CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -- SENATE
June 15, 1967
Page 16070
HOW WE CAN STOP THE BRAIN DRAIN
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, one of the most difficult problems facing small States is the continuing loss of educated and talented young men and women. Over the years, they have been attracted to higher paying jobs in metropolitan centers. Without the intelligence and initiative of these young people, States struggling to advance are severely handicapped.
This is by no means a problem confined to Maine. However, our new Governor, Kenneth M. Curtis, has focused his attention and imagination on this issue. He has not only described the precise nature of the problem, but has suggested ways of doing something about it. Governor Curtis has placed renewed emphasis on the need for an intelligent, wellplanned effort to encourage industrial development. In addition, he has pointed out the close link between educational improvement and the future of Maine.
I ask unanimous consent that an article by Governor Curtis, outlining the dimensions of this complex problem, which appeared in the spring 1967 issue of the Maine Digest be included in the RECORD.
There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
HOW WE CAN STOP THE BRAIN DRAIN
(By Gov. Kenneth M. Curtis)
The day Albion Jones graduated from a large New England college everyone in his small Maine town was proud.
Al had been the most promising student in his high school class in years. He won several top scholarships; he was a star basketball player for the school team; and in college had been a sports standout as well as a Dean's List student.
One of the local stores in his town (there are three drug stores in addition to a general store and some service stores and shops) had a bulletin board history of Al's scholastic career as seen through news clippings about him in the weekly paper.
Of course, everyone who went into the store had to read them ... the store belonged to his father Seth Jones, third generation of Jones to operate that corner store beside the post office.
Yes, it was a happy day in town when Al graduated from college because everyone wanted to see him again, wanted him to settle down in the town and get things back to normal. After all, for several years now Al was about the only thing to talk about after complaints about the weather were aired and the reports about farm prices were discussed.
But things didn't turn out that way.
Seth and his wife heard about Al's new job first. He was excited about it and his new diploma and talked about the job all the way back to Maine.
"In three weeks I leave for New York, attend a school for six weeks and then I'll be on the payroll at $11,000 a year to start. In five years I could be making as much as $20.000 ...”
Al was going to work in a large electronics firm as a research analyst. He had been selected from 38 boys who applied for the job through the college employment service. He was bright, and he was going to make his brains pay off in a section of the country where brainpower and money are happy partners.
But in Maine, in that small town where Al had grown and developed there was mixed emotion.
His parents were upset. Phil Boggs, who runs the only big plant in the area, was concerned because he had planned to hire Al at a $6,500 salary to start. He felt sure he could pay him more in five years . . . maybe $10,000.
What you've just read isn't a true story ... it's a typical story. It happens in Maine all too often. In fact, it has occurred here so often, and left such a serious scar on our economy, that I've called it "The Brain Drain."
Every time we lose a potentially brilliant business man because there isn't any place for him in Maine we lose all that he represents in contributing to the economy, the community in the form of public service, and to the cultural aspects of the State in the form of some extra-curricular talents, if he has any.
Of course, this migration from Maine isn't a product of the last administration or the several before that. Instead it's a product of the past, but I believe that Maine will soon halt this "Brain Drain" and relegate the term to the history books.
The nation is expanding in every direction. and part of that growth is being felt here today as nationally oriented firms seek new places to set up satellite plants.
But in the past 12 to 14 years Maine has lost more than 100,000 young people who chose to leave their native state because they could find more lucrative employment in other sections of the nation. This trend has to stop because without our young people Maine cannot grow -- cannot meet the demands of today and tomorrow.
We have to be willing to press every effort to bring new industry here so that it will bring job opportunities for many of our young people who now feel they have to look over the horizon to another place in order to compete in today's society.
We have seen recent examples of this effort ... and they have been successful ones. In Easton there is a sugar beet processing plant because some businessmen and farmers felt they could add a new product to the Maine crop yield. That industry may become the source of one of the State's most important agricultural products in the next few years.
In the marine and fishing industry we are watching developments in private industry and public agencies that may mark the dawn of a new and challenging field -- oceanography. Maine has the resources for this growth and the people willing to use them. I'm certain that this, too, will be a plug to stop that "Brain Drain."
The electronics industry is expanding its operations here in Maine with the Fairchild Camera and Instrument Company plant in South Portland and is adding hundreds of workers. The RCA plant in Lewiston is seeking more help and the Sylvania Corporation is about to open a plant in Bangor to hire up to 1,400 workers. I feel we can start thinking of Maine as a place to go to, instead of a place to be from.
This administration is making the development of our resources. both human and natural, a first order of business. We have formed a cabinet of state department heads to work collectively toward this common goal.
At the same time we are pressing hard for the permanent establishment of an Office of State Planning to outline our areas of strength and set our goals for the future.
We are planning new ways to bring more of the expansion of this nation's industries to Maine through a requested reorganization of the Department of Economic Development and the establishment of new programs.
Most of all. however, it is my belief we must gear ourselves for giant strides in the field of education. It is my hope that we will in the next few months consolidate many of our state institutes and develop a master plan for higher education designed to develop our high school graduates to their greatest capabilities.
The greatest resource of all is education. With planning and coordination we will be able to provide this resource.
We have said that there is a serious shortage of young, bright people in Maine because many have left to work elsewhere, but we are turning a corner and I'm certain that in the next few years we can reverse this trend and see an influx of youth.
Truly, the last third of this century will be one of the most important in Maine's long and proud history.