American University - Talon / Aucola Yearbook (Washington, DC)

Page 16 text:

OUR THEME Since this is the only American University in the United States of America, and one of three in the entire world, we the editorial staff of the 1958 TALON felt that a theme dedicated to the great name of our university was appropriate. Hence, the break pages of each section are scenes familiar to us as Americans, from a church in Massachusetts to the Redwoods of California.

Page 15 text:

DEDICATION ...to the King of our Deans DR. HAROLD E. DAVIS, Dean of Undergraduate College A man who has organized many programs and initiated many ideas during his eleven year sojourn at The American University is Dean Harold E. Davis, formerly Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and now Director of Latin American Area Studies in the School of International Service. Dean Davis first came to The American University in 1947. His position at that time was as Chairman of the Department of History. He taught Latin American History and Government, in addition to having jurisdiction over all the courses offered in that area in the College of Arts and Sciences. The following year, he was named Chairman of the Divi- sion of Social Sciences. Relieved of part of his work at the University in 1951 in order to serve on a committee set up jointly by the faculty and the Board of Trustees, he helped to study the basic problems of the University. In 1952, under the direc- tion of Dean Davis, the American Language Center was organized. Since 1953, when he was appointed to the position, Dean Davis has been Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Again in 1958, he was relieved of some duties in order to return to teaching and to do some research on Latin American History and Government. At this time he returned to his former position. Among some of his achievements at The American Uni- versity was the organizing of the Washington Semester Program. He became interested in this idea while he was teaching at Hiram College in Ohio, prior to arriving at A. U. He was interested in the idea of bringing students to Washington to study government in action. Dean Davis also worked out, in conjunction with the faculty, a program of general education or what is more commonly known to students as basic requirements. Another project, the outcome of which has pleased him, is that of the system of student counseling. In this he has worked with the Orientation Board. He has also set up a daytime, undergraduate Communications Department which previously had been composed entirely of evening classes and was for graduate students. The new Family Life Program is still another project attributable to the efforts of Dean Davis. A contributor and co-author of over a dozen books, he has also written many of his own. These include: Makers of Democracy, Latin American Leaders, Garfield of Hiram. and his latest, just published, Government and Politics in Latin America. Dean Davis has com- pleted 34 years of teach- ing. The American Univer- sity can justly be proud of a man who has devoted his service towards the bet- terment of the College; a man such as Dean Harold E. Davis.

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ADMINISTRATION AND FACULTY INDEPENDENCE HALL A cornerstone of American democracy, symbol of the cornerstone of our campus . . . Philadelphia, Penna.