Reagan to Promote Trade Program in Visit to Missouri

President Reagan, in his first trip outside Washington since his surgery in January, will go to Columbia, Mo., Thursday to promote his program of trade and competitiveness, his spokesman said today.

Presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Reagan will attend a conference sponsored by the National Governors Assn. on “What Works in Education.”

The President then will visit Fairview Elementary School and Hickman High School, Fitzwater said.

The governors association has targeted schools in eight states to find successful education programs and Missouri is one of those states, Fitzwater said.

In recent months, numerous studies have been released showing that American students are falling behind their counterparts in other countries in their math and science skills.