Evening star., 1927-12-07

opinion. as to the vital necessity of
providing some means of stamping out
the operations of diploma mill
schools and universities now legally
chartered in the District of Columbia
vigorous opposition arose last night
at the meeting of the directors of the
Chamber of Commerce to certain pro-
visions of the measure dealing with
fraudulent institutions, proposed to
the chamber by its committee on
universities.
Opposition to the bill developed
principally over its provision for the
licensing by the Board of Education
of the District of all educational in
stitutiOns incorporated here and over
the fact that, under such a law, all
local colleges of high character and
reputation might be subjected to an
inspection as to its qualifications TO
confer degrees.
Embarrassment Seen.
These objections were raised by
Charles w. Darr, second vice presi-
dent of the chamber, who is chairman
of the board of trustees Of a local
college, who stated that under the
provisions of the proposed bin worthy
schools might be embarrassed: and by
Right Rev. Mgr c. f. Pace, vice
rector of Catholic University and
prefect of studies of that college, who
doubted the effectiveness of the pro
posed legislation.
William o. Tufts. chairman Of the
chamber committee on universities.
which drafted the bill with the help
of Miss Pearl Mccall, assistant United
States district attorney. after a study
of two years of the diploma mill''
situation here and throughout the
country, stated his committee stood
ready to consider any changes in the
measure deemed necessary to make
the law workable, and the chamber
directors deferred final action on the
proposal, referring the measure again
to the universities committee for
further study.
Mr.. Darr, in attacking the present
licensing provision of the proposed
bill. declared that a bill could be
framed that would strike at the
diploma mill" evil while at the same
time prevent any undue regulation
of existing worthy institutions. which
he insisted might be possible" under
provisions of the bill as now framed.
Questions Authority Plan.
1t was expected that Mr.. Darr would
study the outline of a new proposed
bill and later confer with members
of the universities committee. The
present form of the bill, which it has
been expected would be introduced at
the present session of Congress, re-
Gently was indorsed by the Board of
Trade on recommendation of it's COM
mlttee on universities and private
schools, of which Charles F. Carusi,
president of the Board of Education.
is chairman.
While stating that he was fully in
accord with the movement for putting
to an end the operations of diploma
mill schools, Mgr. Pace said he doubt
ed the wisdom of placing in the hands
of the Board of Education the licens-
ing of schools of higher education in
corporated here. He felt that the
licensing authority, if one be needed,
should be composed of officials deal.
ing with institutions of higher edu.
cation rather than with grade schools,
high schools or even normals.
The placing of the licensing power
in the hands of the Board of Educa-
ton. he said, presupposes a Judgment
by that body of qualifications of uni
versities and colleges. including those
OF established reputation, to confer
degrees. Thus those in charge of
secondary schools, he declared, would
be placed in judgment over higher
institutions.
Special Act Schools Exempt.
Here, however, Miss Mccall. who
out that all local institutions char.
tered nv Cnnaio1 of Of
would be exempt from the provisions
of the proposed bill. This would in
clude such schools as American Uni
versity, George Washington Univer-
sity and other established colleges.
she said
Mgr. Pace then raised the question
as to how the Board of Education as
the supervising agency would decide
what standards should be applied in
judging whether a schools curricula
De adequate to warrant it to confer
degrees. How, he asked, would the
Board of Education go about proving
a school in question had or did not
have proper qualifications for obtain.
ing license. He also raised the uues-
ton as to how the licensing authority
would decide if a graduate of a GER
tain school had had proper training
for obtaining a degree
Miss Mccall explained here that the
improperly trained student would be
reached through regulation of the
school from which he would obtain
his degree.
Sees Investigation Trouble.
Mr.. Darr challenged the right of
placing a supervisory power in the
hands of the Board of Education over
long established educational institu.
tions of recognized reputation and
worthiness, which he said might be
embarrassed by numerous investiga-
tions as to their qualifications by such
a board. While not questioning the
of the present Board of
Education to pass judgment on such
matters, he said there was no assur.
ance as to the qualifications of later
boards
Mr.. Darr also attacked the retro
active feature of the bill, which was
held by Mr.. Tufts and Miss Mccall
to be necessary to reach schools and
universities already Incorporated here
under existing law
Mr.. Darr expressed the fear that