578 
W. L. WILLIAMS. 
applications for membership from nearly eighty veterinarians. 
Aside from enlarging the scope of the Association and 
reaching over large territory, the chief change has been in 
regard to the admission of members. Not alone has close 
scrutiny been exercised in admitting members, by which for 
the first time in the history of our Association many appli¬ 
cants have been- refused admittance, but our organic laws 
have been changed, elevating the standard for membership, 
and defining clearly the conditions under which applicants 
may be admitted, requiring that they must be graduates of 
a veterinary college requiring not less than three years’ 
attendance of six months each, and having on its teaching 
staff no less than four duly qualified veterinarians. 
This act excludes from possible membership the future 
graduates of a vast majority of veterinary colleges in 
America. To some this appears a radical measure, and has 
created a very considerable interest in our Association. 
Your comitia minora will report also a refusal to recognize 
graduates of some existing veterinary colleges who do not 
fall immediately within the amendment. It is very clear to 
you all that we have in this country a number of veterinary 
colleges which are mere diploma mills, without professional 
existence or aspiration. 
Several of these are anxious to have a cloak of respecta¬ 
bility thrown over them through the recognition by us of 
their graduates. Your officers have had numerous anxious 
letters of inquiry from some of these college authorities 
asking by what means their graduates could be admitted to 
their ranks. We could only reply that they must, if they 
desired recognition by us, bring their colleges up to the 
standard fixed by us. They reply that as private institutions 
they cannot exist because of lack of financial aid except they 
give an inferior education. 
They admittedly sacrifice professional training to money¬ 
making. The interest manifested by some of the colleges 
excluded is good evidence of the growing power of our 
Association, and of the correctness of our move for a higher 
standard of education. 
