The El Paso Story (1966, sound)

[Music] [Music] looks like fun doesn't it it is fun the kind of healthy wholesome fun that has been a missing element in the lives of a lot of these youngsters playing and learning to play are part of a new look in education a new look that resulted from a second look at some of the problems schools face today this is a concept recognizing that good health and physical fitness are basic for academic achievement the city is El Paso Texas schools there weren't the first to adopt this comprehensive approach but they were among the first to do it with federal assistance in a program especially designed to help deprived children get a better start in life their success has excited the interest of school officials everywhere [Applause] for [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] El Paso is pretty much like most middle-sized American cities it has grown wider and taller with the years but it's still a young City with fresh ideas and disguise the limit optimism about the future there's a different El Paso too the El Paso that rubs shoulders daily and nightly with Old Mexico Warz lies just over the Rio Grand and the two cities sometimes seem to merge into one they share an international atmosphere a mild dry climate and a variety of sports attractions that add up to a booming winter tourist business El Paso is not not all gayy and Sunshine Of course like New York or New Orleans like Chicago or Cheyenne the city has problems the point is what El Paso is doing about them Dr H Charles superintendent of the El Paso Independent School District we simply have to face up to the fact that all cities have problems they haven't been able to solve on their own these are really National problems not local problems and that's why we have Federal legislation to help solve them here in El Paso we welcome this assistance for years we wrestled with the problems that grow out of economic deprivation but there just never seemed to be enough time enough money enough teachers to get the job done now we feel that we're making real progress the problems of the poor here are about the same as they are everywhere cultural isolation language difficulties poor health and nutrition lack of encouragement and opportunities these are the targets we're zeroing in on in our new program we aren't over the hump yet but we're confident we're getting there the El Paso story really begins in the summer of 1965 in the nation's capital Congress passed the elementary and secondary Education Act making more than a billion dollars available for the education of children from lowincome families Educators agree that the These funds should include support for health physical education and Recreation this was affirmed by President Lyndon Johnson the president said in my first experience as a school teacher serving as principal of a small school at catula Texas I learn by firsthand observation a fact now well established by thorough research that mental Fitness begins with physical fitness in our children today it is a delusion for any Community to regard the playground is a luxury and the classroom is the only essential play planned supervised and properly equipped is as essential to the development of Young Americans as study Fitness of body is indispensable for Fitness of Mind those were the words of President Lyndon Johnson two national leaders in the field entered the picture Charles Bud Wilkinson president of the lifetime Sports foundation and Stan musal of the president's Council as Bud Wilkinson explained it we felt economically and culturally deprived children needed strong programs of health physical education and Recreation we wanted to find a test City to demonstrate the fact that aid funds under the new Education Act truly could and should be used to strengthen these programs we contacted El Paso Texas in El Paso Dr Charles had been quick to sense a new opportunity to revitalize the city school system our telephone call from Washington revealed that he was eager to explore the full possibilities of the new act we already knew El Paso had been allocated 1 and 1110 million while the money would be used to enrich the entire curriculum we believed a significant portion should be spent to strengthen the health physical education and Recreation departments Mr Dawson Mr Paul Dawson the people of the president's Council and physical fitness the lifetime Sports foundation and expert consultants in the field of Education began the planning with the El Paso schools their main assignment make certain the El Paso program blazes new trails that others can follow Dr Charles was in complete agreement some of the problems we're dealing with have baffled Educators for a 100 years we don't want answers that are equally as old the educationally deprived are a special case and they need special handling that's what we're looking for new ideas new approaches true Innovation and teaching methods and program content what it amounts to is that we're being given an opportunity to do some of the things we would like to have been doing all along let's make the most of it Wheels quickly began to turn the first task was to identify major problems and divide practical Solutions and hundreds of teachers joined in the effort suggestions soon came pouring in more facilities classroom assistance language laboratory new teaching AIDS Better Health examination procedures after school Recreation programs Specialists to work with the handicapped the and the physically underdeveloped the leadership team molded these ideas into one set of urgent and workable recommendations designed to enrich the entire curriculum a week after it was submitted to the Texas Education Agency El Paso's proposal was approved El Paso had1 and one10 million and a job to do in past years many of these boys and girls would have had only a slim chance of succeeding in school today they have not just a chance a second chance it's called operation Second Chance a program designed to help boys and girls with problems catch up with their classmates it's a chance for extra instruction new opportunities for action and involvement self-expression opportunities to experiment and explore hot breakfast provided for youngsters who used to start the day on empty stomachs a vigorous activity program to develop physical fitness expert instruction and sports the boys and girls will be able to enjoy a lifetime emphasis is on sports available to every youngster regardless of size or shape or even handicaps boys and girls participate shy youngsters have a chance to grow hostilities can even get expressed in a constructive way three new nurses were added to the staff to help screen and check the health records of needy boys and girls and members of the local medical and dental soci societies examine those with known or suspected problems where it was indicated remedial care was provided three new specialists in adapted and developmental physical education were hired to tailor programs to meet the special needs of handicapped and underdeveloped youngsters everywhere you look you see the new look in El Paso education for instance this is a classroom in sports in social behavior all sorts of good experience es it is for a few hours anyway tonight adult Boulders will take over these Lanes Recreation facilities like these are rarely found in schools but they are near at hand and available it is permissible for schools to use federal funds to lease sports and recreation facilities for the use of their students these lease Arrangements have added New Dimensions to physical education in El Paso on one day children may visit a modern roller skating rank on the next an indoor archery range and on the next the local YMCA where they learn to swim and understand the rules of water safety even when they're just practicing these youngsters are enthusiastic about this phase of the program arthor fredman supervisor of physical education in the El Paso schools feels that the program has already altered the students outlook on life one of the great things about the program that it gives these deprived boys and girls an opportunity to learn their Community some of these youngsters had never been swimming before never picked up a bowling ball or had never been to a commercial Sports establishment and they're finally getting to do the things they wanted to do and classro teachers tell us that this is not just a personality change either these youngsters are healthier happier and stronger than they've ever been before there's more to the story lights and other new equipment have converted four of El Paso's playgrounds into popular gathering places for students at night six Recreation supervisors new additions to the school staff are on hand to organize instruct and keep things running smoothly that's what the El Paso story is all about helping youngsters get off on the right foot in life what about your schools are they really facing up to the problems and doing something about them specifically are your schools using a fair portion of their federal dollars to strengthen their health and physical education programs El Paso did it and your community can do it too when it does it will be wise to heed the words of Justice Byron whizzer white former All-American athlete Road scholar educator now associate Justice of the Supreme Court here is Justice white ladies and gentlemen as time goes on I become more and more convinced that good health and physical Vitality are as basic to learning as a knowledge of the alphabet and the multiplication tables Education Without physical education is at best very poor education unfortunately many youngsters have little opportunity to develop strong efficient bodies or to engage in those activities which would help them discover and develop those re sources of physical mental and moral strength which lie hidden in all of us this situation I believe poses a serious challenge to the continued growth of our country a nation's strength is the strength of its citizens no more no less our own Vitality is the real measure of the Vigor of our country fortunately there are ways to solve this problem and we have just seen one solution similar programs can be developed in cities all across the country country to improve the health and physical fitness of our children I strongly urge you to see that your school offer such a program [Music] he