lyndon-b-johnson Quotes About education

“At the desk where I sit, I have learned one great truth. The answer to our national problems -- the answer for all the problems of the world -- comes down to a single word. That word is 'education.”

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“We believe, that is, you and I, that education is not an expense. We believe it is an investment.”

Believe Money Education Investment Expenses

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Each year more than 100,000 high school graduates, with proved ability, do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot educate today's youth, what will we do in 1970 when elementary enrollment will be 5 million greater than 1960? And high school enrollment will rise by 5 million. College enrollment will increase by more than 3 million.”

Ifs Years Today School Ability Money Education Millions Greater Youth College High School Increase Educate Graduates 1960s Graduating High School Enrollment Today's Youth

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“We are now embarked on another venture to put the American dream to work in meeting the new demands of a new day. Once again we must start where men would improve their society have always known they must begin - with an educational system restudied, reinforced, and revitalized.”

Men Dream Money Education Known Demand Meetings Educational American Dream Venture New Day Educational System

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“Education is the key to opportunity in our society, and the equality of educational opportunity must be the birthright of every citizen.”

Opportunity Money Education Keys Citizens Educational Our Society Birthright Equality Of Opportunity

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

“[E]very man, everywhere, should be free to develop his talents to their full potential - unhampered by arbitrary barriers of race or birth or income.”

Men Should Money Race Education Talent Birth Income Barriers Arbitrary Full Potential

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

“It is a truism that education is no longer a luxury. Education in this day and age is a necessity.”

Age Money Education Luxury This Day Truism

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“A third place to build the Great Society is in the classrooms of America. There your children's lives will be shaped. Our society will not be great until every young mind is set free to scan the farthest reaches of thought and imagination. We are still far from that goal.”

Mind Children Stills America Young Goal Imagination Education Thirds Our Children Your Children Our Society Classroom Young Minds Great Society Third Place

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Today, 8 million adult Americans, more than the entire population of Michigan, have not finished 5 years of school. Nearly 20 million have not finished 8 years of school. Nearly 54 million - more than one-quarter of all America - have not even finished high school.”

Years Today School America Education Millions High School Adults Population Finished Quarters Michigan

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“In many places, classrooms are overcrowded and curricula are outdated. Most of our qualified teachers are underpaid, and many of our paid teachers are unqualified. So we must give every child a place to sit and a teacher to learn from. Poverty must not be a bar to learning, and learning must offer an escape from poverty.”

Giving Children Education Poverty Teacher Offers Paid Bars Classroom Qualified Outdated Unqualified Underpaid

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“But more classrooms and more teachers are not enough. We must seek an educational system which grows in excellence as it grows in size. This means better training for our teachers. It means preparing youth to enjoy their hours of leisure as well as their hours of labor. It means exploring new techniques of teaching, to find new ways to stimulate the love of learning and the capacity for creation.”

“In addition to our existing programs, I will recommend a new program for schools and students with a first-year authorization of $1,500 million.”

Years Firsts School Education Millions Students Program

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“It will help at every state along the road to learning. For the pre-school years we will help needy children become aware of the excitement of learning.”

Years Children States Helping School Education Excitement Needy School Years Pre School

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“For the primary and secondary school years, we will aid public schools serving low-income families and assist students in both public and private schools.”

Years School Education Students Lows Aids Income Primaries Serving Public School Private School Low Income School Years Secondary School

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“For the college years we will provide scholarships to high school students of the greatest promise and greatest need and guarantee low-interest loans to students continuing their college studies.”

Needs Years School Interest Education Study Students College Promise Lows High School Guarantees Continuing Loan Scholarship High School Students College Years

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“New laboratories and centers will help our schools lift their standards of excellence and explore new methods of teaching. These centers will provide special training for those who need and deserve special treatment.”

Needs Helping School Education Teaching Special Training Standards Deserve Method Excellence Lifts Treatment Laboratory Special Treatment Methods Of Teaching

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“Every child must be encouraged to get as much education as he has the ability to take. We want this not only for his sake - but for the nation's sake.”

Want Children Nations Ability Education Sake Be Encouraged Nothing Matters

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“In 1838, Mirabeau B. Lamar, the Second President of the Republic of Texas and the Father of Texas education, declared: 'The cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy. It is the only dictator that free man acknowledges. It is the only security that free man desires.'”

Men Mind Desire Father President Education Democracy Security Genius Acknowledge Republic Texas Dictator Guardian Free Man

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“Education is 'the guardian genius of our democracy.' Nothing really means more to our future, not our military defenses, not our missiles or our bombers, not our production economy, not even our democratic system of government. For all of these are worthless if we lack the brain power to support and sustain them.”

“'Human history, ' H.G. Wells once wrote, 'becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.' You and I cannot be indifferent to the outcome of that race. We care deeply about the winner. Because we do care so deeply about the winner, that is why we are all in the East Room of the White House today.”

Humans Wells Care Today House White Rooms Race Education East Winner Outcomes White House Indifferent Catastrophe Human History

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“I don't think that I need to tell you how important to the outcome of that race is the education legislation that is now before the Congress. I hope that it is important enough that most of you have studied it in detail. I hope that you understand that it represents the very best thinking that the leading educators of this country can produce.”

Thinking Needs Important Country Enough Race Education Produce Congress Details Outcomes Legislation Educator

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“Way back last summer I asked some of the most outstanding educational minds in this Nation to tackle this problem. I gave them a single instruction: find out how we can best invest each education dollar so that it will do the most good. Your support and the support of every leading education group proves that they did their job better than I had hoped, because for the first time we have succeeded in finding goals which unite us rather than divide us.”

Way Mind Firsts Problem Jobs Lasts Nations Goal Education Support Groups Prove Findings Summer First Time Dollars Educational Divides Instruction Outstanding Last Summer

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“The experts spent a great deal of time and study working out a formula which would be fair to every State and fair to every county and fair to every child, and would put the education dollar where that dollar is needed most, now.”

Children States Would Be Deals Education Study Needed Fairs Dollars Work Out Experts Formulas County

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“We decided that our first job was to help the schools serving the children from the very lowest income groups. Those families constitute the number one burden, the number one burden in this Nation on the school systems.”

Firsts Children Helping School Jobs Nations Numbers Education Groups Decided Burden Income Serving Lowest School System

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

“We know that they cannot bear their share of the taxes to help pay for their education. And unless those children get a good education we know that they become dropouts and they become delinquents and they become taxeaters instead of taxpayers. We know that they will join the unemployed. That is why we put top priority on breaking the vicious cycle that today threatens the future of 5 million children in this great land of opportunity which we talk about so much.”

“Education will not cure all the problems of society, but without it no cure for any problem is possible.”

Problem Education Cures

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Most of all we need an education which will create an educated mind. This is a mind not simply a repository of information and skills, but a mind that is a source of creative skepticism, characterized by a willingness to challenge old assumptions and to be challenged, a spaciousness of outlook, and convictions that are deeply held, but which new facts and new experiences can always modify.”

Needs Mind Facts Challenges Education Creative Information Source Skills Conviction Educated Assumption Willingness Skepticism Outlook New Experiences Spaciousness Educated Mind

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

“It means an educational system which does not simply equip the students to adjust to society, but which enables the student to challenge and to modify, and at times reject, if necessary, the received wisdom of his elders.”

Ifs Mean Doe Challenges Education Students Educational Rejects Elders Educational System

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

“For it was only after I could become President of this country that I could really see in all its hopeful and troubling implications just how much the hopes of our citizens and the security of our Nation and the real strength of our democracy depended upon the learning and the understanding of our people.”

People Real Country Nations Understanding President Education Democracy Security Citizens Hopeful Implications Real Strength

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966

“We have always believed that our people can stand on no higher ground than the school ground, or can enter any more hopeful room than the classroom. We blend time and faith and knowledge in our schools - not only to create educated citizens, but also to shape the destiny of this great Republic.”

People School Rooms Education Destiny Higher Citizens Shapes Educated Hopeful Republic Classroom End Times Always Believe Public Education Higher Ground

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“This Congress did more to uplift education, more to attack disease in this country and around the world, and more to conquer poverty than any other session in all American history, and what more worthy achievements could any person want to have? For it was the Congress that was more true than any other Congress to Thomas Jefferson's belief that: 'The care of human life and happiness is the first and only legitimate objective of good Government.'”

“In the years since then, those four freedoms - freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear - have stood as a summary of our aspirations for the American Republic and for the world.”

World Want Years Education Four Speech Worship Aspiration Republic Freedom Of Speech Summary

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

“And Americans have always stood ready to pay the cost in energy and treasure which are needed to make those goals a reality.”

Reality Energy Goal Pay Education Ready Needed Cost Treasure

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Today - wealthier, more powerful and more able than ever before in our history - our Nation can declare another essential freedom.”

Today Able Nations Powerful Education Essentials

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

“The job, of course, will never be finished. For a nation, as for an individual, education is a perpetually unfinished journey, a continuing process of discovery.”

Jobs Courses Individual Nations Process Education Journey Discovery Finished Continuing Unfinished

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

“History may well record that we served liberty and saved freedom when we undertook a crash program in the field of education . . .. I hope this bill is only the forerunner of better things to come.”

Wells May Education Liberty Records Fields Program Bills Saved Crash Forerunners

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“First, this law - the National Defense Education Act - ended years and years of debate about one controversial question: 'Shall the Federal Government, with all its massive resources, get directly involved in aiding American education?' The answer this law gave was a loud 'Yes!' - and thus we paved the way for a new era of support for education in America. This law, in fact, helped make possible more than 50 new education laws passed in my administration.”

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

“Second, this law has become a special symbol of our Nation's most important purpose: to fulfill the individual - his freedom, his happiness, his promise.”

Important Law Purpose Individual Nations Education Special Promise Symbols

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968-1969

“In my state, on the basis of the separate but equal doctrine, we have made enormous strides over the years in the education of both races. Personally, I think it would have been sounder judgment to allow that progress to continue through the process of natural evolution. However, there is no point crying about spilt milk.”

“A President must call on many persons--some to man the ramparts and to watch the far away, distant posts; others to lead us in science, medicine, education and social progress here at home.”

Men Persons Home Social President Leadership Education Watches Progress Duty Medicine Posts Far Away Social Progress

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Education is not a problem. Education is an opportunity.”

Problem Opportunity Education Patriotic Schools And Education Related To Education

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“We must open the doors of opportunity. We must equip our people to walk through those doors.”

People Opportunity Walks Education Doors Coaching

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Every child must be encouraged to get as much education as he has the ability to take. We want this not only for his sake - but for the future of our nation's sake. Nothing matters more to the future of our country: not our military preparedness - for armed might is worthless if we lack the brainpower to build world peace; not our productive economy - for we cannot sustain growth without trained manpower; not our democratic system of government - for freedom is fragile if citizens are ignorant.”

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

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