Social Science Division
Organization of Eight Departments and Innovations in Required and Elective Courses Described
[This is the second of three articles describing the Divisions of the faculty—theHumanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences.Professor Richardson has served as chairman of the Division of Social Sciences.-ED.]
I HAVE READ my colleague Dargan's excellent article on "Studying the Humanities."
If I had done so earlier I might not have been quite so blithe in accepting your editor's invitation to write this piece. The preceding article will certainly have the desirable effect of shortening mine; not that H. M. trespassed on my preserves, but that he has explained so well the idea of splitting the faculty into three divisions that nothing remains to be said upon that point. Another thing is sure; I cannot hold up my end with Mr. Dargan when it comes to felicity of style. Probably I do not read enough detective stories. But, anyhow, how can a mere politician (and a defeated one at that), or a warmed-over lawyer be expected to be a match for an English Professor?
Coming gradually nearer to the point, I want to set it down that in common with many others I detest the term "Social Sciences" to denominate the studies covered in the various fields which I shall presently enumerate. They are certainly not Sciences. Twenty years of teaching experience has convinced me of that, if nothing else; but neither are they Arts. There does not seem to be any satisfactory term, and a prize might well be offered for just the right suggestion. Dartmouth is not the only college to have had this semantic trouble. Perhaps the whole matter should be referred to Mr. Stuart Chase.
Coming right to the point, there are eight departments in this Division, as follows:
No. of No. of SemesterDepartmet Teachers Courses Offered Administration 1 2 Economics 18 27 Education 3 12 History 13 27 Physical Education 13 Political Science 10 19 Psychology 7 19 Sociology 12 27 Totals 77 133*
* This does not include Social Science 1-2 and 3-4,described later. There are now forty sections in thesetwo courses.
A word had best be said at this point about the Department of Physical Education. This group gives no "courses" except the lectures to freshmen on hygiene; but it has charge of all the physical and recreational activities of the College, except those which are intercollegiate in character. This department might almost equally as well have been assigned to either of the other two "Divisions"; but we are happy to have them with us, and they seem satisfied. Naturally, h owever, most of the subjects with which the Division is concerned are not of special interest to these men; so that perhaps it is fair to describe this department as a kind of "silent partner."
Subtracting these 13 men from the total (77) we have 64 men offering 133 courses. Roughly speaking that is about right. Most of the faculty in this division carry two independent courses of their own.
This of course is in addition to the large number of courses, mostly of an elementary character, which require co-operative effort. For example, during the present semester Economics 1 is in 17 sections, divided up among six members of that department.
During the past three or four years the course offerings within the Division have been considerably enlarged. Just as is the case with the Division of Humanities, our Division serves as a clearing house for these new courses; that is, they all must be approved by the Division before being put into effect. It is, however, probable that all of them would have been adopted without the divisional machinery, and therefore in the case of this Division the real accomplishments are of a different character.
We have embarked upon two projects which are really "divisional." These are (a) the courses called Social Science 1-2 and 3-4, conducted by the cooperative efforts of the Departments of History, Economics, Political Science and Sociology, with a staff of 24. men to which all these departments (plus one "Biographer") contribute, (b) The topical majors.
Readers of Mr. Dargan's article will at once observe that on both these matters, that is, the required freshman cooperative course and the topical majors, our Division has come to the opposite conclusion from the Division of the Humanities. Both of us may be right, our contrary conclusions being warranted by the difference in our fields. Or one of us may be wrong. I am pretty sure that all the members of our Division would concede that our projects are still only in the experimental stage. The amount of consideration which such new educational ideas are receiving among all of us is sufficient evidence that the Dartmouth faculty is an alert and open-minded body.
I am not going to undertake any full description of Social Science 1-2 and 3-4. These courses have had an ALUMNI MAGAZINE article of their own. A brief descriptive review must suffice here.
Social Science 1-2 is properly called "The Development of Modern Social, Economic and Political Institutions." It is a required year course for all freshmen, except such as, by an examination in the fall, show that they are really familiar with the ground covered. There are just two such cases in the class of 1942.
The course is now in its third year. It undergoes constant change. There is no one textbook. Readings come from many authors. Thirteen different books are in use this semester. The students are not required to buy any of them, but do all their reading at the Library. Their only expense is $1.00 which pays for a carefully prepared syllabus of the course for a year. The staff consists of 18 men under the direction of Professor John G. Gazley of the Department of History, known to us as "Der Fuehrer." It is quite unfair to give such an undictatorial soul as Jack Gazley this sobriquet; but if you will subtract out of that term all its sinister connotations, and leave in the good ones, you will come out all right.
The basic reason for the course is that the Divisional faculty believes that the student can be introduced into these subjects more intelligently in this way rather than through the former highly departmentalized courses. Such courses are now "electives" to be taken later, usually in sophomore year.
We are certain that the giving of such a course is a large undertaking. We think it has been fairly successful.
Social Science 3-4, "Contemporary American Institutions" is conducted by Professor Robert E. Riegel and a staff of five others drawn from the same departments. This course is designed primarily to complete the degree requirements for men who do not expect to major in the social sciences. Notice that in it, as in the freshman course, departmental boundaries are broken down.
The "Topical Major" is a plan for doing at the end of the college course substantially what the "Social Science" courses do at the beginning; that is, to break down departmental barriers for students who are "majoring" in the social sciences, and at the same time to provide a program which is respectably unified.
A student may, in the spring of his sophomore year, choose any one of the following four topical majors: 1. International Relations2 Democratic Institutions 3. National Problems—Social and Economic 4. Local Institutions and Problems Take the case of one who has chosen "Democratic Institutions." During junior and senior years he must then take a total of 12 courses selected from a list of about 30 offered by the Departments of History, Economics, Political Science and Sociology. His selections must be approved by the Topical Major committee. This major will be a favorite one for men who are intending to study law.
The reader will appreciate, I hope, that all these devices are employed for the purpose of greater "free trade" among the Social Science departments. The Topical Majors are proving very popular. There are 47 seniors and 84 juniors enrolled in them at present. They are being administered very wisely by a committee under the chairmanship of Professor William A. Robinson.
To the writer, who hopes that eventually the "major" of every student will consist of an approved program of study fitted to his own individual case, under competent advice, these topical majors represent a long stride in the right direction. We seem to have much the same ideal as the Department of Humanities, although they are approaching it by an entirely different path.
In conclusion it may be said that the Divisional arrangement of the Social Sciences has brought about a greater degree of understanding and a fine cooperative spirit among its membership. We hope that this is reflected in better teaching, and maybe in the better preparation of Dartmouth men for the real business of living.
AT A MEETING OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY Four members of the faculty teaching History, a department within the Social ScienceDivision, shown above (in the usual order) Professors Lewis D. Stilwell, Arthur H. Basye,Wayne E. Stevens (chairman), and John R. Williams.
LEADER IN SOCIAL SCIENCE DIVISION Prof. James P. Richardson '99, Parker Professor of Law and Political Science, formerchairman of the Social Sciences, who describes the work of the division.
PROFESSORS OF EDUCATION: WILLIAM F. GEIGER '92 AND (RIGHT) RALPH A. BURNS IN STUDENT CONFERENCES
CHAIRMAN OF DIVISION Prof. Charles L. Stone '17, head of the department of psychology which is includedin the social science division.
PARKER PROFESSOR OF LAW & POLITICAL SCIENCE
