23704 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS October 7, 1981 EXTENSION OF REMARKS EFFECT OF HIGH INTEREST either. Take the rural electric utility I thank the Honorable Clarence C. New RATES and cooperative sector for example: comer, Judge of this distinguished United Interest as a percent of total costs can States District Court, for the invitation he HON. ED JONES be in excess of 50 percent. has accorded to me. I deeply value the privi Contrary to the general impression lege and the opportunity to say a few words OF TENNESSEE that rural electrics borrow from the of greeting to you our newest fellow citi IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES zens. Just a few minutes ago, you received Rural Electrification Administration the oath of American citizenship and you Wednesday, October 7, 1981 at very low interest rates, 85 percent have just given your allegiance to the de e Mr. JONES of Tennessee. Mr. of REA financing is loaned at rates mocracy, to the heritage, to the spirit and to Speaker, I want to take a moment currently in excess of 15 percent. the laws of our country. today to speak out on an issue that The effects of the high interest rates It was here in Philadelphia that freedom has been of growing concern to me on the consumer of the rural electric in the New World was born in 1776. As you over the past several months: The cooperative are devastating. The aver know, our Nation was founded by immi age monthly interest cost of energy grants. e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. October 7, 1981 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 23705 laws of our State Legislature and the Ordi CHARLESTON NAVAL SHIPYARD quired by their husbands' careers in nances of our City. EMPLOYEES SHOULD NOT BE the Armed Forces and yet who now What is the second fundamental responsi LIABLE FOR NAVY ERROR live in or near abject poverty, aban bility of good citizens? Socrates said it over doned by the country they felt they 2,500 years ago 79-059 0-85--16 (Pt. 18) 23730 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS October 7, 1981 Then and for years before and after, fair state's largest shopping mall on the turf an educational aspect it never had before, week was often vacation week for Danbur that for much of its history was covered she said. ians. They would have a second job for fair with little more than hoof prints, shoe "In the olden days, we didn't have New week, perhaps as a fair officer, operating a prints and tent poles. Yorkers. We'd have people who'd come and stand, serving as a fair policeman or volun Miss Yaple has made the fair a part of her ask how one plate of Baldwin apples got teering at one of the church booths. Octobers since 1927. That year she visited it first over another plate. This was the days Some would work at the fair days and with her family, which lived in Westchester when you had people who really knew their return to downtown jobs at night, because County, N.Y. Since then she has exhibited varieties," she said. Fair Week always brought an influx of visi poultry, competed against other squash As an example of just how well people tors. Hotels and restaurants on Main and growers, and coordinated the local granges knew their varieties, Miss Yaple tells a story White Streets did extra business, and so did in showing their flowers, fruits, vegetables, of two farmers who once feuded for a year some downtown stores, as visitors from out canned goods, and baked goods. over a plate of bell peppers. It happened of-town took advantage of the opportunity Miss Yaple originally became involved back in 1950, after a competition to pick the to shop. with the fair after her family moved to a best plate of five bell peppers. The farmer The Danbury Fair that area residents New Milford farm from New York State. who took second place insisted that his pep knew a half century and more ago began to With 54 years of fairs in her blood, she pers were closer to the ideal qualities of a change as agriculture in Fairfield and Litch says she'll feel like something is missing bell pepper and felt he should have won the field counties gave way to other activities. come closing day next week. $2.50 premium. World War II made the big difference, not "Usually, as you break everything down "They proceeded to get into this argu just in the agrarian life that the two coun on the last night you say, 'See you next ment and didn't speak to one another all ties once knew, but in the fair which reflect year,' " Miss Yaple said. "There's a tradition week. Their trucks were side-by-side packing ed that life. at the fair-you don't say goodbye, just 'See up on the last day, and do you think they Physical changes made by John W. Leahy, you next year.' This year it's just going to spoke to one another? Of course not. All the new owner of the fair, in the 1940s and be goodbye." this over five peppers and $2.50. It lasted later, improved and expanded the grounds Miss Yaple says friendships are renewed until opening day the following year," Miss considerably. Paved walkways, resting areas during the 10 days of the fair, even if people Yaple recalls. and free attractions, including the bright, haven't seen one another for an entire year. Then there are the people who ask the gay replicas of animals along the perimeter They've always returned each fall to renew crazy questions or bring vegetables or fruit and through the grounds, were things the those friendships and make new ones. for Miss Yaple to see. The sign above her fairgoers of old did not experience. They "The fair does something. If you're in office in the center of the Big Top reads have given children of recent generations volved in it, during the 10 days there's a "superintendent" and accordingly, people thrills that their parents and grandparents sense of camraderie. It's a blending of all look to her for answers. did not have. kinds of people," she said. "They bring me all kinds of things to look But somehow, in the minds of many who "You make a lot of friends who you see at," she said. "One man brought me a big now qualify as "old timers," the passing of only once a year," she says, but those bug in a box. He had punched holes in the the agricultural and horticultural competi friends know they can call on one another box so the bug could get air. But it was only tions and displays cannot be offset by the during the year if they need any kind of a common, ordinary squash bug.'' emphasis which has necessarily gone to the help or advice. Other people have brought her everything carnival aspects in recent decades. But this year, when the goodbye is a real from pieces of wilted vine to pumpkin mar For many of them, the "real" Danbury goodbye, that continuity of friendships will malade and pumpkin soup. But the one she Fair expired a long time ago, when harness disappear. "Come this time of year, the fair may remember most is the fellow who racing and similar events passed from the is a part of you," Miss Yaple said. "It's brought her a glass milk bottle full of grubs, scene. really a part you just aren't going to re a common insect larvae, to ask what they After John Leahy took over the fair, it place. This time of year is not going to be were and whether they would ruin his became a local saying that "Leahy's luck'~ the same without the fair.'' garden. was responsible for the spell of good weath As director of the Big Top over the last 35 "Actually, what I spend my week doing is er which usually accompanied the 10-day years, Miss Yaple has made the fair an on directing and answering questions," she period to which he had extended the fair. and-off, year-round activity. The Big Top is But good weather for fair week was long said. the large canvas-covered exhibition hall When next fall comes, however, there will the norm. In fact, Gov. John H. Trumbull that houses displays and competitions be made much of it during his 1928 visit to the be no fair and no one to ask the questions tween granges of agricultural products, in that Miss Yaple has enjoyed answering for fair. Skies had cleared after a night of rain cluding fruits, vegetables, canned goods, so many years. and the governor said he was mystified by baked goods and flowers. the way in which Danbury had always man She begins the night the fair closes by dis [From the New York Times, Oct. 5, 1981] aged to have glorious sunshine for its tributing information packets for the fol annual fair. He asked he be given the secret lowing year's fair. She said she answers oc A BITTERSWEET OPENING FOR DANBURY of the fair's power over those who control casional questions through the year until STATE FAIR the weather. summer, when planning starts in earnest. TABLE 2.-CHANGE IN TAX LIABILITIES FOR JOINT RETURNS WITH INTEREST INCOME BETWEEN 1981 AND 1982 [Assuming 2 exemptions and standard deduction] Amount of interest income Income level $100 $250 $500 Rate Actual Rate Actual Rate Actual 1 2 Difference 1 Difference Difference reduction reduction reduction reduction 2 reduction 1 reduction 2 (!) (2) (3) (I) (2) (3) (!) (2) (3) $15,000 ...... $170 $151 $19 $167 $120 $47 $165 $89 $76 $20,000 ...... 256 234 22 253 198 55 250 162 88 $25,000 ...... 367 342 25 362 300 62 359 259 JOO $30,000 ...... 497 468 29 493 421 72 490 374 116 $40,000 ...... 830 791 39 825 728 97 820 664 156 $50,000 ...... 1,196 1,152 44 1,190 1,080 110 1,182 1,006 176 • Assuming continuation of $400 interest exclusion. 2 Assuming termination of $400"interest exclusion and interest income is not earned from all-savers certificates. Table 3 shows the percentage of the ex TABLE 3.-PERCENTAGE OF TAX RATE REDUCTION FOR looking, innovative, and responsive pected tax rate reduction that is offset by JOINT RETURNS OFFSET THROUGH REPEAL OF INTEREST both to the dynamics of ideas and the the repeal of the interest income exclusion. INCOME EXCLUSION-Continued permanence of values, we can look to The percentage of the rate reduction offset the future with confidence and hope. by the repeal of the interest exclusion in Amount of interest income creases as interest income increases from $0 As one whose congressional district $100- $250- $500- includes several exceptional colleges to $400 and remains .constant thereafter. Income level percent percent percent Additionally, the percentage of the rate re of rate of rate of rate and universities, I am deeply interest duction that is offset through the repeal of reduction reduction reduction ed in the development of new educa the interest income exclusion is larger for tional ideas and the application of low income taxpayers than it is for upper $50,000 ...... 3.7 9.2 14.9 those ideas to meet the needs of our income taxpayers. society. I believe that this is an area of • concern that should be of the most TABLE 3.-PERCENTAGE OF TAX RATE REDUCTION FOR QUALITY IN EDUCATION vital interest to all Members of this JOINT RETURNS OFFSET THROUGH REPEAL OF INTEREST House. INCOME EXCLUSION Last month I was privileged to HON. MARGARET M. HECKLER attend the inauguration of Nannerl 0. OF MASSACHUSETTS Amount of interest income Keohane as the 11th president of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wellesley College, a renowned $100- $250- $500- Income level percent percent percent Wednesday, October 7, 1981 women's college located in my home of rate of rate of rate e Mrs. HECKLER. Mr. Speaker, the town of Wellesley, Mass. Since its reduction reduction reduction future of our Nation rests in large part founding 1870, Wellesley College has $15,000 ...... I 1.2 28.1 46.1 on the quality of the education that been at the forefront of the women's $20,000 ...... 8.6 21.7 35.2 our next generation of leaders is re education movement, graduating stu $25,000 ...... 6.8 17.J 27.9 $30,000 ...... 5.8 14.6 23.7 ceiving today. To the extent that our dents who are not simply well versed $40,000 ...... 4.7 11.8 19.02 educational institutions are forward- in academics, but well prepared for 23734 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS October 7, 1981 life. Both through its outstanding edu liberal arts education is that it does not about intellectual and physical discovery cational facilities and faculty, and assume a specific future for its beneficiaries. comparable to our own, Bacon called on his A liberal arts college delights in equipping colleagues to refresh and reconstruct the through the work performed at the students for an array of possible futures and arts and sciences, "to try the whole thing Wellesley College Center for Research in doing so makes several futures possible. anew upon a better plan." He also reminded on Women, the college has contribut Margaret Clapp, addressing this same them, as we need to be reminded, that the ed greatly to the advancement of topic at that inauguration in 1950, pointed best powers of our intellect depend not only women in all aspects of our society. out that a liberal education is designed to on being "supplied with the proper aids," President Keohane's inaugural ad equip each student with the "power to but also on being "content to wait upon dress is an eloquent exposition of the think" which is a "handle to which any skill nature instead of vainly affecting to over challenges and responsibilities of can be fitted as a tool." In our own times, rule her." women's education today, and for the the skills available to humankind to fit to What about our own most distinctive mis future. Her recognition of the central the handle of clear thinking are manifold. sion in such an instauration, our special con We have a vastly increased capacity to make cern with liberal arts education for women? roles of an educational institution-to a difference in the world-to transform the Throughout Wellesley's history, at inaugu instruct, but also to serve as a commu features of the globe, to touch the universe. ral ceremonies and at other times, this topic nity in which ideals can be shared by Our tools of measurement and memory and has been at the forefront of attention. all its members-applies not only to control are powerful beyond the imagina To appreciate why this should be so, recall women's schools, but to all our institu tion of our predecessors, and extended every what preparation for a woman's life was like tions of learning. moment. before the bold pioneers of the nineteenth Mr. Speaker, I believe that President No liberal arts college worthy of the name century opened colleges and universities to Nannerl Keohane's observations con can ignore such challenges today. To meet women. Even among those classes suffi tain much that can be of value for the them we must do three things well: ciently privileged to provide an education First, we must ensure that our students for their children, the norm for daughters Members of this House, as we look to have grasped the rudiments of several es had always been exposure to the decorous, the future. As I salute President Keo sential technological skills, such as comput decorative and domestic arts, rather than hane on the occasion of this fine ad ing, and are familiar with the basic methods the liberal learning that was the hallmark dress, I ask that the text of her speech and processes by which scientists reach of an educated man. Of course there were be reprinted in the RECORD for the their bold conclusions, even though not all exceptions: An unusually talented and de benefit of all my colleagues: students become specialists in science or termined daughter of an unusually tolerant INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF NANNERL 0. KEOHANE, technology. In this way we make it more or eccentric and loving father might be tu PRESIDENT OF WELLESLEY COLLEGE likely that educated persons in the future tored with her brothers, or allowed free run Members of the board of trustees, other will be informed users of the powerful tools of the library, and emerge sometimes as a Wellesley Colleagues, and assembled at their disposal, capable of appreciating well-educated person. But such women were friends: All academic festivals, and especial and taking advantage of their powers. These isolated in their experience. For each, the ly inaugurations, blend the ancient and the persons will also be perceptive and responsi liberal arts was an adventure without com novel. The charter of the college, the seal ble critics of such tools and techniques. Crit panions. There was no sisterhood of schol and the keys symbolize aspects of the life of icism based on ignorance is the worst sort of ars: and certainly, no theory of a woman's this community that have flourished since luddite behavior; criticism based on famili education. its first days. The element of novelty comes arity and respect is something else altogeth The notion that a young woman should be in the person being inaugurated. What er. liberally educated on the same grounds as a stamp will she place on these venerable ma In the second place, we must ensure that young man-for her own sake, as an individ terials? In framing answers to this question, all students are familiar with the linea ual and a potentially useful member of soci a new president inevitably returns to old ments of the mature humanism developed ety-was virtually unknown. themes: The purposes of education, the in many ancient cultures, including-but When colleges first opened for women, place of the academy in the world. not limited to-the Hebraic and Hellenic, therefore, it had to be proved that educa Such themes are dangerous. As James and brought forward through modern liter tion would not harm them physically or March put it in writing about the college ature and art into the present day. Such make them wholly unfit for their tradition presidency: "Almost any educated person cultural depth and breadth will make it al pursuits. Next it had to be shown that lib can prepare a speech on the goals of the more likely that students will be sensitive to eral learning, as it had been devised for university. Almost no one will listen to such important human values that overarch gen young men, would actually be of benefit to a speech voluntarily." To rescue me from erations. And those who specialize in science young women, without being diluted or re such a dilemma today, I rely upon your nat and technology will stand a better chance of arranged especially for them. Then it had to ural curiosity, and the fact that new van being creative and imaginative inventors of be demonstrated that,, given a climate of ex tage points offer fresh perspectives on fa new tools. pectation and encouragement, rather than miliar territory. Finally we must ensure that students are discouragement and deflection, women At the inauguration of Wellesley's eighth trained to understand the complexities of cannot only benefit from but excel at every president, Archibald MacLeish used another human social life, and to respect the dignity field of the liberal arts. metaphor to make this point. "In education of each individual person. This should make All these stages in the campaign for the al institutions," he said, "A new administra it less likely that we treat other human education of women have involved struggle. tion is always a new beginning, for it is by beings as objects to be controlled, or as the On all these fronts, the struggle continued. this method that educational institutions, means to more sophisticated forms of There are still those who assert that if like other shell-forming animals, achieve knowledge and discovery. young women are educated they will devel their growth." A nice image that, of stable It should also help ensure that there will op inappropriate ambitions to pursue pro accretion and patterned change. be a future, and that it will be one in which fessions, or to combine careers and family But MacLeish spoke of the fears and fore extended human powers serve human pur life, and that this will lead to the crumbing bodings for the future that marked that poses. of the moral foundations of society. There year of 1950, and admired the spirit of affir These three desiderata are of course the are still those who hold, publicly or private mation represented by the induction of a sciences, the humanities, and the social sci ly, that women cannot be philosophers, or new president. At a time when many ques ences, presented under the rubric of re physicists, or engineers. tioned whether there would be any future, thinking what a liberal arts education needs In such an atmosphere, while these strug MacLeish noted that "To educate at all is to to do to serve its scholars well in the 1980's. gles still continue, there is an important profess a faith in the future of the most ex A liberal arts college as fortunately placed place for women's colleges. Our colleges plicit kind, since education, by its nature, as as Wellesley, in cooperation with MIT, were initially founded because the tradition sumes a future." where pioneering developments in science al institutions refused to accept women as Education, by its nature, does indeed and technology occur in unparalleled students. Almost all the major institutions assume a future-not only in the sense Mac number, has a special responsibility and a of higher education in this country have Leish used here, of hypothesizing that there special opportunity to participate in such a now become coeducational. Thus it might will still be time to do things that are worth "new instauration" of well-proven modes of seem that the battles have been won. But doing, but in another sense as well. Educa learning. such a conclusion would be short-sighted tion assumes the future, takes on the guise I choose the term "instauration" to bring and quite unwarranted. of the future, becomes the future as it is ex to mind Francis Bacon's robust intellectual It is true that coeducational institutions perienced today. For in educating ourselves, energy, the spirit that should inform our have important strengths in bringing young we shape the future. The great virtue of a enterprise. In 1620, a time of excitement women and young men together in an easy October 7, 1981 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 23735 and collegial environment that conduces to Thus scholars-both teachers and stu community that bears a much closer resem understanding and to friendship. They also dents-in a women's college have a distinc blance to one we would call ideal. open a wide range of unique educational op tive and pioneering contribution to make to Such a community would prepare us for portunities to women as well as men. For "the new instauration" of liberal learning all kinds of lives. It would also make us this, all supporters of women's causes throughout our intellectual life. aware that there are better and worse ways should wholeheartedly salute them. But co Perhaps more important than any of to live, and more and less just ways to treat educational colleges and universities, de these other assets is the opportunity we other human beings. It would teach us that spite much goodwill and hard work, have have to build a community free from ad there are patterns of life worth living and not reached the point where they provide a verse discrimination and oppression of all fighting for, and that freedom and privilege truly egalitarian and sex-blind learning en sorts, grounded in our knowledge of the bat to take part in such a life for some, and not vironment for members of both sexes. Social tles to free women from such shackles in for others, is by definition incomplete. Thus prejudices and barriers against women in the past. Even the women among us who we could be equipped to help make the certain fields, and against women accom have lived privileged lives can understand world, as President McAfee expressed it, "As plishing, leading, exploring, remain strong what it means to experience prejudice based good a place for all men
<<