Lynn Expects Approval Of Photography at VAC

A member of the Committee on Educational Policy said Sunday that the committee will probably approve proposals for photography courses in the Visual Arts Center next year, and predicted that visual studies may eventually become a field of concentration.

"I think photography is a legitimate field of intellectual inquiry," stated Kenneth S. Lynn, associate professor of English and CEP member. "These courses seem to me the most exciting thing that has happened around here in some time and I suspect other members of the committee agree with me."

The proposed courses are Visual Studies 140 and 141. A tentative outline for the courses includes the study of light, how forms are delineated by light, and actual work in taking and developing pictures.

Lynn said that the main problem right now is to relate the new courses to a field of concentration. He pointed out that photography is a complicated science as well as an art form, and thus visual studies might eventually become a separate field of concentratation.

"But it's smart to offer these courses without a field of concentration at first to give us a chance to see what develops. We will have a better idea of what to do with courses in visual studies after next year," he said.

Lynn also said that in the future there might be a General Education course in visual studies.

The proposed photography courses represent no departure from past educational policy at Harvard, Lynn asserted. "The photography courses are merely an extension of what has been going on for some time in fields like Architectual Sciences," he said.

"Although these new courses will be conducted in workshop sessions and will not have final exams, they are not a new departure," he said.