Evening star., 1951-10-27
Dr.. Douglass
Expected toGet
.Year'sLeave
American University
Then to Name Myers
As New President

=. American University trustees
today were expected to grant
President Paul Douglass the years
leave he asked three years ago
and then name Prof. John Myers
Of the Law School as new presi-
dent.
A report critical of the schools
administration also was to be
discussed during the meeting in
DR.. Douglass Office at Nineteenth
and F streets NV.
Robert v. Fletcher, chairman
Of the board of trustees, said the
boards action probably would fol-
low DR.. Douglass request made
when he was renamed university
president in June, 1948.
At that time, Mr.. Fletcher said,
DR.. Douglass accepted the post
reluctantly and asked that he not
serve the full term, but be given
a years leave at the close of the
four-year term.
Not Connected to Report.
University officials and board
members emphasized that the re-
port on the university, made by
the Middle States Association of
Colleges and Secondary Schools,
was not connected with DR..
Douglass decision to leave the
university.
However. spokesmen for the
school - including DR.. Douglass
himself. the head administrator
said the report was highly criti-
cal Of the university administra-
ton.
1t criticized. DR.. Douglass said,
the relationship between the presi-
dent and the board Of trustees
and between the president and
the faculty. 1t also criticized Ger
tain physical properties of the
school. for which a fund raising
campaign is planned to replace
outmoded buildings.
The report also praised the high
morale of the students and de-
clared that the university has al
competent system of instruction.
Believe Change Needed.
Another university spokesman
said faculty committee named
to study the report felt that itI
was so critical of the administra-
tion that a change was needed.
THE report is not as critical
as the previous report made by
the association, Dr. Douglass
said. BY its nature. such a report
is. critical because that's what the
examining committee sets out to
do-find things that are wrong
and seek ways to correct them"
Such reports are made each IL
years by the association, an &C
credited group. DR.. Douglass said
there was no threat to the Univer-
sity's standing due to the criticism,
as had been reported elsewhere.
DR.. Douglass said the university
had requested reports from various
groups in an effort at constant
improvement of the university.
Among the reporting groups, he
said, were the American Council
Of Education and the Trunnel
Engineering Co.
Press of Duties Cited.
DR.. Douglass said he wants to
leave the university at this time
because Of the press of other work.
He is working on three text
books, including one tentatively
titled Business Report Writing"
for Prentice-Hall. He wants to
devote some time also, he said. to
Craftsmanship of the Committee
on Southwest Development.
He plans to spend part of each
week on his farm in Vermont,
working on the textbooks. His
reluctance to accept the presi-
dency in 1948, he said, was due to /
an opportunity to work for Korean
President Syngman Rhee.
Degree From Harvard.
Prof. Myers received his bach
elor's degree from Harvard Uni
versity in 1919, after serving as
an infantry lieutenant in World
War I.
He was in business three years,
then entered Harvard Law School,
where he received his law degree.
From 1925 to 1881 he was a re-
searcher for Charles Evans Hughes.
He became vice president of the
Distributors Group, Inc, an in
vestment firm. in 1881, and later
became president, then chairman
Of the board of that company. In
1887 that firm merged with an
other, and Mr.. Myers was named
vice president and general coun-
sci of the new company.
fought in Colorado.
Shortly before Pearl Harbor he
took a teaching position at the
University of Colorado Law School.
In July, 1912. he declined teach
ing fellowship at Harvard Law
School to re-enter the Army.
He served with the provost
marshal general until 1947 and
rose to the rank of colonel. He
holds the Legion of Merit and
has been decorated by the Italian
government. In 1947 he came to
the Washington School of Law,
now a division of American Uni
versity, as professor of law.
Tun unId hu ERI IN ThnS4