Evening star., 1909-03-01
WIDENING ITS SCOPE
Carnegie Foundation Broad
ems in Usefulness.
MUCH IMPORTANT WORK
Improves the Standard of Educa.
tional Institutions.
ADVANCEMENT OF TEACHING
Needed Reforms to System Of Public
Observation-Disclosures Duty to
Be Undertaken.
ADVANCEMENT OF TEACHIN(
BY WILLIAM z. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM z. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The Carnegie foundation, which was
originally organized for the purpose OF
granting pensions to aged college pro-
fessors, is gradually extending its juris.
diction and broadening it's usefulness for
the Advancement of Teaching Each
successive report Of the board Of trus-
tees shows the results Of its endeavors to
improve the standard and increase the
effectiveness Of educational institution.
In this country. The report OF DR.. Henry
8. Pritchett, the president, and his asso.
ciate trustees for the year 1908 shows
that much work of Importance was &C.
complished during the past year and tina,
much more was undertaken. They have
entered q field Of investigation and en-.
deavor which has required attention and
which offers an opportunity for great
good
In order to enjoy the benefits Of the
pension system which Mr.. Carnegie has
so generously endowed II is necessary for
an educational institution to maintain a
certain standard OF instruction and schol-
arship. This has been sufficient in
ducement for several colleges already tn
advance their curriculums, and others are
preparing to do so. Other institutions
have abandoned their sectarian connec-
tiOns for the same purpose, and now Dr.
Pritchett and his associates of the Car
negie trustees are using their influence to
secure uniform requirements for adrnis-
sion to college and graduation, an ad-
vance In the standards of professional
schools, and q more generous support for
institutions OF higher education. They
are also encouraging colleges and uni
versities to adopt and maintain retired
lists for professors, and are agitating a
general system Of insurance for the
teachers Of the public schools.
These are large tasks. and there was
tees Of the Carnegie foundation discovered
the vital importance Of such reforms to
our system Of public education.
Another Important Duty.
And there Is still another important
duty which we may hope DR.. Pritchett
will undertake with his characteristic en-
ergy and intelligence. For many years
those who have been interested in pro-
noting closer relations between the Amer
lean republics have endeavored to Sc
cure the recognition of the diplomas of
the professional schools of the United
States in Mexico. Central and South
America. This Is especially important in
the interest OF physicians. dentists and
lawyers who have gone to other parts OF
the continent to practice. In many cases
they have been subjected to conditions
that were impossible to fulfill, and In all
cases have been required to overcome
the prejudices OF local practitioners. The
Secretary OF State has attempted ny dip
lomatic negotiation to secure the accept
ance Of the diplomas Of American prac-
titioners as sufficient evidence Of their
skill and respectability, but this has been
impossible because we have no fixed
standard Of professional education in the
United States, and anybody can estab-
lish an institution Of learning and issue
diplomas and bestow degrees at will
In his annual report, just issued, DIR.
Pritchett alludes to this fact and says:
The absence in nearly all states of the
Union Of any form Of supervision over