Evening star., 1945-02-18
College Heads Concerned
Over Future Unless Aided
Loss of Students and Faculty Brings Serious
Problems Requiring Federal Help in
Finances and Army Releases
By Joseph H. Baird

eQucatlon to come TO Its AID IN Crisis
brought on by the war Unless this is
done, the group warns, colleges and uni
versities will not be able adequately to
serve returning veterans or supply the
thousands of trained professional and
technical men who will be needed in
the postwar era.
In a voluminous 74-page report now
being studied by the House Committee
on Education, a group of II distinguished
educators, headed by President Cloyd
Heck Marvin of George Washington
University, paints dark picture of the
financial future now facing many Amer
ican colleges. The report was requested
by the committee as the basis of future
legislation to meet this educational
crisis
A drastic draining off of students into
the Army and Navy, as well as war
industry, is at the root of the problem,
the report says. This is particularly
true of privately financed mems schools.
The condition was alleviated to large
extent through last year by the Army
and Navy special training courses But
these have been cut sharply and are
due to disappear almost entirely during
the current year.
See Deficit Financing,
Thereafter unless Congress comes to
the aid of the schools, the investigating
group can see nothing ahead but deficit
financing, inadequate staffs and equip
ment and general weakening of the
schools of higher education. To meet
this situation 10 specific recommended
tions are made by the Advisory Com
mittee. In condensed form, they are:
/. That the Selective Service System
at the earliest possible time re-estab-
hsh student deferment for those ma
joring in studies essential to the ma
tional welfare. And that Congress, in
writing national service legislation,
make similar provisions.
2. That the War and Navy Depart
ments include in their bases for dis
charge consideration of the educational
plans of students who have completed
two or more years of college work in
essential fields and who will continue
their education.
3. That faculty members teaching in
essential fields be deferred to meet the
educational needs of veterans and 9TH
ers and that Congress, in writing ma
tional service legislation, consider those
teaching in necessary fields as being
engaged in an essential activity.
Ask Priority in Release.
4. That members of faculties of high
er educational institutions whose serv-
ices are requested by the institutions
be given priority in release from mill
tary or other Government positions
5. That procedures be established i'm
mediately by the Office of War Mobiliza-
ton and Reconyersion to aid colleges
in obtaining by gift or purchase mate
rails which they can use which are no
longer needed for the war effort.
6. That legislation be enacted to in
crease the present exemption for gifts
to higher educational institutions in the
provisions of corporation and individ-
ual income tax laws with a view to in
creasing and stimulating such gifts.
7. That nonpartisan commission on
emergency Federal aid to higher edu-
cational institutions be appointed to
receive and approve applications for
standby and other service contracts
and to negotiate such contracts. 1t is
recommended that the committee in
clude seven members, at least four of
whom would represent various types of
higher educa tional institutions. That
Congress appropriate s25OO0,Oo0 for the
fiscal year beginning July l, 1945, to
provide such aid and to pay the costs
of administration.
Propose Repair Funds.
8. That Congress provides for a pro-
gram of public works, grants -in-aid be
given higher educational institutions for
repair and reconstruction or replace
ment of permanent equipment and re-
pairing or remodeling and construction
other public works
9. That>a Federal research agency be
established or designated by the Con-
gress and directed to use, on a con-
tractual bssis, higher educational in
stitutions for developing and conducting
Of research and the training of research
workers. And that funds be appro-
priated for such research to be used for
specific programs when approved by
the research agency.
10. That through joint resolution of
the Senate and House the Committee
on EducatioE and Labor of the Senate
and the Committee on Education of the
House be authorized and directed to ap-
point an advisory committee represent
ing all phases and levels of education
to assist them, on request in the formu-
lation of needed legislation.
On the basis of 1925 replies to 1,702
questionnaires sent to presidents of
colleges by the Advisory Commission
the report presents detailed blueprint
OF the wars effect on higher education.
This effect has been by no means uni
form. Exclusively mems colleges have
been by far the worst sufferers, with CO.
educational institutions next. Many
women's colleges have f1ourished and
now have a larger enrolment than
before the war. In general, private in
stitutions dependent on tuition fees and
endowments are in a much worse po-
sition than schools depending largely
on State or municipal appropriations.
Private Schools Lead.
The private schools are the larger
group. The committee found that as
of 1910 about two-fifths of the students