Senator FERRIS. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. And as you have just said, the territorial possessions now are so limited that it would not be a gross assumption of power. Senator FERRIS. No. The CHAIRMAN. Would you be willing, Mr. Kalbach, to confer with your superiors and convey to them that you would like to have them prepare for us a form of bill which would cover this subject? Mr. KALBACH. I would be very glad to do that, Senator. I brought with me a copy of the law in Pennsylvania, which I consider one of the good ones, if you care to have it. The CHAIRMAN. Suppose you keep that and bring to us at the earliest moment a proposed bill which will cover this subject. Mr. KALBACH. I will do that. The CHAIRMAN. Now, then, that is agreed. Have you any suggestion to make regarding our proposal to amend the postal law prohibiting the use of the mails by such institutions as we have been discussing? Mr. KALBACH. I think it will be a very good thing, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. Has your bureau given any thought to that subject? Mr. KALBACH. Why, I think our specialist in higher education recommended something of that kind. I think he recommended that in a letter to you, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. Will you be good enough when you take this other message to say that we would be glad to have that put in the form of a definite recommendation? Mr. KALBACH. I think possibly it would be better for us to consult with the Post Office Department to see what sort of a bill would be drawn. The CHAIRMAN. All right. We will ask you then if you will have the Bureau of Education have that conference and present us with these two measures. Mr. KALBACH. Very well, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. Because, as we have gone forward by a process of exclusion, we have reached the conclusion, I am sure, that the only way we can reach the diploma mill is through the Post Office Department, and to further guard against imposition and fraud, we must make sure that hereafter all educational institutions incorporated within the territory under the supervision of Congress must be institutions of the right type, so you see what our spirit is, and we will appreciate it greatly if you will give us that matter in the shortest possible time. If you can go so far, if we may ask you to formulate the bill, it will help us greatly, because you have experts in that line, and we prefer to have it done there than to take a chance on our own action in the matter. Mr. KALBACH. All right, sir. We can draw up a suggested bill. The CHAIRMAN. Fine. Is there anything further, Senator? Senator FERRIS. Why no, not that is necessary to go into the report, I do not think. Of course. it is acknowledged that there are a great many correspondence schools that are doing very valuable work, and I do not think that the chairman or any one of the committee would like to in any way infringe upon that privilege. The CHAIRMAN. I agree fully with that statement. Senator FERRIS. We have thousands and tens of thousands and more now than ever before of mature men and women who did not have the early advantages that the young people have now, and they fell by the wayside educationally, and they derive tremendous help from some of these correspondence schools. At the same time we have a very large number of correspondence schools, so-called, advertising to do the impossible, and of course the aim is to get rid of that element. I got letters almost every day of how they were induced to pay their tuitions to certain correspondence schools, and they met with defeat, and the correspondence schools inveigle these people into paying this tuition by not requiring anything of the candidate when he attempts the course. For example, there are schools all over the country trying to tell their correspondents that they can prepare for law. Well, a great many of these candidates have not even a high school education, have not learned to think at all, and they undertake this work and they fall down utterly. I have even tried to get some of those schools to refund tuitions because it was perfectly apparent that the candidate could never, with the foundation he had, make any adequate preparation for the law. He was just simply using his spare time and using his money in that way. Those matters are very difficult to reach, but it would be unfortunate to make any law that would militate against the legitimate effort on the part of the men and women in this country who need more education. I am going to be specific. You take the chiropractic organizations, or whatever you may call them, and similar organizations, that are actually doing irreparable harm in the incentives that they hold out, and it is really a serious matter. Mr. KALBACH. Yes; there are some good correspondence schools. You take the International School at Scranton. Senator FERRIS. Yes. Mr. KALBACH. But they do not confer degrees. Senator FERRIS. And the La Salle University of Chicago and Hamilton Institute. Mr. KALBACH. Yes; and the University of Chicago has a correspondence school. Senator FERRIS. Yes; and I do not know whether the Lewis School of Chicago has or not. Mr. KALBACH. A great many of these State institutions now are conducting instruction by correspondence, but they do not confer any degrees. Senator FERRIS. Furthermore, their laboratory work has to be done in the institution, and the laboratory work is absolutely essential. For instance, in my own State, I conduct a legitimate pharmacy school recognized by the higher institutions of learning. At the same time, there is another institution-you can not call it an insti 100673-24-7 tution-but they have even managed to have one of their representatives on the pharmacy board, and all in the world that they do is cram for securing a State pharmacy license. They manage by gathering all the questions that are presented by the State board, and getting them together and correlating them to stuff those men, and they never do an hour of laboratory work, not one hour. They do not even handle the crude drugs, you know. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Senator FERRIS. And they sell them. They say, "We will prepare you for the State board for so much money, whether it takes one year or two years.' Of course, I am not saying anything concerning losing patronage or anything of that kind, only it is simply wonderful the number of students in my own school that come to me and say, "Well, I had contemplated taking a regular course in medicine, but I find out that I can become an osteopath in a little while and make so many thousands of dollars, and a great deal quicker return when I get out as an osteopath in my country than I would get out of the other." Sometimes men of good minds have the temptation to get it and get it quick, without any reference to an adequate preparation for dealing with human life, So that it does seem as though we ought to be able to put some restraint on the work. Mr. KALBACH. Yes, sir; under the laws that are now in force in the District of Columbia a great many educational institutions are incorporated which really have never done any work. The CHAIRMAN: Well, I am very much obliged, and the committee is much obliged to you for coming over, and if we can help the Bureau of Education in maintaining or establishing high, standards, as we know the bureau is anxious to do, we will be very happy and at the same time you can be very helpful to us in assisting in the formulation of legislation which may correct the evil. Mr. KALBACH. Senator, we are at your service for anything that you want. The CHAIRMAN. We will adjourn then. Our next meeting will hinge upon the receipt of the report from you. (S. 3277, a bill to prohibit the transmission of certain matter through the mails, and for other purposes, and S. 3278, a bill to establish a council on universities and colleges in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes, are here printed in full, as fol lows:) 1 A BILL To prohibit the transportation of certain matter through the mails, and for other Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That no letter, postal card, package, or circular, concerning any academic, professional, or technical degree; and no diploma, certificate, insignia, emblem, letter, or other instrument granting or conferring or purporting to grant or confer any academic, professional, or technical degree; and no letter, postal card, package, or circular requesting or soliciting payment of money, pursuance of a course of study, or any outlay or effort whatsoever for or in consideration of the granting or conferring of any academic, professional, or technical degree; and no check, draft, bill, money, postal note, or money order for the purchase of or payment for any academic, professional, or technical degree; and no newspaper, magazine, 97 pamphlet, circular, or publication of any kind containing an advertisement of any such degree, or any proposal to grant or confer such degree, or any terms or considerations on which such degree will be granted or conferred, shall be deposited in or carried by the mails of the United States or be delivered by any postmaster or letter carrier, unless the institution or corporation granting or conferring or proposing to grant or confer any such degree shall, before the same is granted or conferred, prescribe and require of each and every student or other person applying therefor, or proposing to receive such degree, at least one hundred and eighty days of actual residence and study, at the principal place of business and situs of such institution or corporation, in fulfillment of conditions and in preparation for receiving such degree. Whoever shall knowingly deposit, or cause to be deposited for mailing or delivery, anything declared by this section to be nonmailable, or shall knowingly take, or cause the same to be taken, from the mails for the purpose of circulating or disposing thereof, or of aiding in the circulation or disposition thereof, shall be fined not more than $2,000, or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. SEC. 2. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed. [S. 3278, Sixty-eighth Congress, first session] A BILL To establish a council of universities and colleges in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby established in the District of Columbia a board to be known as the Council on Universities and Colleges. Said council shall consist of the president of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia, the superintendent of public schools of the District of Columbia, and the United States Commissioner of Education as ex officio members, together with six other persons, citizens of the United States, at least three of whom shall be residents of the District of Columbia, as representative of the interests of higher education and of the general interests in the arts, sciences, and industries, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. In making the first appointments under this section the President shall name one member for one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, one for five years, and one for six years, and thereafter as the respective vacancies occur appointments shall be made for periods of six years and all members shall hold office for such terms. Any vacancy occurring shall be filled by appointment for the unexThe board shall appoint a secretary and may employ necessary pired term. clerical and other assistants and employees, shall have an official seal, and the members of the board shall receive no compensation for their services. SEC. 2. The council shall have power (a) To establish in accordance with generally recognized principles such definitions, requirements, or standards as it may deem necessary and proper for all incorporated educational institutions in the District of Columbia, wherever incorporated, which have, or claim to have, or attempt to exercise power to confer or grant in said District any academic, professional, or technical degree; (b) To act as realtor in quo warranto proceedings for the forfeiture of the franchise of any institution incorporated under the general incorporation law for said District as a corporation having any degree-conferring or degreegranting power in case of misuser or nonuser of such franchise; (c) To approve or disapprove, as the board shall deem proper, any certificate of incorporation proposed to be filed in the office of the recorder of deeds of the said District by any persons desiring to incorporate under the general incorporation law enacted by Congress for said District as a corporation having any degree-conferring or degree-granting power, and no such certificate of incorporation shall be filed or received for filing by the said recorder of deeds unless accompanied by the certificate of approval of the board under its official seal; (d) To approve or disapprove any proposed consolidation or merger of corporations incorporated by or under act of Congress, located in said District. |