Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-20
DR.. WOODS ASSA|LS
LAXCOLtECELAW
American U. Dean Wants
Steps Taken to Abolish
Low-grade Schools.

The conditions which exist in Wash
inRton sin regard to incorporation or
degree granting universities ana col
leges are shameful and disgraceful,
DR.. George 4. Woods. dean of Amerl-
can University, said yesterday. 1T Is
high time for some steps to be taken
to put the low grade institutions which
have f1ourished under the lax law out
of business. he said.
THE existence of these places, Or.
Woods declared, makes all the harder
the work of those who strive to main
tain honest standards of education In
Washington. Their degrees detract
from the value of honest degrees is
sued in this city.
1T Is high time that the educational
underblush was cleaned out. / be
lieve there should be some way to
insist that any institution pretending
to grant degrees have at least finan.
cial, standing and some minimum of
sound scholarship.
Backflre Frequent.
American University, Dr. Woods
said, frequently gets the backfre
from these universities" "a we'll as
all the other reputable institutions of
learning here. Inquiries are received
from other colleges located all over
the country asking II such an institu-
tion has any standing. These inquiries
result when men and women ask for
credits for courses which they claim
they have taken in some District of
Columbia college"
Il always make very plain replies
to these letters" DIR. Woods said. j
tell just what | know about these
places and just what | think of them.
Our own institution was chartered by
Congress and I do not understand
why that body gave up the practice
of chartering.
at seems to me that there should
be some commission authorized by
Congress to inquire into the right of
every university or college to grant
degrees. This commission could he
composed of men of learning, who
would Judge the institution entirely
on it's merits"
DR.. Woods pointed out that at pres
ent only one institution in the Dis
trict actually is listed as class
university, according to the listing of
the University of Illinois. This Is
Catholic University. Howard Univer-
sity Is listed as class r. Others are
not given any grade. Georgetown
University Is member of the Amerl-
can Association of Universities, which
and scholarship.
Positions Unfortunate.
This leaves George Washington
University and American University
in a particularly unfortunate position.
unless they happen to he well known
when a question arises concerning To-
cal institutions of learning. There is
no way to ascertain Immediately their
standing when credentials are pre-
sented in a distant State. The reputa-
ton which the National Capital has
gained through the educational world
as a seat of low-grade colleges Injuries
particularly these high-class, reputable
institutions, which stand nigh IN re-
spect to scholarship.
George Washington University, 1t
was learned yesterday, probably Will
he included very soon in the Ameri-
can Association of Universities, and
thus far has not been listed because
of certain deficiencies in Its plant.
American University up TO last year
consisted only of some scattered grad
uate schools downtown, but 1t has
made exceptional progress since the
opening of the College of Liberal Arts,
at Massachusetts and Nebraska ave
nues.
A new source of revenue for the
low grade university" business in
Washington was revealed yesterday.
Franchises offered.
A local university, after obtaining
it's degree granting powers. announced
that IL was ready to sell franchises for
opening branches in the States. The
purchase could capitalize to the best
of his ability on his affiliation with an
institution of learning operating under
the shadow of the Capitol.
At least one of these franchises &C
tually was sold. and presumably the
purchaser acted in good faith. He
got out an elaborate catalog and
sent it to a prominent educational or
ganization here for approval. Need
less to say. he didn't get 1t.
The United States Bureau of Edu
cation, it was explained. finds itself
helpless when inquiries are addressed
to 1t concerning some of these institu
tons 1t can only reply that they are
not on any accredited list. but 1t can
not establish an accredited list itself
and cannot explain'the true facts.