The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-07
A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
The y. T.. 4. subcommittee Reports
Plan for Consideration.

national university az Washington. which
has been occupying the attention Of a COM
mittee Of prominent educators from the
National Educational Association. was
brought up at a meeting Of the committee
in Chicago last week. A subcommittee
consisting Of President Harper of the Uni
vcrsity Of Chicago and Prof. Nicholas Muir
ray Butler Of Columbia. submitted re-
port, which was referred back to the COM
mittee. and viii be a special order Of bust
ness at a meeting to be held in Washing
ton in April or May, at the call of the
chairman. This report has just been made
public.
In view Of the fact that the full commit
tee decided in November that the Ma
tional Government was not called upon to
maintain a university, in the ordinary
sense Of the term. at the National Capital
the subcommittee was instructed TO pre-
pare a report giving a detailed plan where
by students who have taken baccalau-
reate degree, or who have had an equiva-
lent training. might use the scientific and
other collections of the Government for
investigation and research. As Congress
has put itself on record as favoring the use
of its scientific facilities and Libraries by
Investigators and students and the gov
ernmental collections and establishments
have been declared available Tor research.
the question resolved itself into consid-
GRAFTON Of the systematic organization OF
the work to be carried on and the proper
oversight Of these advanced students
a rsg-g aFfar in
formulation of a plan, and the one pro-
posed, that the work be undertaken by the
Regents Of the Smithsonian Institution.
was met with the objection that their
present powers were considered hardly
broad enough 20 embrace educational work
and also that was doubtful whether Con
gress has power. under the Constitution,
to appropriate money raised BY taxation
for purposes Of education. A resolution
has been prepared however. asking Con-
gress to provide for an assistant secretary
Of the Smithsonian Institution in charge
Of research who shall make known the
facilities for study and investigation that
exist in the Government departments. and
arrange rules and regulations to govern
the use Of collections and other means for
research. The committee consider such
a scheme satisfactory. save that they deem
il essential that the cooperation Of the
universities and colleges should be Sc
cured. with resulting advantages both 10
the work itself and the different instiJu-
tions
The committee, however, proposes an
alternative plan, which is to make This
now branch of scientific work a department
Of the Bureau of Education under the di-
rection of an Assistant Commissioner Of
Education. The committee concludes its
report by making definite recommendations
for each Of the proposed plans. In the
case Of the Smithsonian Institution uu-
dertakug the responsibility. it suggests:
~ That the Regents OF the Smithsonian
Institution be requested to ask the Con-
gress Of the United States for a special ap-
preparation for the work of research and
Investigation. to be conducted under their
supervision by persons properly qualified
therefor Such work TO be so conducted
as TO utilize the libraries, scientific col
lections. apparatus and laboratories owned
by the United States, and in charge OF Off
GERS OF the United States, for investigations
and researches under regulations TO be
prescribed by the said Regents and as
far as shall be mutually agreed upon be
tween the said Regents and the heads Of
the several executive departments OF the
Government the Librarian of Congress.
Commissioner of Labor. Commissioner Of
4 lSl ana 4 lsiclltSs anu lllF t7tNi HLlll 3 u
the Smithsonian Institution, with a view
Of carrying out the policy Of Congress.
declared in the joint resolution Of April
y. 1892
e. That the Regents be requested to
ask the general public for gifts Of nancy.
to be used in providing buildings. labora-
tories. equipment. and endowmenrs for
purposes Of instruction, such instruction
to be limited to students who are graduates
Of properly accredited institutions. or those
who are otherwise properly qualified il
being understood that it shall not be the
purpose Of the Smithsonian Institution
to confer degrees Of any kind in connection
with such instruction
81 That the Regents be requested to
formulate a plan for the appointment Of an
advisory board: the members of said board
to represent the leading educational insti-
tutions Of the country. with a view to Sc
curing the active cooperation Of the col
leges and universities Of the country in
carrying on this undertaking.
IT, however. IL is decided that the Bureau
of Education is the best adminis,ra
centre for this work then the committee
recommends the following course OF ac-
ton.
a. That the Congress be requested TO
erect the Bureau Of Education into an in
dependant department, on a plane with the
Department Of Labor, and to provide a
salary Of not less than s. 600 for the Com
missioner OF Education
l2D That the Congress be requested 10
provide for an Assistant Commissioner OF
Education. at salary Of not less than
81 600 whose duty il shall be TO ascertain
and make known what facilities for re-
search exist in the Government depart
menrs and collections at Washington. 10
formulate, in connection with the heads o.
the several departments and the officers in
charge Of Government collections rules
and regulations under which suitably
qualified persons may undertake research
in those departments and collections. with
view to carrying out the policy Of Con-
gress. as declared in the joint resolution
approved April p. 1892. and to exercise
general supervision over the persons per
mitted to undertake such research
81 That the Department of Educati n.
so Organized. be requested to formulate a
plau for the. appointments Of an advisory
board. representing the colleges and uni
versitles Of the country which receive ED
from the Government or which have M
fewer than twenty-five resident graduate
students in any one year. with a view to
securing the active cooperation Of such
colleges and universities in organizing and 4
maintaining the work Of research al Wash
ington.
a. That in accordance with plan to BE-
prepared and adopted by the Department OF
Education. in consultation with such adv S
ory board or its executive committee, tie
colleges and universities OF the country be
asked to give credit toward the requ re-
ments for their higher degrees for research