Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-13
DRNEEDHAN EXPLAINS
Expulsion of Columbian
Dental School
CAN HAVE NO EFFECT
STATUS OF GRADUATES RE-
MAINS AS HERETOFORE.
Columbian Had Determined to With
draw From Association, and Resig-
nation Was Presented.


nation Was Presented.
The action of the National Association
OF Dental Faculties last week in expelling
the dental department of Columbian Uni
verslty OF this city for alleged violation of
the rule against night work will, according
to President Needham Of the university and
Dean Lewis Of the dental faculty. have no
enect on the status Of the Columbian dem
tai graduate and was taken after the Col
umbian officials had duly considered the
matter and rendered resignation to the
association for reasons which appeared in
opinion Of the trustees to be good ones.
President Needham said to Star re-
porter today:
I'VE are bringing all of our work into day
work as fast as we can, and at the same
time providing work at night for govern
ment department clerks. The university
In all cases has a proper length Of course
to insure good results. 1t a man is giving
his entire time to course we assume he
can complete 1t sooner than If he Is giving
but part Of his time, and classes are ar
ranged to accommodate those in the different
circumstances.
I'VE find in our work here in Washington
that there is a large body of splendid men
In government employ who desire to COM
plete their education and fit themselves for
professional careers. They are high grade
men. who have passed through secondary
schools, and many through colleges, and
have also successfully taken civil service
examinations; and therefore, they are I'M
usually we'll fitted for the courses of study
in the university. They are serious minded
and do their work with great thoroughness.
Situated as we are, therefore, we cannot
disregard this body Of students, but must
a., fnr fhnp fc a MOI RI
our work here.
I'm the case of the National Association
of Dental Faculties the organization adopt
ed an arbitrary rule against night work for
dental students. While we aim to close our
lectures at $50 pm. and are doing day
work in all departments, we keep our lab
oratorfes and libraries open until 10 o'clock
at night for the benefit of those men who
cannot use them during the day. The
dental association insisted on strict enforce
ment of its arbitrary rule, and there was
but one thing for US TO do, if we continued
our policy of providing for these students
who are giving part of their time to the
work.
Stood by the Students.
"After due consideration we thought it
our duty to stand by these students, and,
therefore. we resigned from the association
about one month ago.
prejudice of many persons against night
work has grown up as result of observa-
tons in commercial city, where men are
working long hours. from am. until g
2 m, in competitive business. 1t is true
that such men have little vitality and time
left for thorough study. but that Is not the
case with men who occupy clerkships in
government service in Washington. They
have regular hours. from 9 am. until 4:3D
pm. and can count with certainty on the
balance of their time. Their work is large
ly routine and does not draw so heavily on
the vital forces: and the men are of
HIGHER the work
done in Washington after office hours Is as
of high grade and with as good men as
in any university Of the country. There
hundreds of in the great uni
versities Of the east and west who are
working their way through by doing moro
outside work than men in the government
employ have to do here, and in work that
in itself has no special value to them as
part Of their education. In very much that
is done here by the government employe.
and in his associa ton with men, he is
being cultured.
81 believe, therefore. that 1t is the duty
Of the institution here in Washington to
provide courses Of study for these men.
1.-The quality Of our graduates at the last
commencement has been commented upon
by visitors who were present at the exer-
cises, and the high grade heartily approved.
I am perfectly willing to put our men along
side men of any university in this land"
No Effect on Graduates.
DR.. Needham continued, saying he thought
the action of the dental association would
have no effect on the Columbian graduate
In dentistry, as the association had no legal
standing
Dean Lewis of the medical faculty corrob-
Grated the PRESIDENTS statements in every
particular, and added more positive opin-
ions as to the ineffectveness Of the assocfa-
tion's action to cast any reflections upon
the worth of the Columbian dental gradu-
ate.
Dean Lewis said: This action will have
no effect whatever on our graduates, for the
association has no legal existence
He said the National Association of Dem
tai Examiners, which did have legal ex-
istence, looked to the association of facul-
ties for reports on various Institutions but
that 1t did not depend on this source alone
Harvard said Dean Lewis, was forced not
long ago to withdraw from the association
on account Of certain regulations to which
she could not accede. The dental depart
ment of the University of Michigan also
withdrew, he said. and remained on the
outside until certain action was rescinded:
and the University Of Virginia has never
had anything to do with the association
Nevertheless. he continued these three in
situations have as good standing, as to their
dental departments, as any in the land
DR.. Lewis also said that Columbian was
in a position to make a fight, in the recent
meeting Of the association, against the pas
sage Of the expulsion measure, but prefer
red not to do 3d. He did not know why the
resignation was not acted on and the dental
department Of Columbian expelled Instead.
In conclusion he said:
In eighteen years our students have
never failed to pass a state dental examf-
nation 1t is a record we are proud of. We
ere in thorough accord with the board of
dental examiners Of the District of Colum-
bia, which is going to use our department
and equipment to hold its spring examina-
lions, July 9, and next
Practice In States.
There are only about six states in the
Union that do not require by law the pass
ing of an examination, similar to the bar
examination, before a dental graduate can
practice his profession. These states will
accept the diplomas of schools properly GER
titled, but If there is no such certification
an examination may be taken, and If the
applicant passes It he has the same status
as any other practitioner.
The National Association Of Dental Fac
ultes, which expelled Columbian for vio-
lation of its rule against night work at its
meeting last Thursday IN the Ebbitt House.
adjourned Saturday evening to meet at the