Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-05-17
Diploma Mill
Charge Hurled /
AT Southeastern
Congress Hearing
Told School Is Run
For Benefit Of Y

loId School Is Run
For Benefit Of ~
Southeastern University was
charged today at a House District
Subcommittee hearing with run.
ming diploma milf for the benefi,
Of its owner, the YMCA.
This charge was made by o. Cor.
don .Delk, jr., chairman of the
Alumni Associations Committee on
University Management. It was
protested by YMCA officials, but
Representative Abernethy,. Demo-
crat, of Mississippi, acting chairman
cut the discussion short, asking wit
nesses not to indulge in personali-
ties.
Mr.. Delk, DR.. James A. Bell. uni
versity president. and others ap-
peared in behalf of a bill REQUIRING
the institution to amend its charter
by removing control from the YMCA
and vesting it in a board of trustees
OF which two-thirds would be elected
Ny VAC <1kO4lllll f1SSOCldLlOn.s
"Y" Opposes Measure.
The bin Is opposed by directors of
the YMCA.
The issue involves revival of the
suspended law school. Alumni seek
to have the school reopened and
managed in such a way it will be
accredited by the American Bar
Association, which they declare i'm
possible under the present system
Of operation.
This argument has been going on
for five years." MIR. Delk told the
subcommittee. This diploma mill
Is operated for the benefit of the
YMCA and the trustees have been
freezing out the alumni"
James r. Kirkland, general coun-
sci for the YMCA, denied emphat-
ically that it ran diploma mill"
Appearing in opposition to the bill,
Francis G. Addison, jr., president
OF the Savings g. Commercial Bank
and a director of the YMCA, said
the law school had been stressed at
the expense of other departments
OF the university, which were
operating effectively.
Night Glasses Needed.
He denied that changing the
method Of control by the trustees
would assure accrediting Of the Law
school by the American Bar Asso.
citation. The law school must be
conducted at night because most
OF its students have day time Jobs
he explained, and the bar associa.
ton no longer accredits night
schools.
Representative Dirksen, Repub.
lican, Of Illinois, brought out thu
fact that If the law school were
reopened its graduates could moi
take the District bar examination.
= This was true, Mr.. Addison ad.
mitted, but it had been represented
10 the trustees that many Govern.
ment employees wanted to take tai
night Lam course seye1f though =
Knew they could not qualify 10
practice ia the District. .,s.
n "TheysfeeL $asAssleSA educatS6<
will help them in their work. ~
added. 1--WE can't turn it into ,
day school at present. It's not eco.
nomically possible"
Says "Y" Developed School.
Mr.. Addison said he did not sex
how Congress could take away con.
troll over Southeastern Universit,
from the YMCA since the YMCl
owned the institution and had de.
veloped it.
ut seems to me-" Mr.. Dirkser
commented, that when a child get.
so large he should be sent out t.
paddle his own canoe"
Jacob Sander, president of thu
Southeastern University Alumni AS.
ISOLATION, urged the legislation
which would allow the YMCA tt
name only one~third of the boarc
OF trustees, with the other two.
thirds chosen by the alumni asso.
citation.
Mr.. Sander, graduate of the law
school, said he had tried through
Chief Justice Bolitha j. Laws OF
District Court to get the Bar Asso-
citation to accredit the school. The
organization agreed to this, he said
If the trustees of the university were
selected in the way provided in the
BILL
Management of the law school
and other departments should be
vested in the university itself, he
insisted.
Can't Control Funds.
"At present." Mr.. Sander said
the school has no control over its
own funds"
In 1912. he added, the YMCA trus.
tees rejected the Bar Association
plan and that organization with.
drew the tentative approval it hae
given the law school. The YMCA
board, Mr.. Sander said, acted in 8
very selfish and ill-advised man.
ner."
Mr.. Kirkland received permission
to present more detailed argument.
OF the YMCA against the Legislation
at later hearing.
The bill was introduced by Repre-.
sentative McGehee, Democrat. o,
MiSSiSSirni uho hoodc tho e,,h,o,,.