Evening star., 1940-11-10
3 Universities
To Be Represented
Al Session Here
Catholic U. Host
At Conference
Opening Thursday

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Opening Thursday
For the second time in its history,
the Association of American UNI
versities will meet In Washington
with Catholic University, its only
local member, acting as the host to
the 42d annual conference.
Thursday through Saturday the
administrative officers and delegates
of the SO university members of the
association will discuss problems OF
common interest in the field Of grad
uate studies. The meetings, most Of
| which will be held on the university
campus, consisting of business and
general sessions with numerous in
formal conferences, will not be open
to the public.
More than 40 years ago. the presi-
dents of Harvard, Columbia, Johns
Hopkins, University of Chicago and
the University of California, invited
nine other universities to join them
in forming an association which
would be devoted to the furtherance
of accepted graduate work. Increas-
ing emphasis on graduate work in
American institutions of higher
learning occasioned the issuance Of
the call. The attitude of foreign
universities toward American stu
dents also was mentioned in the let
ter calling the conference and it was
thought that "such credit as is legit-
imately due to the advanced work
done in our own universities Of high
standing, and to protect the dignity
Of our doctors degrees" might be Sc
cured from them.
Besides the five universities iSsu-
ing the call, invitations were sent to
the presidents of Clark, Cornell,
Princeton, Stanford, Yale, the Uni
versities Of Michigan, Pennsylvania
and Wisconsin and the Catholic
University of America. Representa-
tives of these IA universities met at
the University of Chicago February
27-28, 1900, and there the Association
of American Universities received
the framework of its organization
win the adoption of its constitution
on February %.
Education Leaders Attend.
Men whose names are prominently
identified with the progress of
scholarship and educational proce-
dure in American institutions were
present at that first conference.
President Charles Eliot Of Harvard
was chairman of the conference,
with William Rainey Harper Of the
University Of Chicago acting as Sec
retary. President G. Stanley Hall,
under whose administration Clark
University became center OF fine
scholarship, was present, as also
were Nicholas Murray Butler OF Co.
lumbia, who continues to give force
full leadership to his university after
half a century, and David Starr Jor-
dan. under whom Stanford Uni
versity attained a national reputa-
ton.
At the first conference the execu-
tive officers of the IA charter MEM
bers of the association were preoc-
cupied with the problems Of organ
ization. With the second annual
conference, however, which again
met on the campus Of the University
of Chicago February 1928, 1901, q
regular feature Of all future con-
ferences was inaugurated. This was
the reading and discussion Of papers
presented by members representing
the institutions. Among these was
one on migration of Graduate
Students" by Ira Remsen of Johns
Hopkins University; another on
THE Type Of Examination for the
Doctors Degree" by William Fran
els Magic of Princeton, and Fellow
ships" by Harry Pratt Judson Of
the University of Chicago. William
r. Newbold of the University of
Pennsylvania also presented a paper
on ITO What Extent Should a Can
didate for the Degree of Doctor Of
Philosophy be Expected to Show q
knowledge of Subjects Not I'm
mediately Connected With His
Major Subject"
The second conference, in 1901,
authorized the publication of the
proceedings covering each annual
meeting Containing the papers read
at the conferences and the COM
ments of the men who analyzed and
discussed them, this publication has
been medium through which the
latest trends in graduate instruction
in the best American universities
have been made known to the execu-
tive officers and the faculties of the
member universities.
Catholic U. in Active Role.
From the outset Catholic Uni
versity has played an active part in
the development Of the association.
Msgr. Thomas j. Conaty, then rector
Of the University; the late Msgr. Ed
ward A. Pace, professor of philoso-
ply, and the late Prof. Daniel w.
Shea, head Of the department of
physics, were present at the first
meeting in Chicago in 1900. After
the adjournment of the first confer
CiSC, S0Nll Noo dohCo W
send in its oficial acceptance Of
membership in the association. That
for the Catholic University was for
warded to the association on June
IL, 1900.
The second annual conference, in
Chicago in 1901. saw the same rep
resentatives from Catholic Uni
versity and the records show they
participated in the discussions that
followed the reading Of the first
series of prepared papers. Prof.
Charles P. Neill accompanied the
rector as delegate to the third con-
ference, which was held in Chicago
in 1902. The rector, Msgr. Conaty,
was appointed to serve on the Execu-
tive Committee of the association
for the year 1904, and at the fifth
conference, held in New Haven,
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