The Omaha guide., 1935-01-26
COLLEGE PRESIDENTS MUST
NOT ASSIGN FERA SCHOLAR
SHIP STUDENTS TO
MENTAL TASKS

"A special bulletin on the FERA stu
dent-ad program was issued this week
BIZ Administrator Harry l.. Hopkins
to strengthen and improve the char
acter of work projects to which col
lege presidents may properly assign
eligible men and women students.
The attention Of Dr.. Lewis r. AL
derman Of the United States Office Of
Education who is Director of the
FERA Emergency Educational Pro-
gram, has been directed to the mis-
use Of funds allocated for student-aid
by certain Negro college presidents
in the South and the West as outside
the spirit and intent Of the program.
The bulletin states, an the assign
ment Of students to jobs, it is highly
important that they be given work
compatible with their interests and
abilities"
The colleges and individuals con-
nected Herewith are advised not to
use ~student-aid benefciaries as their
servants. The FERA rules and egu
ations specifically preclude such reg
ularly maintained routine jobs as
dlshwashing, house work, waiting on
table, laundry work, %janitor service,
window cleaning, bell ringing, elevator
operating, care of locker and shower
rooms, painting, general carpentry,
furniture repairing, lawn moving,
raking leaves, Waterman service and
office activities such as tipping, grad
ing papers, stenography, mailing,
filing, messenger service, library cir
culatlon service, etc. Further, no
work of a non-public, sectarian, or
private nature is permissible, under
these latest rules and regulations is
sued by the FERA and the United
States Office Of Education.
The determination of the eligibility
Of the individual applicants for aid
from the stand point of financial
status is another point which is given
classification. The FERA rule reads:
"The students financial status shall
be such as to make impossible his at
tendance at college without this add
(Mr. Hopkins letter Of July 3, 1934)-
"Al other considerations, such as
ability, scholarship, and personality,
should be secondary.
The following paragraph on the
payment Of students is an important
part of the Federal regulations:
"Inasmuch as the earnings Of a
student under this program are K
pected to represent the deciding fac
tor as to his ability to remain in col
lege, it is essential that students re-
ceive pay in actual cash rather than
credit on accounts or against college
debts"
The regulations contemplate a reg
ular system Of supervision of all
students on university work projects.
To quote again the FERA regula-
tons:
Careful personal supervision by
each head of department or instructor
Of the work Of all students assigned
to him.
periodical inspections by faculty
committee designated for that u r
pose"
Regular inspections by FERA stu
dents designated for that purpose.
Requirement of weekly reports az
work done.
In cases where the institution has
delegated responsibility for supervis-
ion Of off-campus jobs to public
agencies it is advisable for the insti-
tutlons to be certain that such agen-
cres are equipped to supervise the
"ork efficiently. In any event some
systematic plans for inspection and
: supervision by college authorities
should be adopted.