CRIMSON CONFIDENTIAL GUIDE

Fine Arts 1a

In a consideration of Fine Arts 1a it must be first thoroughly understood that the course demands a great deal of time and effort. In spite of this, or perhaps partly because of this, 1a is a splendid introduction to the field of Fine Arts. The lectures during the first half-year, given by Professor Pope assisted by Mr. Feild, outline the principles of drawing, painting, and design in a concrete and intelligent fashion, and they establish the vocabulary which is used in the later part of the course in analysis of the great masters of the historical schools of painting.

Closely related with the lectures is the outside drawing work. The principle of imitation of the great masters, leading one from China and Japan, through Greece and the Renaissance down to Turner almost in our own day gives one a tangible and permanent understanding and admiration of their greatness. In addition to copying one is also required to put into execution the principles of design and color which one has studied in theory in the lectures. Besides its value as a preparatory course for those who are going further in Fine Arts, 1a is the best of the introduction courses for those who only want to acquire an intelligent and critical attitude toward painting.

Fine Arts 1c

Since the material of this course is conveyed almost entirely in the lectures, its success has been in large part the result of Professor Chase's pleasing personality and solid lecture method. Most of the time up to November Hours is spent in a study of the rather esoteric arts of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Prehistoric Greece, but the body of the course is devoted to the Great Age of Greece; the student is given a detailed discussion of the buildings of the Athenian Acropolis and of the sculptural works of the six greatest Greek sculptors. Roman art is discussed cursorily just before the end of the half-year, and the course concludes with the monuments of the Age of Constantine. Because Professor Chase is primarily an archaeologist, the approach to the important monuments is archaelogical rather than aesthetic; the subject matter is seldom pedantic, and is continually enlivened with mythological and anecdotal detail.

Semi-weekly section meetings are spent almost entirely in quizzes on the lectures, and most of the work of the course consists of memorizing slides and learning the characteristics of the men and the periods. The course, though hardly a "snap," is not difficult, and offers a pleasant and reasonably thorough review of one of the greatest periods of art and sculpture.

French B

This course is only for the most intrepid sould who pride themselves either upon linguistic ability or blind courage. Freshmen who have not heard that French B is one of the most difficult courses in College usually take it in a fit of ambition to pass off language requirements rapidly. Occasionally, however, an unusual upperclassman accepts the challenge to learn all the grammar in a few months, read 1500 pages of moderately difficult literature, and attend sessions five times a week under Dr. Herrick's tutelage.

As a survey or rapid review of the elements of French it is unexcelled. It may be taken by students who wish to brush up on the language for one course credit. Although the daily classes are necessarily tedious, the personality of the instructor does a great deal to relieve the grind.

French 1

There is, in French 1, a choice between various methods of learning the principle parts of the verb "ennuyer." One can choose Mr. Kelsey as an instructor, and be bored with attempts to liven the classes with French geography and American social problems; one can choose Mr. Harvey and be bored with an interminable succession of "n'est-ce pas?'s." Or one can choose one of the other instructors with less developed technique, and take his chances on the method of boredom. It doesn't matter much in the end; one goes to as many classes as the Dean requires, and somehow by the end of the year one has osmotically infused enough French to pass the reading requirement.

The work consists of class reading, outside reading, and lessons in grammar. The selection of material for reading is on the whole good, but a method of teaching it in such a manner as to make it seem alive has not yet been worked out and probably never will be. The grammar can only be called a necessary nuisance. On the whole the modicum of French which will suffice to get a passing grade is surprisingly small, and the instructors have a happy habit of easing up on the final examination. Those who are not far enough advanced to take French 2, and lack the initiative to learn French by reading it, have no alternative but to take a deep breath, plunge in, and hope to rise at the end from a wearisome swim in murky waters.

French 2

Although stiffer in its entrance requirements than French 1, French 2 is of the same unfortunate lik. Occasional compositions in French, and an attempt briefly to survey the masterpieces of that tongue give it more appearance of coherence and raison d'etre than its unhappy companion, but the attitude of all concerned is one of absolute indifference and utter ennui.

French 1 and 2 are eloquent substantiations of the charge that elementary language courses have no place in the College curriculum. But language requirements must be met, and some provision must be made for the failings of secondary schools in this department. Separated, these courses have been elementary to the extreme. The logical remedy would be to combine the merits of both, put the new course under intelligent active guidance, and hire able instructors.

French 6

Because of the fact that French 6 is divided into four sections, two French and two English, only those men in the French sections have the privilege of hearing the colorful yet meaty lectures of Professor Morize and Allard on French literature from the 12th century to the present day. Although the other sections are conducted by able enough men, their presentation of the hasty survey, approximately 12 lectures on the leading writers of each century, is naturally not as vivid and detailed yet at the same time as comprehensive as that of Professor Morize, who is a romantic at heart, and is inclined to resent the disparaging remarks made by members of other departments about Victor Hugo, or of Professor Allard, whose inimitable fashion of talking attracts many students.

In spite of the fact that the mechanics of the course demand endless reading reports and "lectures obligatoires," which harass the student before frequent hour exams, the outside reading itself is carefully picked to include the best works of each period, and can be made thoroughly enjoyable if not done under pressure.

French 9

For a course taken by so many men in the concentration field of Romance languages, this logical sequence of French 6 fails to hit the mark by a considerable distance. By this statement it is not intended to signify that the subjects are not covered properly in Professor Wright's lectures; there is no question that purely as a preparation for divisional exams this course on the seventeenth century is amply sufficient. However, nodding heads over many desks indicate that a number of students are far from thrilled by the words of the lecturer, but rather are lulled to sleep.

Two theses are required during the year. Corneille, Racine, and Moliere consume the greatest amount or time both inside and outside the classroom, but the reading of their plays is well worth while. Most of the other writers of less fame are covered in more or less sketchy fashion which does not interest the student to any considerable extent in either the lecture or the subject. Too many of the facts brought out, for facts are regrettably the mainstay of the talks, are ones which the hearers have usually heard once before. Perhaps a more satisfactory system would be that used in French 8, where the lesser writers are often passed over entirely both in lectures and reading, which gives time for the others to be covered more pleasantly and fully. Taken in sum, it is a useful course to have had, but one takes it rather for the reading than for the lectures.

Geology 4

If one has an interest in nature and a curiosity as to how the earth's features were formed, he should appreciate and enjoy Professor Mather's course. Of course, as in all elementary sciences the new and unfamiliar technique to be mastered and the arbitrary manner of setting forth principles and facts to be memorized is apt to repel the would be scientist. In spite of the popular conceptions of geologists in boy scout uniforms, hammering at rocks or partly fossilized among their dried bones and museum specimens, this is one of the most stimulating of the sciences. It teaches one to think in terms of great stretches of space and time and even the minutiae of the science lead directly to its broader and more general conclusions. The origin and ages of mountains, the reasons for volcanoes, glaciers, ocean basins and continental masses can hardly be called picayune material of interest only to the specialist.

German A

The remarks on French 1 and 2, printed above, may be applied with equal validity to German A. The course is useful chiefly as an argument against the existence of the language requirements and as a condemnation of a secondary school system which leaves the teaching of elementary language courses to the colleges. This criticism is not original. The professor in charge of the course deplores at the opening meeting the necessity of giving the course at all, and it is only too evident throughout the year that the instructors share his views. Besides those who take the course to pass off their language requirements, there is a minority who really want a knowledge of the tongue. It is right that they should be forewarned, for they will most likely be disappointed.

German B

Occasionally a man is a course and a course is a man, and so wedded are the two that separation of them defies the greatest feats of imagination. So it is with German B. Without Dr. Herrick the tremendous scope and perfect efficiency of the course is inconceivable; with him it remains an eighth wonder. Dr. Herrick is a born pedagog, inspiring, able to induce a desire for knowledge and to get results. He has a wealth of anecdotal and related information which makes the driest, application of Grimm's law or the third rule for the use of the subjunctive less grim, and the dullest passage of Immensee romantic and entrancing; still he tolerates few irrelevant digressions. His sympathy with his students is that of a man who understands their difficulties and makes the path as smooth as possible, yet he never slights thoroughness.

Any student beginning German may be honestly advised to substitute German B for the spotty inefficiencies of German A. For an instructor he will have a master rather than a tyro; in subject matter he will find that the dull necessities are compressed to a tight, clear, concise does made palatable by the chocolate chicle of interesting relevancies. Further, and most important, he will compress into one year the stupid translation which occupies the unenlightened who take German A, German 1, and German 2; he will be able at the end of a year of vigorous, stimulating effort, to go to more important courses, German 3, 4, 9, 26a, and justify the pair of A's or B's earned in German B by successful competition with the best of deutschen Bucherfreunde.

German 2

Students anxious to retain in their minds the general reading knowledge of German which they may have gathered in German A or 1A will find their desires fulfilled in this course of German 2, in which the prep school style of conducting the class is offset by some rather valuable reading in Goethe, Schiller, Lessing, Thomas Mann, and other famous writers of past or present times.

Daily prepared reading is supplemented by a book of outside reading to be done about every month and a half. Tests come with a lamentable frequency which necessitates doing considerable work on the books in question. There is no composition work; a slight amount of oral dictation is the only writing done. On the whole the course can certainly not be called interesting because of the class drudgery, nor on the other hand can it be called hard unless one finds German way over his head. No particular advance in the style of conducting the class or in the work chosen can be found over German 1A.