Speech #890291796

Michigan employed both citizens of Mexico and also Spanishspeaking Texans. Since. the only migratory workers legally available are from Texas. Until last year. virtually no community services were available to the migrant families. But in 1965 one of the first programs funded by the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity on its inception was to Michigan Migrant Opportunity. Inc.. to permit the organization to establish services for migrant families in five areas of the State. including part of my district. The key effort under this program. Mr. Chairman. is education of the children of present and past migrant families who often have or had little formal school opportunity. As you know. many of these children leave school in the spring and follow the crops. Therefore. although most American children are in school 9 months of the year. most migrant children receive only 6 months of schooling. or less. Now. through the OEO migrant program. these children are being educated in my home State during the summer months. to supplement the incomplete education they receive during their brief winter stay farther South. With improved educational attainments and exposure to other work and living patterns. many of the children will be able to break away and escape from the cycle of poverty which enmeshed their parents and grandparents. The migrant program also now provides day care for the younger children. so that while the parents and other older children are at work In the fields during the day. the young children will be safe. All too often in the past. migrant children have been left locked in cars. or in the dubious care of 7- and 8yearolds. while their parents worked. A third important aspect of the MMOI project is education of adult migrants and exmigrants. Many of the older migrants know little of the English language. some are illiterate. Now. for the first time. they are being given the opportunity to learn to speak. read. and write English and Spanish. In this way. they are being prepared for adjustment to and acceptance in local community life. and for better paying jobs. With increasing automation of the farms. soon many will find it difficult to retain work in agriculture. Vocational training under the manpower training program will help them find new job opportunities. The entire OEO migrant program in Michigan cost about $1.300.000 last year. Mr. Chairman. but its efforts are worth a great deal. too. to both the people affected. and the communities in which they stay.