Letter from Acting Commissioner F. J. Andrews to President Gerald R. Ford Regarding His Suggestion to Conserve Energy by Altering School System Calendars

FELIX J. ANDREWS, P.E., L.S. ACTING COMMISSIONER OF HEMPSTEND HAROLD C. HOUDE, P.E. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER ecs P-30A TOWN FOUNDED 1644 DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD 350 FRONT STREET 1331 OCL 2 HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK 11550 516 IV 9-5000 October 2, 1974 JH The President The White House Washington, D.C. GERALD R. FORD LIBRANA Mr. Dear Mr. President: In accordance with your recent request for public support in our present critical problem of energy conservation, I offer the following emergency measure as a means of reliev- ing the present oil crises. The suggestion involves a change in our national school system education calendar programs, and effects those areas involved with winter heating. The education systems (public and private) including all levels throughout the nation with their standard education calendar period, viz. September to June, can be adjusted to include a six (6) week closure during the cold and dark months of mid January and February. The adjusted calendar period can be further adjusted to include the normal school schedule according to the following proposed schedule: September to January 15, March to June 30th, a total of 32 weeks together with an additional one hour added to the school days where required. I cannot calculate the oil savings involved, but believe the adjusted schedule can reflect a beneficial oil savings amounting to millions of barrels of heating oil per year. In addition, the suggestion will not affect or involve manpower loss or increased unemployment. Respectfully submitted, F. Andrews, P.E., L.S. Acting Commissioner Department of Engineering FJA:cs