Educational Implications of Population Change

Abstract

THE declining birth rate and the falling off of population growth, the changing age composition of the population, differentials in fertility, and the reshuffling of the population in search of social and economic opportunity-all these phenomena are creating political, economic, and social problems of the first magnitude. Conditions created by these population changes must be taken into consideration in formulating social policy whether in the area of government, economy, or education. From the very large number of publications containing basic data on population change only a few can be selected for comment. A report of the National Resources Planning Board (47) presented significant data on many aspects of population change, including growth in relation to economic opportunity, population redistribution, regional and racial differences in reproduction rates, health and physical development, and social development and education. Davis and others (6) prepared an extensive analysis of the problems of world population in transition. One of the contributions to this symposium deals with the changing population of the United States and another with the issues involved in the development of population policy. Thompson (44) and Landis (26) each prepared comprehensive general treatments of population problems. In another volume Thompson (45) introduced the lay-reader to the major problems of population change, including considerations involved in formulating a population policy for the United States. In their estimates of future population in the United States Thompson and Whelpton (46) supply invaluable basic data for social scientists working in many areas. Lorimer and others (29) in their discussions of the foundations of an American population policy presented significant data on population trends, including among other things the relation of population to investment and economic enterprise, the social aspects of population change, and the changing pattern of the family. The problems which population change poses for democratic societies were treated by Myrdal (30). More specialized treatments also provide data of value to educators. Group differences in urban fertility have been analyzed by Kiser (25). Edwards (12, 13) presented data on the pressure of population in the resource structure of rural America and Taeuber (42) and Baker (1) dealt with the role of migration in the adjustment of the rural population. The pressure of population on resources by regions and the need of outward migration from certain regions were analyzed by Goodrich (17).