Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-03
Proposed Authority for Smithsonian
Regents.
TO UTILIZE EXISTING FACILITIES |
Providing a Nucleus for a Nationa
University.
BOARD OF EXAMIN Err s

l
| committee on the District Of Columbia, to-
| day introduced a number Of bills in the
| Senate of special interest to the District of
| Columbia. The most important Of these
| measures was one which provides an easy
| and practical method by which a universe
| ty of the United States may be developed
| at the capital. that the country can
eventually have a great institution of learn
ing, devoted to the highest education, and
which will rank among the greatest univer-
| stiles in the world.
! This plan contemplates the use of edu-
| cational facilities which now exist in the
| District Of Columbia, and while it will be-
gin as an adjunct to universities now es-
| tablshed in the District, it is believed that
| it will in the course of time develop a
university that will fully realize the hopes
| of Washington for a national institution of
| learning.
Regents to Confer Degrees.
| The bill is entitled an act ITO authorize
the regents of the Smithsonian Institution
| to confer certain degrees and for other
purposes. 1t provides:
That the regents of the Smithsonian be,
| and they are hereby, authorized to appoint
| a board of five examiners, who shall. with
| the approval of the said regents, prepare
| and publish schedule of courses of studies
| preparatory to the degrees of master of
| arts, master of science, doctor of philoso-
| ply and doctor of science. The said eX-
| aminers shall from time to time hold ex-
| aminationS in the city of Washington for
| the said degrees; and, on the satisfactory
| completion by any candidate of the pre-
| ScriDed course of studies for either of the
| above mentioned degrees, shall recommend
| such candidate to the regents of the
| Smithsonian Institution for such degrees.
| The said regents are hereby authorized to
confer. under suitable regulations, the
| degrees above mentioned and also the hon
! orary degree of doctor of laws. Provided,
| That no person shall be accepted as cam
| didate for the degree of master of arts or
| of doctor of philosophy who has not COM
| pletcd course of study at least equivalent
| to the course of study required of candi-
dates for corresponding degrees in the most
| advanced universities in the United States;
| and provided further, That the degree of
| doctor of laws shall be conferred on no
| more than five persons in any one calendar
year.
| Sec. .. The members of the board of ex-
| aminers shall hold office during the pleas
| ure of the regents Of the Smithsonian IN
| stitution. Each examiner shall devote his
entire time to the duties of instruction and
examination assigned to him by the said
| regents, and shall receive salary of 81 900
, per annum EXCEPT that the chairman of
the board shall receive a salary of 5000
per annum
| Sec. B The said regents shall also APP
point, subject to appropriations by Con-
| greSs, such minor officers. and shall estab-
| iSh such rules, regulations and forms
| may be necessary to carry out the pur-
| poses Of this act. They shall also establish
a schedule of reasonable fees to be paid by
candidates for examination for degrees,
| which fees shall be paid into the treasury
| of the United States to the credit of the
| Smithsonian Institution.
Sec. i. The said regents are hereby au-
| thorized to accept and to administer any
| bequest or gift of real or personal properly
which may be made to them to establish
| Iectureships. to endow chairs of instruc-
tail ISL foil halo n
or priZes, to purchase land to erect build
ings, or otherwise to carry out the pro-
visions of this act.
Sec. ). The sum of $4,000 or so much
thereof as may be necessary, is hereby APP
propriated out of any monies in the treas
| ury not otherwise appropriated, to be eX-
pended as other public monies appropriate
for the use of the Smithsonian are expend-
ed TO carry out the purposes of this act"
Senator McMiIIan's Views.
When Senator Mcmillan was spoken TO
by a Star reporter today in regard to this
bill he said:
Ever since George Washington made a
request to establish the University Of the
United States the project for such insti-
tuition has come up from time to time, but
the great expense involved and the opDo-
sition OF the leading educators of the coun-
try TO the building up of rival institution
at Washington have prevented any favor
able action in this direction, although the
friends of the project have continued to
advocate it and regular organization is in
existence charged with furthering the
II easure Meanwhile the Smithsonian In
Stitution has become famous the world over
for scientific researches. The institution
maintains body of scientists makes ey-
ploratiOns, has laboratories, cabinets and
collections of the highest possible value to
students The bill proposes to put at the
service of students this great mass of val
liable material without any considerable
expense to the treasury.
Facilities Already Established
Moreover, there are five universities in
Washington, each one of which provides
instruction preparatory to the degree Of
bachelor of arts or bachelor of science.
and some of them maintain graduate
schools. that there are in Washing
ton facilities for instruction in various
departments of knowledge, and it is now
proposed to increase the efficiency of these
institutions by putting Official stamp
upon original Investigations by students,
and a stamp, TOO, that will be recognized
the world over as degree from the Smith
sonian Institution would be recognized
THE Smithsonian Institution has for its
presiding officer the President of the United
States, and for its chancellor the chief
justice of the Supreme Court. The secre-
tary of the institution has always been a
man Of high scientific attainments The
members of the institution include the
heads of the departments, and the regents
include distinguished members of the SEN
ate and tie House of Representatives TO-
gether with such we'll known educators as
Mr. William L.: Wilson, president of the
University Of Virginia: James B. Angel.
president of Michigan University: Andrew
L. White, formerly president of Cornell
University, and Alexander Graham Bell
who maintains a school for the education
of the deaf and dumb
Moreover also, the Department of Agri-
culture, the geological survey the naval
observatory, the bureau of ethnology, the
department of labor, the Library of Con-
Sress, the library Of the State Department
and other special libraries, all offer oppor-
tunities for research not equaled by any
university in the country. Already the
Secretary of Agriculture and the librarian
of Congress have begun in a tentative way
to form classes of students with a view to
securing expert service later on.
No Opposition Likely.
There is not likely to be opposition 10
this project from The other universities and
colleges, because the only thing aimed at
is the comforting of the higher degrees af-