University Gets $26,807 Federal Gift For Loans

Despite its request for $250,000, the University yesterday received a grant of only $26,807 for long-term student loans under the National Defense Education Act. The money is to assure that "no student of ability will be denied an opportunity for higher education because of financial need."

According to Wallace McDonald '44, Director of the Financial Aid Office, colleges in Massachusetts received only $249,680, though total requests from institutions of higher education in the stated totaled over $2.3 million. Thus, each college was given about 10 per cent of its request.

"I suspect," said McDonald, "that the Federal Government wanted to distribute the money with particular urgency to demonstrate that it could use the $24 million in additional funds requested recently by the President." Slashing the grant to each college to 10 per cent of its request, rather than examining actual needs, seemed "the quickest way," he thought.

Teachers Given Preference

In making loans, special consideration will be given to prospective elementary and secondary school teachers, as well as students with "a superior capacity or preparation in sciences, mathematics, engineering, or a modern foreign language." Although the Act requires a "loyalty oath" from loan recipients, the University will make loans from its own funds to those, otherwise eligible, who find it impossible "in good conscience" to sign the required oath.

Under another provision of the Act, the Graduate School of Education is applying for a grant to train high school guidance teachers. But Dean Keppel emphasized yesterday that the application is "still in the planning stage."