Conant Says Two-Year Colleges Would Solve Expansion Problem

Former President James B. Conant '14 in a book entitled The Citadel of Learning, has advocated the establishment of local two-year colleges as alternative to university expansion.

Published yesterday, The Citadel of Learning is a restatement of the position that the American ambassador to the West German Republic took in his 1953 book, Education and Liberty.

Conant maintains that in the two-year schools, many prospective college students could obtain a higher education without overcrowding existing institutions. "There would be no inconsistency with our educational ideal if local two-year colleges were to enroll as many as a half of the boys and girls who wished to engage in formal studies beyond the high school," Conant has written. Research Lacking

Since about one-half of those enrolled in college drop out after two years, the ex-President calls for "the citizens primarily interested in the education of those young people" to convince the general public that the two-year colleges would be in the national interests.

Conant goes on to decry the tendency of some universities to hire part-time scientists who avoid basic research in favor of contract work. As a result, Conant notes, "It would be safe to say that a majority of American students who receive a bachelor's degree study in an institution where little or no first rate research or scholarly work is in progress."

Conant attributed the need for university expansion to the increasing importance of the nation's world position.

The level of difficulty in U.S. education, Conant says, consists of reconciling numbers with quality on limited budgets.

Since about one-half of those enrolled in college drop out after two years, the ex-President calls for "the citizens primarily interested in the education of those young people" to convince the general public that the two-year colleges would be in the national interests.

Conant goes on to decry the tendency of some universities to hire part-time scientists who avoid basic research in favor of contract work. As a result, Conant notes, "It would be safe to say that a majority of American students who receive a bachelor's degree study in an institution where little or no first rate research or scholarly work is in progress."

Conant attributed the need for university expansion to the increasing importance of the nation's world position.

The level of difficulty in U.S. education, Conant says, consists of reconciling numbers with quality on limited budgets.