CHANGING EMPHASIS IN COLLEGE WORK
A statistical survey of elections in the various courses at five year intervals since 1916 has recently been compiled to determine whether the emphasis on elections in the various departments was changing during this period and if so, in what directions. As a background, a comparison was made for the years 1916-17, 1921-22, and 1926-27 of the number of students per instructor and number of courses offered in each of the years mentioned. The result of the tabulation was as follows: 1916-1917 1921-1922 1926-1927 Students 1442 192S 2175 Faculty 96 137 167 Number of students per instructor IS 14 13 Number of courses offered 126 ISI 207
A study of the various departments was then made to determine what the trend of elections might be during this ten year period. In considering the figures given it should be noted that in the interval a new curriculum was adopted which places more stress on the major subject than previously, requiring increased attention to this field in junior and senior years. Such changes as have become evident are due in part to this revised curriculum. Other changes may be referred simply to natural processes and changing student preferences. The outstanding difference is perhaps the growth in numbers of elections in the departments of the social sciences. A considerable gain is also shown in the departments of music, education, psychology, and philosophy, and also in the department of astronomy. The most striking decreases are those in the departments of German, economics and zoology.
The following table will be of interest as showing the changes in departmental emphasis during the periods stated:
Departments 1916-1917 1921-1922 1926-1927 Total % of Total % of Total % of Number Total Number Total Number Total. Enrolled Work of Enrolled Work of Enrolled Work of Gree 52 .7 117 1.2 106 1.0 Latin 162 2.3 262 2.8 262 2.4 English 919 13.5 1203 12.8 1262 11.6 Pub.Speak. 273 4.0 83 .9 191 1.8 French 678 9.8 921 9.8 862 7.9 Spanish 198 2.7 386 4.1 260 2.4 Italian 6 .1 11 .1 8 .1 German 651 9.4 190 2.0 171 1.6 Russian _ _ 2 _ 2 _ Comp. Lit. 5 .1 66 .7 90 .8 Mathematics 550 8.0 703 7.4 735 6.7 Physics 359 5.2 296 3.1 394 3.7 Astronomy 50 .7 18 .2 113 1.0 Chemistry 378 5.5 578 6.1 691 6.3 Graphics 115 1.6 70 .7 54 .5 Zoology 500 7.3 210 2.1 256 2.4 Botany 43 .6 303 3.2 283 2.6 Physiology 11 .2 2 _ 54 .5 Bacteriology _ _ _ _ 9 .1 Geol. & Geog. 86 1.3 46 .5 284 2.6 History 228 3.3 517 5.5 730 6.7 Economics 806 11.8 1140 12.2 749 6.9 Pol. Science 224 3.2 472 5.0 489 4.5 Sociology 143 2.1 373 4.0 744 6.8 Far East. Civ. _ _ _ _ 25 .2 Biblical Hist. 62 .9 97 1.0 113 1.0 Comp.Relig. _ _ 15 .1 Philosophy 82 1.2 182 1.9 286 2.6 Psychology 192 2.8 279 3.0 551 5.0 Education 21 .3 10 .1 166 1.5 Archaeology 39 .6 46 .5 6 _ Modeern Art 23 .3 38 .4 71 .7 Music 35 .5 146 .5 149 1.6 158 1.4 Evolution _ 320 3.4 357 3.3 Citizenship _ 350 3.7 352 3.3 __ __ __ Totals 6891 9440 10899
