Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-07-19
SIS stss5itt .;9sIsIa3,S
head department of the interior.
bureau Of education.
FOREIGN STUDENTS WELCOME
TO AMERICA.

Will the United States help build
up tho civilization OF tho future by
opening wido the doors OF her col
lcgos and universities to students
from MI over tho world? Can Ger
mai- rrcstablish her 49, educational
prestige and draw students to her,
first from tho Near East, and later
from other countries against whom
sho fought in the war? Is America
to assume the educational leadership
to which her new responsibilities
call her?
These arc questions asked by tho
Bureau OF Education, Department OF
interior In special article in School
Life, an official publication Of the
bureau.
In IL letter to college and univcrsi-
'ty officers in this country the Com
missioner of Education writes:
''Tho higher educational instttu-
lions of Western Europe have been
Frustrated by the war. Large num-
hers Of tho leading scientists and OF
thc younger men whose Sclcntif1c
careers were just beginning have
been killed. Because the intellectual
resources of the United States have
not been similarly draincd,-the west
cfn nallOnS arc lOOkluB W llC ohilSi
States to assume the responsibilities
! OF leadership in education and in
science. That the colleges an univer
stiles of the United States appreciate
these responsibilities and are ondcav
oring to meet them is evidenced by
the various movements that have been
undertaken to promote closer cducat-
ional relations between this coun
~
;"Apparcntly Germany expects to
regain the Influence which she form
crly cXcrtcd over foreign nations by
means OF her universities, technical
schools and scientific institutes. This
office is informed that efforts have
already been made by German educa
tional institutions to recover their
clientele of foreign students, especial
ly from the countries in the near East
adjacent to or contiguous to Germ
any. There is, of course, no immcdi
ate prospect that she could make a
successful appeal to the students OF
/ Great Britain, France or italy. Stu
dents and young scientists in CZccho
Slovakia, Jugo-Slavia, Russia Rou
mania an. western Asia arc mach
more likely to be drawn to German
universities and to technical schools.
Germany is near and they know about
it. The cost Of living is lower than
in some Of the rcmotcr countries, es
pecially the United States. Neverthe
less it Is believed that students from
these countries would gladly come to
the United States il they were famll
lar with its educational opportunities
and particularly if they could be as
sured OF sufficient means to complete
their education. Evidently it is desir
liable that the tide Of students from
these countries should be turned this
way rather than to Germany. More
over the countries themselves need
assistance. TO render this is part
of the responsibility involved in our
new position of leadership.
| ''The State Department suggests and
this office cordially indorses its sug
gestion, that the college officers Of
the county give this problem their
} attention. If they are generally dis
posed to encourage the coming OF
students from these countries by
means Of scholarships or special pro
visions for selfhelp, their offerings
can BIO reported to the Bureau Of Edu
cation, transmitted to the State Dc
apartment and through the agents OF
that Department brought to the atten
ton Of educational authorities in the
/ lands mentioned"
, In this connection the Bureau OF
| Education is revising the bulletin on
opportunities for foreign Students
/ ct COLLEGES and Universities in the
United States" and is planning the
preparation Of very much bricfe1