In 1836 John Lowell, a wealthy merchant, left a will which established the Lowell Institute for the support of public lectures in Boston. The testament also called for courses "more erudite and particular" at a feed approximately equal to the value of four bushels of wheat. These course survive in the University Extension and, at current market values, still cost only a little more then four bushels of wheat, or $10.

Through its quasi-formal association with the College, the University Extension is thus able to offer what is probably the least expensive college-level instruction in the country. Its combination of low fees and reputation for superior liberal arts instruction makes the Extension unique strong adult education programs and attracts a variety of students unusual to most institutions.

The students range from factory workers with only a grade-school education to professors with several graduate degrees, and from 17 year old girls to 75 year old grandmothers. All hope to take advantage of the Extension's ability to provide some of the best known instructors from the college and other Boston area universities, giving courses that often nearly duplicate those in regular curricula.

"We only require our students to demonstrate an ability to keep up with the course. There are no formal educational pre-requisites," say Reginald H. Phelps '30, Director of the University Extension.

Because of the low costs, students can earn the degree of Adjunct of Arts, similar to the Bachelor's, for only $170 tuition. This degree, $3030 cheaper than the regular A.B., is accepted by all graduate schools in the century.

Actually few go on to get the degree, because it usually takes six years to pile up the necessary 17 course credits and meet distribution requirements. These necessitate regular attendance at once-a-week classes given each evening throughout the academic year in University buildings.

"This is a long hard pull, particularly for people who have full time jobs, as most of our students do," Phelps explains.

"Most of our students just wants to take advantage of our unusual facilities for liberal arts studies, and are not interested in a degree, if only for the reason that many have at least one already. We also discourage them from earning a degree here if they can possibly afford a regular college education with its many intangible advantage," he says.

This term over 1800 men and women are taking an average of one and one-third of the Extension's 34 courses. One finds no classes in Refrigeration, Home-making, or Bookkeeping as in most night schools. "Our endowment wouldn't allow them," Phelps says. "Even if it did, we feel that other programs in the area supply enough vocational courses. This way we fill the real need for liberal arts instruction for adults which might otherwise be neglected, and also avoid over-diversification."

A.A. Student Standard

Although few students--less than one percent--get degrees, their presence has a great effect on the Extension. Because of them, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences periodically checks and approves Extension courses to make sure that they meet regular College standards and may count toward a Harvard degree. University buildings are used for all but three courses, the administrative offices have always been in the Yard, and the Extension directors and over half the faculty members have always been from the University. But the degree agreement is the only formal the Extension has with Harvard.

A commission of the Presidents or Chairmen of 11 educational institutions in the Greater Boston Area supervises the Extension for the independent Lowell Foundation, but is association with the University is vital, for this gives the Extension its uniquely high academic status among adult-education programs. "Meeting the degree requirements is what keeps the starch in our courses," says Phelps.

Extension courses parallel regular college course. They cover the major areas roughly corresponding to elementary departmental courses and often have identical syllabi. Enrollment and funds are too limited to give the more advanced studies, but the basic subjects are given yearly and middle-group courses are repeated every four or five years to allow room for variety. Since 1950, the Extension has also offered elementary General Education courses, usually one from each area.

Mass Half Courses

Yet the courses also differ considerably from other colleges, Harvard in particular. The one-and-one-half-hour lectures are usually given only once a week and prevent credit for more than half courses running through the year. When the material of a half course corresponds to a whole course in the College, its treatment is inevitably more superficial, lectures indicate.