From this table it would appear that the protest from the above-named societies had a temporary effect, as both the number of honorary Ph. D. degrees conferred and the number of colleges conferring the degree was considerably less in 1882 than in 1881; but, though the number of such degrees conferred in succeeding years fluctuates considerably, there does not seem to be any tendency to abolish the custom, as will be seen by looking at the last year of the above table. During this year both the number of degrees conferred and the number of schools conferring them exceeded the numbers of any previous years. The custom is opposed by many colleges. President Pepper, in his annual report to the board of trustees of Colby University in 1887, says:

"The faculty desire respectfully through this report to express to the board their conviction that the degree of Ph. D. should never be conferred as an honorary degree, but only, as is now the custom in the best colleges and universities, on those who by completing courses of study prescribed by the faculty under conditions also prescribed, shall merit the degree. It seems to the faculty that Colby, in consistency with its past history, should do nothing to lower, but everything to maintain or raise, the value of the symbols of scholarship." That this recommendation was adopted is shown in the report of President Small for 1890, which contains the following statement:

*

"The faculty wish to express their gratification that the trustees voted at their last annual meeting to adopt the recommendation made in 1887 by Dr. Pepper, with reference to the degree of doctor of philosophy. **The ground upon which the faculty based their support of Dr. Pepper's recommendation was that the degree referred to had a distinct meaning abroad, and that the leading universities of this country had attempted to reserve it for the same use in the United States. The degree is intended not as a distinction for men who have shown marked ability, or performed conspicuous service, but it is now used as a certification that, in addition to college instruction, the person upon whom it is conferred has had at least three years of university training in the processes of original investigation, and has proved his right to recognition as a 'master workman' by university examination and the publication of some results of original research." He also says: "It is also manifestly improper for an institution to grant that degree when it makes no pretension of furnishing the training which qualifies for it."

The sentiment here expressed by Dr. Small seems to be shared by the authorities of Rock Hill College, in the catalogue of which the following appears: "Application is sometimes made to the college for the degree of doctor of philosophy. This of all degrees ought to be the reward of high merit, whether for work actually done in the field of philosophy or for an examination rigidly gone through before a faculty of philosophy. It is not within the scope of a faculty of science or a faculty of arts to pass upon this degree. It can be legitimately conferred only by a university having a school and faculty of philosophy. Proceeding from any other source it is valueless and misleading."

If this sentiment was shared by a large number of the institutions which confer the Ph. D. as an honorary degree the evil would be rapidly diminished, but so long as a few of our leading universities persist in this custom it is not to be supposed that the smaller colleges will drop it.

Many of those who receive this degree for work done at some of the leading institutions make it a practice to write after the degree either the name or an abbreviation of the name of the institution by which the degree was conferred. If this practice were more generally followed by people who earn the degree it might have some effect upon those colleges who do not provide courses of study leading thereto.

II. SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.

The following table gives a summary by States of some of the more important statistics of universities and colleges for the year 1889-90:

56,000

125,000

375,000

529,436

22,501

5,383

$8,400

48, 003

121,050