Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-13

against this bill have evidently been mis-,
lied into believing, your committee WouIo
mot for a moment consider favorapie re.
Iport upon this measure. But such Is no'
the case as the charter Of the university,
under a recent act of Congress. expressly
declares IL to be non-sectarian, ana IN
point of fact several denominations are
represented upon its board OF trustees.
Not Conducted for PROFIT.
And IL George Washington University
were a purely private institution. conduct
ed at profit for the benefit Of some indi-
vidual or company or corporation, your
committee would hesitate long before rec
ommendins that this bill pass. But that
also is not the case. The most that can
be said is that George Washington Uni
versity is a privately controlled and prf-
vately supported institution.
1T renders q distinctly public service
and 1t has never paid a dividend to any
person or corporation. And by the terms
of this bill IL is given at least quasi
public character by the provision that
during the life OF this act three officials
of the government shall be ex-ofhcio MEM
beers Of its board of trustees, and by the
further provision covering the limitation
upon tuition fees that may be charged =.
Recurring then to the question, Shaii
the citizens of the District of Columbia
II is conceded they are entitled because
there does not exist any fully public IN
stitution through which such FUNDS may
be expended, or shall they receive sucn
benefits at once through the instrC-
mentality that is now available, 1t has
seemed to your committee there can be
but one answer.
IF there existed here an institution OF
college grade, maintained as part OF the
public school system OF the District, this
fund would of course go to such inst1tu-
ton without question. 1t Is singular
fact, and In the mind of your committee
a deplorable fact. that there does not
exist today at the National Capital any
publicly endowed or supported school
wherein the white youth Of the city may
receive college training at the public
expense.
Colored Youth Provided For.
Such provision has long existed in re-
lation to the colored youth through the
establishment of Howard University an
II is to be hoped that in the near future
the children of white parents may re-
ceive equal consideration. But for the
present the funds carried in the Morrill,
acts must be expended through George
Washington University or their Dement'S
entirely withheld from the citizens of the
District
LAS originally introduced, this bill made
HI lnOenHlte grant Oh tnc 1uHOS u TeOTsc
Washington University without any limi
tationS upon the time during which the
grant should continue or upon the tuition
fees that might be charged. 1t has
seemed to your committee, in view of the
considerations which appear in the hear
tngs, but which need not be embodied In
this report, that there should be time
limit put upon the grant, and the present
bill accordingly restricts the designation
to the three succeeding fiscal years.
cd 70 MI tAA a Len
that there should be some limitation
placed upon the fees to be charged for
the instruction which will be paid for
through the funds carried in the bill, and
the sum of twenty dollars per annum is
accordingly fixed as the maximum that
may be charged for tuition In the sub
jects covered by the Morrill, acts.
Reduction in Tuition.
The result of this limitation, as shown
by letter from President 'Needham of
George Washington University, will be to
reduce the fees charged for courses lead
ing to the bachelors degree in civil en-
gineering, electrical engineering and me-
chanical engineering from 5000 for the
four years. the present charge. to 1855 for
the four years. q reduction for each stu
dent of s4'0 for the four-year course:
your committee feels that with these
limitations = the restriction which will
compel the Congress to take the matter
up for consideration again at the end of
three years and the requirement that fees
charged shall be merely nOminal-every
reasonable objection to the legislation
has been met.
ION page B. line 2. of the bill the word
current was inserted by clerical error.
and the committee recommends that 1t De
stricken out. With this amendment agreed
to, the committee is of the opinion that
the bill should pass"