The Washington herald., 1913-03-09

Woodrow Wilson. former president of
Princeton University, will find as Presi-
dent of the United States a task laid
under his hand to place on sound basis
the private education in the District of
Columbia carried on by Incorporated in
stitutions. The plan is embodied in Sen
ate bill SSls introduced by Senator Gal
linger, and aims, among other things.
to prevent the future Incorporation OF
fake universities and colleges. Incl
dcntally. it would bring about SOME re-
organization of existing Institutions. 1t
presents a broad interest in that it may
serve as a model or guide for the States
in establishing a legal definition OF what
constitutes an institution of learning,
a university and a college; and 1t raises
educational questions of national inter
est. The movement which the measure
represents is worthy of attention also as
letting in flood of light upon the mis-
use of the words National, Federal,
and other like terms employed by cor
poration promoters to convey TO an In
nOcent country the idea that their schemes
are more than local in scope and I'M
portance.
Law Loose Beyond Belief.
The present law governing the incor-
poration of educational institutions in the
District is loose beyond belief. Under
il. institutions of learning may be in
corporated by irresponsible persons. with
power to defraud the public by comforting
bogus academical or honorary degrees
They may be founded under high
sounding names which imply that they
are national in character. and, even IL
honest, being without money or prop
erty, they often become objects of char
ity and a burden upon the people OF
the District. dragging out a miserable
existence for few years and then per-
ishing. meanwhile having maintained
low standards and injured, by their un-
fair competition. all the reputable and
established institutions of the same class
in the District Whether honest or dis
honest, they may be given added prestige
and power through the circumstances of
their incorporation, regardless of their
local character.
So-called institutions of learning" may
be organized with ridiculous names and
for ridiculous purposes. There have been
organized under the general law the
Normal University of the Pantarchy,
The White Cross University of Science.
The International IntcrI University Post
graduate Association and the ''Cntver-
sity College" special gem was the
University Veterinaria Glanderini Ara
bii''-a hog latin which being translated
study of treatment of Arabian glanders.
Again, institutions of learning may he
organized with names signifying that
they are national or Internal tional insii- !
tutions. Among the names used have
been the following: Federal University"
National University" American Inter |
national University National College |
University Of North America" Inter |
national Nadanta.'' &c. These concerns |
often organized with absurd profess |
sorships and with power TO confer freak |
degrees. The Normal University of the |
PantarChy" reported in 1S0 that it had |
class of fifteen students in the sci !
ence of universeology and alwato." No |
ono Oh earth, as far as can be ascer- |
taincd now. has any idea what "alwato'
means. The white Cross University
Of Science" conferred the degree OF the I
Order of the White Cross. whatever that
may be-
In 1870 Congress enacted for the Dis
trict a general law. under which cdu
cational corporations of all kinds were
permitted Incorporation. both those not
for profit and those Cor profit. This
law now appears. with some amend
mCnts. as chapter is of the code of the
District Of Columbia Subchapter | of
this chapter provides for the incorpora-
tion of institutions of learning but
does not define their character. 1t per
mits such institutions to he Incorporated
hy ANY nv" or moro persons without
any restrictions It 10 implied that
among institutions Of learning are to
he included universities" and colleges"
since II Is required that the certificate
of Incorporation shall give the number
and designation of the professorshlps to
he established. ''if the institution is to
he OF the rank of college or university"
In other words. institutions of learn
ing" is clearly intended to include, not
only universities and colleges. but other |
II
degrees While You Walt
All institutions of learning may CON I
fer upon such persons may be con- S
sidered worthy such academical or hon
orary degrees as are usually conferred
by similar institutions The result is {
that, as the law now stands. any five
persons can. without restrictions. incor-
porete as a college. a university, or other
kind of institution of learning" and I
when so Incorporated may without any {
restriction confer upon any one they {
deem proper any kind Of academical or I
honorary degree. 1t is of record that a =
man. his wife and one friend organized (,
4 ''Uuiy crsity'' and made him Ph. u. j
and an NJ. r.. and gave his wife uni 1
versity degree also II
The courts have done little to define =
what is meant by tho mcagcr phrase. ,
institution Of learning" The Court of \,
Appeals. in the case of Chicago Business :,
'ollcge VS.. Payne. has defined by dictum h
institutirns of learning as institutions -
which disseminate obstruction in the +
higher branches of human knowledge | =
md which owe their origin to private
n public munificence and are established =,
solely for the public good and not for
private gain o
II seems that institutions of earning :
'annot be confined exclusively to those =,
which give instruction unless ''instruc- :,
.ion'' is used in very wide sense: and :,
hat institutions for research and inves- =
.igation for the public good anu institu-
ions for disseminating knowledge b. ex-
libition and publication are equally to be .
regarded as institutions of learningr-ls
universities and colleges thus being spe-
lies of the genus. :.
The law is defective at many other
points. A concern organized under II
nay be an institution not for profit and II
or prof1t, at the same time. Universities u
nave been Incorporated with a capital g
stock. The provisions relating to trusts d
ire defective in that they permit spe-
'ial trusts for educational purposes in
,erpetuity. a
The Gallinger bill provides that in the II
uture all incOrporators must be persons n
# good character and with financial N
Iacking and that the institution shall p
lave enough property money at the n
utset to enable it to live during the first b.
ew years and ultimately to establish tc
Itself upon good standards a university q
must start with 100000, college with is