Earl J. McGrath, U.S. Commissioner of Education, Federal Security Agency, left by air today for Israel on an official mission to assist the Jewish state in the solution of its educational problems.
Israel requested Secretary of State Dean Acheson to send a mission of American educators to Israel under the leadership of Mr. McGrath. This followed an invitation by Israel President Dr. Chaim Weizmann to Federal Security Administrator Oscar R. Ewing, when he visited Israel last January.
Mr. McGrath will confer with Israel Government officials, including educational officials, on arrangements for two months of survey and assistance by other members of the mission, who will go to Israel this fall after schools are in session.
In notifying Commissioner McGrath of his assignment, Assistant Secretary of State Edward W. Barrett said: “It is a pleasure to inform you that you have been assigned to Israel for a period not to exceed two months, including travel time, under provisions of Public Iaw 402, 80th Congress, as a member of the mission to advise and assist the government of that country in working out an educational program adapted to meet the increasing needs in this field.”
Commenting on the mission, Mr. McGrath said: “I am glad that the Federal Security Administrator and the Department of State have made it possible for me to be of service to the Government of Israel. We welcome this opportunity to share educational experience with the pioneering schools of Israel, to learn from their progress against great odds and to give them whatever counsel we can from the experience of education in this country.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
