2. Too few teachers being trained. 3. Lowered teacher morale. 4. Poor buildings and equip¬ ment. Partly as a result of action by business in arousing the public through radio and other media, the past several months have seen the beginning of a turn for the better in American schools. But the improvement made thus far is negligible in relation to need. While the drift of teachers to other fields has been slowed, there is still an alarming shortage of well-qualified teachers — and with the number of children in school certain to increase over the next several years as a result of the high birth rate dur¬ ing the war, the shortage is likely to grow more acute. Recent improvements are encouraging evidence of a turn of the tide, but by no means spell the end of the educa¬ tional crisis. Urge all Americans to: (a) Join and work with local civic groups and school boards actively seeking to improve educational conditions. (b) Show by their friendliness and interest that they appreciate the vital importance of the teachers’ services to them, their children and their community — teachers exert a vital influence on the character and future careers of American boys and girls. (Fact Sheet No. 37-C) Buy U. S. Savings Bonds— "Automatic Saving Is Sure Saving" The way the public debt is managed will affect the life of every American for years to come, as regards money supply, the price level, business conditions and what the dollar will buy; and wise management of the debt demands that ownership of U. S. securities be spread as widely as possible among individuals. The part-payment PAYROLL SAVINGS PLAN, backbone of the Savings Bonds Pro¬ gram, should be pushed to a higher level than it occupies at the present time, through the continuing wholehearted support from industry. Those who are not on a payroll, the self-employed, should be brought into the picture through the Bond-A-Month Plan, inaugurated by the U. S. Treasury, in cooperation with the banks of America, last June. The rate of interest, sound investment value, com¬ plete safety and convenience of purchase of U. S. Savings Bonds make them the ideal way for the individual investor to save for the future. The copy objective is to create as vividly as possible in the mind of the listener the desire to possess and enjoy certain specific things and accomplish certain specific objectives in the future, and to show him the importance of saving regularly toward that future. Aims that will require a long-term program of regular saving should be stressed. For instance: “Future leisure time,” “a college education for the children,” “a home of your own,” “a farm of your own,” “a business of your own,” “the inventions of tomorrow,” “travel — at home and abroad,” “financial security,” etc. Messages should stress the two plans for buying Bonds on an automatic basis, taking care to indicate the group for whom each plan is intended. These are: (1) The installment purchase PAY¬ ROLL SAVINGS PLAN, for all who are on a payroll — the employee authorizes his employer to set aside (NOT deduct) a sum from each paycheck and use the money to buy Savings Bonds for him. (2) The BOND-A-MONTH plan, for those not on a payroll, available to all who have checking accounts with Banks, Savings Institutions, etc. — the depositor authorizes his bank to purchase a Bond for him each month, charging the purchase price to his ac¬ count and delivering the Bond to him. This makes auto¬ matic saving available to those who are not on a payroll, the self-employed, such as doctors, writers, lawyers, architects, farmers, owners of small businesses. 1. Money invested in U. S. Savings Bonds today will make possible long-range objectives, such as retirement income, educa¬ tion for the children, improvements on the home or farm, the best use of leisure time. 2. U. S. Savings Bonds are like a cash reserve, plus safety and profit. 3. The sure way to save is the automatic way — through the Payroll Savings Plan, where you work, or, if you are self-employed, through the Bond-A-Month plan, where you bank. SLOGAN: “AUTOMATIC SAVING IS SURE SAVING —BUY U. S. SAVINGS BONDS REGULARLY WHERE YOU WORK, OR, IF YOU’RE NOT ON A PAYROLL, WHERE YOU BANK. (Fact Sheet No. ll-I) Cut Traffic Accidents This Winter Travel on our highways is increasing — it is now 15 per cent above the pre-war peak. Traffic accidents and deaths have been mounting since the end of the war. Smash-ups have reached more than one a minute ... all day . . . every day in the year. But the encouraging thing is that accident prevention education has actually succeeded in holding down accidents below the level of 1941, the last pre-war year. The job can be done — lives can be saved! The difficulty is that people continue to think of the horror of accidents as always befalling someone else. It simply does not occur to us that we may be killed dashing out to lunch tomorrow. Yet it can happen — for it is the careless little chances each one of us takes every day that cause the big accident totals. We can prevent accidents only if each individual guards against that one accident that may ruin his life. Traffic accidents last year (1947) killed 33,700, injured 1,200,000 more, according to the National Safety Council. And the cost was more than two billion dollars ($2,200,000,000). Point out that the National Safety Council — the recognized authority in the field of public safety — has found that winter brings extra driving and pedestrian hazards. The major hazards are inadequate traction and reduced visibility. To safeguard against them and protect lives drivers should: reduce speed to fit prevailing road and weather conditions; even 20 miles an hour is often too fast in winter . . . use tire chains when traveling through snowy and icy areas . . . keep wind¬ shields and windows clear; don’t let them get snow-covered or foggy . . . check and repair all equipment such as brakes, tires, anti-skid chains, windshield wipers, heaters, de¬ frosters, fans, electrical system, exhaust, anti-freeze, radiator, light. Pedestrians should: be careful in crossing streets — assuming responsibility for their own safety rather than depending on drivers who may not be able to stop or see normally — consider poor visibility; especially at night. Be extra careful this winter. (Fact Sheet No. 15-E) Handicapped Workers Handicapped men and women who are non-workers are a drain on every taxpayer in America. Placed in jobs for which they are qualified, they are economic assets, better citizens and productive Americans. The President’s Committee on National Employ the Physically Handi¬ capped Week, enthusiastic over the cooperation shown by radio stations and advertisers during the recent (Oc¬ tober 5-11) observance of “NEPH” Week, have em¬ barked upon a year ’round program of public information and education. The objectives continue to be (1) to emphasize to the public and employers that the sole test of employment should be ability and not disability; and (2) to urge workers with physical impairments to register with State Employment Offices or State Vocational Re¬ habilitation Offices for employment or training, respec¬ tively. During the month of October, with the help of radio, the Employment Offices placed more than 30,000 handi¬ capped workers in jobs, lowered the number of disabled veterans looking for jobs to below 100,000 for the first time in many months and increased interest on part of employers, employees and public. The services of many capable men and women may be had by calling State Em¬ ployment Offices or State Vocational Rehabilitation Offices. Impaired workers are urged to register their skills and talents at State Employment Offices so that their services will be on record for prospective employers. A set of announcements is being prepared for all radio stations, and station managers are urged to use them as frequently as possible. For programming material or further information write Vice Admiral Ross T. Mclntire, USN, (MC), Retd., Office of the Secretary, Room 2336, Labor Department, Washington 25, D. C. JANUARY 19, 1948-51