Education

Facilities, programs and enrollment figures continued to expand in the field of education throughout the year, while student demands increased and courses were revised to satisfy local needs.

By an Act of the Legislature, on August 12, 1968, the College of Guam was renamed the University of Guam with a five-member board of regents. The University was organized into three undergraduate colleges-the college of letters, arts, and sciences ; the college of education; and the college of continuing education-and a graduate school, each under the direction of a dean.

On the capital improvements scene, close to $3 million were expended by the Department of Education on the construction of two new elementary schools having a total of 66 classrooms. In the blue-print stage are plans for a new elementary school to be built in the Mongmong-Toto-Maite area, and a much needed junior high school to be constructed in Inarajan to serve students living at the southern end of the island. . The University saw the completion of the new science building early in the year, and is anticipating the completion of a Student Center plus three dormitory buildings by the fall of 1969. The dormitory is designed to accommodate 300 students. By January, 1970, a twostory Health Science Building to house the school of nursing should ~!so have been completed. •

The operational budget for the Department of Education reached a record high of $15 million for the 1968-69 school year. The budget for the University soared from $1,608,177 for fiscal year 1968, to $3,392,870, of which $302,570 was supplied through Federal grants.

Although the construction of new school facilities has finally liberated students from the World War II quonset huts, the expected increase in enrollment of 2,000 students next year will continue to cause an acute classroom shortage with the resultant high ratio of students per class. The anticipated enrollment for 1970 is 22,500, as compared to the 20,500 students enrolled this year.

Of the 988 12th graders enrolled, 769 received high school diplomas, compared to 889 graduates the previous year. A record number of 1,000 teachers were employed by the Department of Education to staff the system's two high schools, five junior high schools, the school for handicapped children, and the 21 elementary schools.

Enrollment at the University of Guam averaged 2,000 students this year, compared with the previous student body of 1,700. A total of 114 degrees were conferred during May, of which 91 were bachelor of arts degrees, 21 were masters degrees, and two were associate in arts degrees.

From the school of nursing 19 students graduated, 17 of whom are now ·employed, and two pursuing baccalaureate degrees on the mainland. From the three police academy classes

Cafeteria at the New Piti Elementary School under construction. During the year, additional school facilities were built to meet the demands of the ever-growing enrollment in Guam's public schools.

These youngsters are having a hearty meal provided under the School Lunch Program at various Guam schools.

held during the year, 45 students graduated.

In efforts to cope with the bilingual problem that exists on Guam, the Department of Education instituted two new programs. A preschool program was conducted for 150 children in which major emphasis was placed on the development of language skills. In addition, a major innovative program was begun. This was the pilot project for teaching English via television. The initial project included the schools of U matac and Merizo and was part of the Title III ESEA program.

Teaching English via television was also made possible through use of the expanded Learning Resources Center. In addition to a television studio, the LRC had facilities for creating many of the schools' needed media materials.

An apult vocational program with the proportions of a technical junior college was also started during the year, and exemplary programs in vocational education were implemented for• 100 special education students.

In line with its objective of improving living conditions through means of education and training vocational skills, the Community Action Agency (CAA) , formerly known as the Economic Opportunity Commission, enrolled 938 4-and 5-year-old children from underprivileged homes in a Headstart program. Unfortunately, the remaining 62 eligible children could not he enrolled for lack of facilities. Also 250 4- and 5-year-olds from more affiuen t families were enrolled in an educational program under Project FIVE, a nonfunded program.

On-the-job training was afforded 17 of Guam's youths through the cooperation of the CAA and a number of local business firms. As a direct result of this training, five of these youths were placed on permanent jobs. The agency also offered remedial education and counselling during the summer months to encourage youths to return to school after the long vacation.

Under the MDTA program, CAA secured an enrollment of 92 students

The Learning Resources Center of the Department of Education produces a variety of audiovisual materials to aid in classroom teaching. Photo shows a series for educational television presentation being made.

The Headstart program is making an impact in preparing children from the underprivileged families to adjust to the classroom situation before enrolling in the regular school system. Headstart is under the Guam Community Action Agency but is being implemented by the Department of Education.

who undertook courses in stenography, accounting and welding. At the conclusion of the year, 26 stenographers and six welders were graduated-a total of 32 youths.

Considerable reorganization took place at the University of Guam. The Division of Natural Sciences in the college of letters, arts and sciences, was divided into the division of Biosciences and Marine Studies, and the division of Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Home Economics, thus affording greater concentration in the academic preparation and offerings of the respective areas. At the same time, 12 new courses were added to the undergraduate major curriculum in the division of Biosciences and 'Marine Studies to include a core of courses with either a botany or a zoology option.

At the graduate level, a master of arts degree in history was offered for the first time and the graduate program had a total enrollment of 45 students. Other new graduate programs were offered in elementary education, early childhood educati9n, and in education administration and supervision.

Research played a major role in the island's education system during the year. Under one of the title III, ESEA projects, the Department of Education conducted a program entitled the "Needs-Assessment Study for Students and Schools in the School System of Guam." The purpose of the

With the acute shortage of local skilled labor, emphasis is placed on vocational training, especially for young people. Such training is being provided by the Guam Trade School and Technical School, apprenticeship programs of the Navy and Government of Guam, and other similar p{ograms offering on-the-job training.

study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the present school' system and to determine in what areas improvements should be initiated. Surveys associated with the study met with remarkable response and cooperation, and conclusions and recommendations arising from the data gained are expected to provide a solid basis for future reforms designed to gear education more closely in line with Guam's needs.

On the university scene, within the Micronesian Area Research Center, a Council for Anthropological Research was established to conduct and coordinate research in anthropology and archaeology within the Micronesian and adjacent culture areas of Oceania, and to maintain contact with other professional anthropological org~nizations.

Within the division of Biosciences and Marine Studies, research and reference collections were expanded. Over 2,050 specimen lots were catalogued. The amphibian and reptile collection now numbers more than 1,200 specimens, and a large collection of local bird skins was initiated. The algae herbarium was increased with collections from Rota, Saipan, South Australia, the Philippines, Japan, and Mexico.

The same division also made studies of the extensive damage caused by the crown-of-thorns starfish currently destroying the live coral on Guam's surrounding reefs, and has received a $30,000 grant to conduct research on the effect of pollution from the Agana outflow in the Agana Bay.

The Union List of Serials, compiled and bound in fiscal year 68 by the Public Library in collaboration with the University of Guam, has been updated, and work on the Union Catalogue is continuing through the cooperation of the two institutions. The catalogue contains all the holdings of the public libraries and the Micronesian Area Research Center of the University of Guam.

An additional library in Barrigada

was due for completion by the end of fiscal year 69, bringing the number of branch libraries up to three, the other two being located at Dededo and Agat. Library services were also extended during the year to the Guam Memorial Hospital, the Guam Penitentiary and the Juvenile House of Corrections.

As of February 1969, the Guam Museum was, for the first time, designated by law as the "official depository and custodian of the historical artifacts of Guam." The influx of tourists to Guam from Japan has resulted in the Museum becoming one of· the most popular attractions on the island. Visitors to the Museum this year twice exceded the number who visited the previous year.