Smyrna times., 1899-12-27
DELAWARE'S AEMPTY HONORS"
A COMMUNICATION WITH REFERENCE TO
OBTAINING DEGREES.
The Course of the Times Commendtd
For its Vigorous Defence of
Public Morals.

Public Morals.
Mr.. r. d. HoFFECKER,
Editor Of the Times;
Dear lSir:-With regard to persons
obtaining degrees from colleges and
universities, it is common, and as we
have in our country so many small in
stitutions which are chartered with the
privilege of comforting degrees, it has
made English and German scholar
critics very sarcastic as to our college
titles, and most of our own people are
very Indifferent, treating them more as
familiar nicknames like "Colonel" ap-
piled to a man destitute of military
knowledge or service, or Judge" to
one totally ignorant of the law. Still
in the scholastic world, that is, the
world of scholars and thoughtful men,
titles like ID. D., Phi. D., NJ. A, L. L.
D., ETC., when coming from a univer-
sity or notable college, mean quite as
much as a veritable Colonel, General
or Admiral in the army or navy, for it
denotes as in their case, they have by
virtue of their intrinsic ability and eff
fort, advanced from grade to grade
until they are competent to receive
such titles and be respected for them.
Any degree coming from Yale, Har-
ward, Cornell, University of Chicago,
Delaware College, or any respectable
institution, must invariably be earned
by hard laborious work, step by step,
by residence at the university or col
lege, hence it, like gold dollar, repre-
sents something, represents things
done by arduOus aOOrk and must al
ways command attention and honor
among men so long as human intelE-
gence exists. A diploma from such is
passport to the fellowship of scholars
and thoughtful men in the world.
In the State of Illinois, they have
like in Delaware, a general incorpora-
tion law. A charter can be had for al
most any conceivable thing and so
called universities without building,
campus, students or teachers claim to
and do exist and send out their cir
culars offering courses of study and to
confer any degree desired. The re-
quisites, mainly, are an application
and fee varying from ten to twenty
five dollars, and, it must be said, their
degrees are lawful, because the State
has granted a charter. AS to their
vatue, it is very like that of many of
the companies obtaining charters in
Delaware. They are authorized to
issue millions in stock and bonds.
They are taecfut, but what bank in
Smyrna would loan hundred dollars
on the whole issue of millions? 1t is
not because they are bogus under the
law, but fictitious, so it is with these
institutions without home or faculty
under their charter they can confer de
grees; but there isn't even a set of in
telligent school commissioners in any
country school district ill the UniteC
States, who would recognize the valu,
such a degree To use a homel!
analogy it would be as if the principa
of your high school would, at the mex
commencement, certify that the schola
with the LOtOest grade and record wa
chief of the graduating class and en-
titled to be valedictorian. Would no
such proceeding be insulting to ever
scholar, or friend of education, reaso
and fair play in Smyrna? Would any
body recognize that scholars honor
even though it had the professors cei
tifcate to show? Neither is it poss
BILE for any respectable scholar or il
stitution of learned to recognize, will
out-stultification, a degree conferre
upon any one from a mere "chartere
institution" There must be som,
thing real and true behind it. OF ii
ethics involved in the case of one r.
celving a degree from a mere "cha
tered" institution and causing or pc
mitting it to be published, withol
correction, that it came from a rec
nized university it is difficult to spei
with patience or moderation, su,
faulty is certainly to be pited, to 81
the least. You are doing a noble woi
in opening up the matter. Eve
clergyman, scholar, teacher and int
ligent fair thinking person must in d
fence of ordinary fair play alone. a
plaud your course. 1t is in the int
est of public morals and you may
sure that intelligence and integrity
bound to win against ignorance or d
honesty in the long run.
JUSTICE