Fields of Concentration

Equipped with the strongest faculty in the country, the Classics Department showed a definite increase in enrollment over last year. Practically all of the concentrators are candidates for honors, and the inherent difficulty of the field precludes the possibility of drifting through. Concentrators feel. however, that the interest and enjoyment derived from a study of ancient Greek and Latin is ample compensation for this. Although the number of faculty men is large in proportion to the number of concentrators, the scope of the field demands a great many courses, and any reduction of the faculty would necessitate the omission of several valuable courses.

Because of the magnitude of the field itself, tutorial is of great importance. Many periods of which a knowledge is necessary for divisionals cannot adequately be covered by courses, and consequently must be done with tutors. The general standard of tutors is on a high plane, but since most of the tutorial is done with younger men, the experience and knowledge of seasoned scholars would be even more valuable. Further, the younger men are pressed with the duties of giving courses and doing research, a situation which hampers possibilities of sufficient tutorial.

Although in the past, an over-emphasis was made on the pure translation, the intellectual and critical point of view is now stressed in a far greater degree. This tendency is a happy one since pre-college preparation in both Latin and Greek tends to be insufficient for a comprehensive study of Virgil, Ovid, Homer and Sophocles. The students are al- lowed to spend more class time on the literature of the Classies.

Students who have not had previous training in Greek are advised not to enter this field since Greek G the elementary course, though well given, is dull and difficult. Greek 12 and Greek 8 are recommended as good preparation for divisionals. Greek B, although suffering from the common defects of all survey courses, provides ample coverage of Plato and the Lyric poets.

Although a more complete knowledge of Latin is usually acquired in preparatory schools, the same warning to novices applies in this branch of the Classics. Latin 8, and 1, are advised for divisionals. Latin B is a valuable course for men outside the field as well as concentrators as Professor Rand links the poetry read in class with the literature of all languages in his delightful lectures. The field as a whole is well covered and provides good preparation for divisionals if supplemented by adequate tutorial.

Concentrators comments on the members of the faculty follow:

Jackson--one of the best scholars of the department, a good teacher and lecturer, but slightly pedantic and at times out of touch with his classes.

Einarson--excellent scholar--learned and lively teacher, but inexperienced.

Finley--Interested and enthusiastic teacher--makes the field popular by bringing interesting material into lectures--lectures slightly digressive.

Post--One of best teachers and lecturers.

Murphy--good tutor and teacher but uninspired.

Little--poor tutor and teacher--dogmatic, monopolizes class discussions Excellent research man.

Rand--excellent and inspiring teacher and scholar of the old school.

Greene Good tutor, but dull and podantic lecturer runs over the hour. Good but exacting tutor an authority on Aristotle and Plato.

Else--uninteresting and inexperienced lecturer but has good knowledge of subject--very capable tutor.

Pease--well organized but uninspired lectures--covers material in uninteresting fashion--thorough research man.

Hammond--Excellent in field of Roman History--slightly pedantic in lectures good, although strict tutor--very busy man, and therefore frequently inaccessible