English: Tutorial vs. Courses?

Perhaps it is not coincidental that the English Department has fully implemented its program of tutorial-for-everyone at the same time that its list of middle-group courses is the smallest in many years. Although the Department expects to have between 720 and 730 concentrators from Harvard and Radcliffe, this year's catalogue includes only 13 half-units of middle-group English instruction, as opposed to 19 in both 1958-59 and 1959-60.

This fall marked the fulfillment of the English Department's aim of giving tutorial to all interested students, whether in Honors or non-Honors. Thus approximately two-thirds of the Department's tutorial staff are involved in non-Honors work, and the average work-load is at its highest level since World War II. More-over, if the current program meets with favor, the Department will ask to have more men put into tutorial next year.

Walter J. Bate, Chairman of the Department, admitted that he receives complaints about omitted courses every year, but claimed that the level of protest was not significantly higher this fall. He pointed out that English instructors generally double up, teaching different courses in alternate years. Tutorial for credit knocks off two courses from the number that Honors candidates must take, Bate argued, and there is "not much duplication" among middle-group courses presently offered.

Other members of the English Department have observed that the shortage of courses is due to coincident sabbaticals and a changing faculty, but some have frankly admitted surprise. Whatever the excuse or justification, it seems that the dwindling number of courses is indicative of a trend, one that is particularly unfair to students outside the Department and to some non-Honors English concentrators. Even as a one-year phenomenon, it has disappointed many people.

If these developments in English reflect a switch in educational philosophy, from reliance on courses to increased emphasis on tutorial, perhaps this change in ideals should be taken under closer scrutiny. As a future policy for the English Department, or for the College as a whole, it just might not be a totally good thing.