The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-30

ht NtW Nfop VI DtptOthdSs
The new yield of college degrees is now in
process Of gathering, and the harvest is
abundant. While Germany boasts only
score or so OF universities endowed with the
right to confer diplomas, and England's
poverty in this respect is still more strik-
ing, in the United States there are $50 uni
versities and colleges, AZ law Schools lO2
medical schools and ia theological schools
-624 Institutions most or all of which have
the right or take the liberty of bcstowing
degrees Besides these. there are agricul-
tural colleges, universities Of science, and so
on which als) give diplomas, to say nothing
of calligraphic colleges, formerly known as
writing schools tonsorlal universities or
barber shops. and many other institutions
Of learning that do not, as yet, issue d.
plol Has. Probably the whole number Of
degree-l earring institutions in our favored
land is I'm the neighborhoOd OF a thousand
Now the 76 law schools, according to recent
returns. had 742 graduates; the 1902 medical
schools 9.08s. the theological schools up
ward OF a thousand aiid the colleges proper
about five thousand-a total .. some Ten
thousand graduates, most or all Of whom
took degrees in course.
L nc variety vi tic lthl y l'li 10 dhpli'i
feature we'll worth noting. There are not
only Bachelors of Arts and Of Liberal Arts
but Bachelors OF Agriculture and Of Archi-
lecture, of Civil and OF Mining Engineering;
not only Masters Of Arts. but Sisters Of Arts
and Laureates Of Arts the latter presume
bly, OF either gender. There are Bachelors
and Doctors Of Dentistry ms well as Of Di-
vinity of Music as well as Medicine; nor
should we omit to mention NJ. T.. L., NJ. l..
A., &c. who are respectively declared to be
Mstresscs Of English Literature, OF Liberal
Arts. Liberal Learning, &c. In short. we
find six-and-thirty different combinations of
Authorizations and diplomas, which is more,
we think, than any country in the Old
| World can show.
There is another feature characteristic Of
American degrees In Germany, in France,
and IN England, during the past five wears
great deal Of discussion has been going on
how best to make university diplomas mean
more than they do-to make them at least
primd facie guarantees Of culture, scholar
ship, or skill. Here in the United States our
system settles the whole question offhand.
Our degrees deceive nobody neither the de-
grees in course nor those CAUSE honoris.
| iHfl uit MblAl ibtHliiSi hi' N'Ai i'''t Ais3'N
to be worth nothing, as indeed they must bc
when added to at the rate Of ten OF twelve
thousand every year.
There might be a way, it Is true, OF max
ing both honorary and course degrees mean
something, were this really desirable. Were
it required by law or custom, that the name
of the college comforting the diploma should
follow the initials Of the degree whenever
used, IT would acquire significance, one way
or the other. For example, 3D. D., HAIRY,
might mean one thing while I'D. d.. Miami,
would mean another But, for obvious rea-
sons. large part of oar degree men would
be unlikely to encourage such inVidiOus dis
tinctions; while, il the matter We're regu-
lated by statute, it is equally probable that
not all the States would make uniform laws
to govern it. Doubtless the wisost course is
to leave degrees in their present state of in
gcnuous worthlcssness.
Yet we hold that the practice which has
sprung up of late years, in some Of the best
colleges of treating honorary degrees rs
vehicles Of conventional compliment, not to
say of practical joke, is not to be commend
ed. Harvard was undoubtedly the leader ii
this rcgrottablo practice though she only
keeps the degree LID in pickle for the
purpose. The joke became almost too broaC
when the diploma Of " Doctor of Laws " was
gravcly conferred ON Gen, SHERIDAN 1t i,
true that this year appropriate merit sane
toned the conformity to etiquette whci
Harvard made Lord DUFFERIN her one an
nual LID. But what would she not give t,
recall the LID. which, in the way of cmpt,
compliment she last year gave to HAYES