172 SEA GRANT COLLEGES 



learned the basics, then they arrive under this broad concept of what 

 you are talking about. Is that 



Senator Pell. That is my idea. Less esoteric. 



Senator Murphy. This is the idea of the committee, I am certain, 

 that this is to develop or set up the primaiy schools which evidently 

 don't exist at the present time. 



Senator Pell. Or not set up new schools but develop courses in 

 presently existing schools. 



Senator Murphy. Yas, in presently existing schools. 



Dr. Robertson. Well, I think that would be 



Senator Murphy. I mean, after they graduate, I w^ould see them 

 going into this broad concept of all sorts of particular accomplish- 

 ments and special projects that you speak of, but these fellows we are 

 talking about that w^e want to help, they are not qualified, they 

 wouldn't understand what you were talking about any more than I do. 



Dr. Robertson. Well, I feel, sir, that the academic institution se- 

 lected for this purpose would develop courses, both undergraduate and 

 graduate, in all aspects of marine science and technology. 



Senator Murphy. I would think you would start with the under- 

 graduates because you have to begin at the beginning. Before you 

 get to the graduate school, you have to have undergraduates prepared, 

 and apparently there is little opportunity for a young fellow going to 

 school today that wants to become interested in this, where he can get 

 the courses that we think should be provided because of its obvious 

 importance not only now, but in the future. 



We are trying to get the first step started, is that right '? 



Senator Pell. Exactly. For instance, both you, Senator Murphy, 

 and we in Rhode Island have people going to sea. One of the prob- 

 lems of people going to sea is find out how you start. It is a pretty 

 tough life but there are young men who want to do it, but the skippers 

 in the fishing boats would not take a young man now untrained be- 

 cause he would be a nuisance unless he is a relative or has a particular 

 in. 



Wliat we are seeking to do to remedy this is to start a program 

 which is not going to turn out bachelors of arts but will turn out 

 fellows at the end of 2 years who want to fish. This is the thrust 

 of the program. 



I think what has happened here, and we notice it sometimes from 

 the Hill, no matter what the merits of a program, rarely does a Gov- 

 ernment agency not wish to administer it. I think it is interesting in 

 the executive branch of the Government, the interest in this program. 



I hope that the executive branch will get together, come up with a 

 composite conclusion. Maybe the Bureau of the Budget will be of 

 some help in that matter, but aren't I correct in saying this that, if 

 you did administer this program, as you suggest yourself, it would 

 require an extension of your mandate ? 



Dr. Robertson. It would insofar as some of the things that we 

 would hope to support would be applied research in areas support- 

 ing our exploitation of marine resources. It would not insofar as it 

 relates to our charter to support education at all levels in science and 

 engineering. We could assist in developing the 2-year curriculum 

 for this purpose, on the 4-year curriculum, or the graduate curri- 

 culum. There is no question that we have the authority and could 



