Core Standing Committee Reviews History Courses

Bernard Bailyn, chairman of the History Subcommittee for the Core Curriculum, yesterday presented to the Standing Committee on the Core possible history courses for next year's program.

Although committee members generally approved of Bailyn's proposals, they agreed yesterday to postpone voting on courses until all subcommittees submit a final listing of possible courses for the Core's first year, Edward T. Wilcox, spokesman for the Standing Committee, said yesterday.

Hush, Hush

Bailyn said that most of the proposed courses are completely new, but he declined to describe specific courses.

Wilcox said Bailyn discussed about five broad survey courses which would fulfill the first half of the Core history requirement--"Historical Orientation to the Present." These classes should examine a global aspect of the modern world.

Nancy Northrop '81, a member of the history subcommittee, however, said yesterday that many of the history courses under consideration are "take-offs" on courses now offered by the Faculty.

Northrop further said that several graduate school courses may be adapted to the Core. For instance, she said, the history subcommittee is now recruiting a Business School professor to teach Core courses.

"Many of the other subcommittees are having trouble recruiting professors to teach Core courses, but we've had a mass of response from interested professors," she added.

Second Look

At its last meeting, the standing committee requested additional information about 10 to 15 courses proposed by the subcommittee on Literature and the Arts.

W. Jackson Bate '39, the chairman of that subcommittee, yesterday gave the standing committee additional information on the content and requirements of those courses.

Call to Arms

The committee will begin reviewing Core courses in two more areas--Social and Philosophical Analysis and Foreign Languages and Cultures--in two weeks.

Wilcox said he expects the group to vote on all the subcommittee reports before the mid-March deadline for next year's course catalogue.

The committee wants the Faculty to offer four or five courses in each of the Core's five areas next year.