Davidson College - Quips and Cranks Yearbook (Davidson, NC)

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If You Didn ' t Read About It In Humes . . . If you enjoy reading and if you want a broad introduction to the interaction of ideas, institutions, and inventions that have contri- buted to Western culture as you encounter it today. Humanities is for you. Since 1962, Davidson has offered, to al- most one third of the student body, a two- year, interdisciplinary course entitled Human- ities. This course, which utilizes lectures, dis- cussion groups, and an extensive reading list in order to expose students to many different p oints of view, is characterized in the bro- chure as, an exploration of the historical, religious, literary, philosophical, political, eco- nomic and artistic aspects of the life of West- ern Man. To the Humanities students them- selves, however, the best explanation comes in the form of the simple adage, If you didn ' t read about it in Humes, it probably didn ' t happen. In other words, it covers just about every- thing. To many, this is Humanities ' greatest flaw; it tries to cover too much too fast. The result, observes Professor Peter Krentz, is that inevitably it is somewhat superficial, and the biggest danger is students thinking they know more in the end than they do. This is a valid criticism, but Professor Tony Abbott adds, Humanities is designed to give the student a broad intellectual base, and it can be argued that those who have a Humes background will do a better job studying the specifics in other courses. Dr. Abbott goes on to praise the Davidson program, and its students, as a model. He concludes, howev- er, that just because it is an admired model, it doesn ' t mean that it is a model that every school can follow; you need good students to carry it off. There will always be dissenting opinions as to the makeup of the course syllabus: what to include, how long to spend on each work, etc. One thing remains evident, however, Hu- manities is popular and worthwhile. A poll taken in 1968, and again in 1973, showed that of the juniors and seniors questioned, over ninety-three per cent would recommend the program to others and would take it again if given the opportunity. And its popularity continues to grow. This year, the ceiling was lifted from 119 seats to 144 in an effort to accomodate more of the 160 freshmen who designated Humanities as their first choice during registration. Humanities is popular be- cause it is recognized as a worthwhile basis for a liberal arts education; it forces students to read critically, to synthesize historical events and their characteristic philosophies and trends, and to communicate their ideas clearly and logically through discussion and essays. The Humanities department also encour- ages students to recognize the significance of the works and ideas explored to their every- day lives. Second year Humes students find Thoreau particularly appropriate to their Da- vidson situation when in Walden he explains, The consequence is, that while the Human- ities student is reading Adam Smith, Ricardo, and Say, he runs his father in debt irretrieva- bly. -Tracy Thompson SECOrtD-YEAR VETERANS OF THE PROGRAM. John Eley and Dave Carpent discuss the preceding weeks lectures and readings. Discussions play a vital role in the Humanities Program. AN IMPORTANT FEATURE of the Humanities Program, the discussion group provides an outlet for students ' views. Jere Roy Fuller considers the point being made. IN THE DOME ROOM Charlie Lovett and 143 (supposed ly) fellow freshman listen attentively to a lecture by one of the first year Humanities staff. Academics 21

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ȴ MAKING HERSELF COMFORTABLE. Juleigh Sitton settles In for one more Humanities lecture in Perkins Auditorium Humanities classes meet together as one large group for lectures. A BRIEF PAUSE in notetaking allows Curlin Reed to reflect on tfie material at hand. Students in the Human- ities program are encouraged to pull all the diverse mate rial together into one concise idea about a period of history. 20 STGDENT LIFE

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EXPLORING NEW MEDIUMS, swim coach Pat Miller doubles as a volleyball coach for the physical education department. BRUSHING UP ON GRACE AND POISE are the intent members of Davidson ' s ballet class. Both beginning and advanced classes are offered to students throughout the year. 22 STUDENT LIFE