Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30
SCHOOLS TO HAVE
HOUSE CLEANING
Mail Course Institutions Or.
ganize in Move to Pre-
vent Fraud.

The American correspondence
schools, which take $4,000 900 an
nually from 100000 pupils. are to
have a house cleaning.
Eleven of the reputable concerns
in this field of education have just
formed a national organization. backed
by the Carnegie Foundation, which
will set up ethical standards for the
entire business and cooperate with
the Federal Trade Commission in
eliminating fraud. Headquarters have
been established here and an intensive
investigation is in progress to force
moderation in advertising and stand
ards in teaching.
DR. J. S. Noffsinger. former educa-
tional expert of the Carnegie Founda-
ton, is in charge of the work. A few
years ago DIR. Noffsinger conducted
nationwide survey of adult education,
and it is partly on the basis of in
formation obtained at that time that
he now is proceeding. The survey
convinced HIM, DIR. Noffsinger said,
that the correspondence school was one
of the most essential factors in the
field of adult education, that there
were reputable concerns with the
highest ideals in the business. but
that the field as a whole was a pro-
life source of fraud.
Take in SO, O0O,0 900 Yearly.
There are 500 schools now on our
records DIR. Noffsinger said. They
take in at least $40 900. 900 every year.
AT least 10 per cent of this business
is downright fraud. At least half of
it is questionable. / do not mean that
l. -Aa{v
questions which must be asked and
answered before it can be given a
clean bill of health. This leaves the re-
naming so per cent doing a clean,
honest service to the cause of Amer
lean education and deserving pro-
lection"
The present efforts of the American
Home Study Council are devoted to
checking up on misleading advertise
ments and promises, and giving the
concerns a chance to change them be-
fore presenting the cases to the Fed
eral Trade Commission. Almost all of
these concerns do an interstate bust
ness which makes them subject to
Federal jurisdiction in cases of fraud
The big business of the correspond
ence schools, the investigation has
shown, is in vocational subjects.
Most of the students are recruited
from rural districts and from small
cities where there are no oppor-
tunities for study in evening schools,
and the ma jority of them have COM
pleted the equivalent of two years in
high school.
Chicago Infested.
The questionable schools are grouped
in States where there are extremely
lax laws in respect to Incorporation of
institutions of learning. In Chicago
they spring up like mushrooms.
THE District of Columbia" said DR..
Noffsinger, appears to be clean, so
far as Vocational correspondence
schools are concerned. OF course, it is
notorious all over the country because
of schools giving liberal arts degrees
by correspondence. but we are not yet
ready to deal with such institutions.
At the worst they affect only small
percentage of the 1000. 900 men and
women who must be protected against
fraud"
DR.. Noffsinger is collecting the
catalogues and stock correspondence
of the various "eolleges! His files
show that there are schoolsSw one
may learn by correspondents every
thing from toe dancing to plumbing.
Ingenious circulars are broadcast
through the mails and catch" ads
placed in the newspapers and maya
zines.
Guarantee Meaningless.
There are schools which definitely
promise to secure a position and a SO
per cent increase in pay for every one
completing one of their courses, pro-
viding the present salary Is not above
a certain level. This is a bona fide
offer, DIR. Noffsinger said. The schools
troba bly, will keep their word to the
latter if. and only il, the student COM
pletes the course. They see to 1t.
howey er, that in the later stages the
course becomes so difficult that only
those of almost superintellects can
finish IT. In it's final analysis the
guarantee. of a job and a raise in pay
liz only a play on words and means
exactly nothing.
Various vocational schools stress in
their circulars the high pay received
by some individuals in the particular
trades or professions they seek to
teach and the wording is such that the
unsophisticated student might easily
interpret 1t as a promise that he Ger.
tainly will get a $50, 900 or 10000 job
as soon as he has finished the course.
AS matter of fact. he will be lucky
~ kCN q z fiNlAtS NaGC IA bC SCAAi Go
a job at all
Correspondence schools which
promise pay raises, directly or by
inference, or which unduly stress the
financial rewards are subject auto
matically to suspicion, DR.. Noffsinger
said, and must delete this from their
advertising before they are admitted
to the Home Study Council, although
their teaching standards may prove
reputable enough.
Offers Fine Chances.
THE American correspondence
school, DIR. Noffsinger said. offers
TO thousands of Americans their only
chance to rise in the world or to
broaden their outlook on life. We
have found that the average students
have left high school too soon and
gone 10 work. AS they grow older
they repent their wasted opportu-
mites and are possessed of new
ambition.
But by that time they have grown
older. The average correspondence
school student is about 90 years old.
BY that time he or she either is mar
ried or considering marriage. Life has
brought various responsibilities f1nan-
cial or otherwise. The students are
unable to leave home and spend the
money necessary TO attend any resi-
dent school or college.
To such persons the correspond
ence school offers great opportunity
and great hope. It Is too vital and
essential a thing in American life to
be allowed to remain field where
swindlers can find refuge. 1t is the
great American opportunity for the
uneducated. and its possibilities in re.
spect to raising the educational stand
ards OF the country are staggering.
Swindling May End Soon.
II think we can safely say that the
day of the men who use human aspira
ffonS hffipnS 80.