Conant Urges Founding Of U.S.-Backed Colleges

President Conant has recommended a two-year college education, provided +locally, as the means for meeting the growing demand for post-high school education in this country, and has urged that at least a part of any federal education money appropriated to the states be used to support such "two year terminal colleges."

In his annual report to the Board of Overseers, released yesterday, he predicted that "one of the consequences of the present influx of veterans into our colleges and universities will be . . . an increase in the numbers who desire an education beyond the high school as compared with the pre-war years. . . . Education is contagious," he said.

Local Control Safe

While he admitted that "local control of education is one of the fundamental doctrines of our nation," Conant maintained that his proposal would in no way impair its operation. To prove his point, he cited the Hill-Thomas-Taft Bill, which "has been framed to provide Federal aid to education, without Federal control."

"Very few people, indeed, have ever advocated a national system of education controlled by Federal authorities," he asserted. But "on the other hand, more and more thoughtful citizens are coming to recognize that in some way federal resources must be made available to assist certain states."

The study program at the schools contemplated would be along lines similar to the "General Education" program in use at the College. It would provide a common core of knowledge for students interested in the professions, but "for whom a terminal two year education provided locally seems better adapted for their needs" than that of a four-year college.

Urges Joint Training

On the University level, President Conant also suggested that "several large universities" cooperate in training specialists on all major areas of the globe. Under his plan, the nation's major universities would be encouraged to specialize on major global areas, and to announce their course offerings jointly. "If this were done, the limited scholarly resources of the nation would be used to best advantage."

In the report, on the University itself, President Conant noted that it had no less than 28 research contracts with the government on subjects "essentially of a non-military nature." Furthermore, he pointed out that an enrollment of 12,000 students, 75 percent of whom are veterans, has raised enrollment to 150 percent of its pre-war level. The report on the college was chiefly devoted to the General Education courses and their organization.