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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 770 



these several associations in April, 1908, the 

 National Conference Committee* was or- 

 ganized. It adopted a resolution urging 

 the organizations represented in the com- 

 mittee to collect data concerning the stand- 

 ardization of colleges and universities and 

 to give special attention to the study of this 

 subject. 



The National Association of State Uni- 

 versities appointed a committee on stand- 

 ards of American universities in November, 

 1905. A report was presented to the Asso- 

 ciation in November, 1908, which included 

 the following recommendations: That the 

 standard American university be defined 

 as an institution which requires for admis- 

 sion the completion of a standard four-year 

 high school course or its equivalent; which 

 oifers two years of general or liberal work ; 

 which offers a further course of two years 

 so arranged that the student may begin 

 work of real university character leading to 

 the bachelor's degree at the end; which 

 offers professional courses in law, medicine 

 and engineering, based upon the comple- 

 tion of two years of college work; and 

 which offers in the graduate school an ade- 

 quate course leading to the Ph.D. degree. 



Thus far attention has been called to the 

 steps which have already been taken by 

 states and by various national bodies, to- 

 ward a better determination of the grade 

 of our collegiate institutions. In addition 

 to these acts and resolves, some notable 



' The committee consists of delegates from The 

 New England Association of Colleges and Prepara- 

 tory Schools; New England College Entrance Cer- 

 tificate Board; Association of Colleges and Prep- 

 aratory Schools of the Middle States and Mary- 

 land; College Entrance Examination Board; North 

 Central Association of Colleges and Secondary 

 Schools; Association of Colleges and Preparatory 

 Schools of the Southern States; National Asso- 

 ciation of State Universities, and Carnegie Foun- 

 dation for the Advancement of Teaching. The 

 United States Commissioner of Education is ex 

 officio a member. 



efforts have been made to fix the standards 

 of our professional education. Two in- 

 stances of unusual significance may be 

 noted here. 



In 1904 the American Medical Associa- 

 tion created the Council on Medical Edu- 

 cation to act as its agent in efforts to elevate 

 the standards of medical education. This 

 Council holds an annual conference and 

 makes recommendations concerning the im- 

 provement of medical education, which 

 recommendations are then presented to the 

 Association. It has classified the medical 

 colleges of the country according to the 

 percentage of failures of graduates of these 

 colleges before state medical examining 

 boards; it has published lists of medical 

 colleges making certain admission require- 

 ments; and it has proposed what is held to 

 be an ideal scheme of medical education. 



The National Association of Dental Ex- 

 aminers was organized in 1883. It has 

 formed a list of reputable dental schools,, 

 which list is revised from year to year. It 

 works in close relations with the National 

 Association of Dental Faculties, in the en- 

 deavor to advance the standards of dental 

 education. Many difficulties have attended 

 this undertaking and its history is full of 

 interest. 



This is by no means a complete list of the 

 agencies now engaged in the effort to give 

 at least an ascertainable significance. 

 But as it stands the showing is note- 

 worthy. It leaves no doubt that widespread 

 and serious attention is now directed to 

 this subject. The reproach against our 

 American education that it means anything 

 or nothing according to circumstances, is 

 not merely resented or ignored, nor is it 

 merely accepted as inevitable. Steps are 

 taken to remove the sting from that re- 

 proach by making it no longer applicable. 

 We see more clearly the difficulties of our 

 situation, but we see also the hope of 



