DePauw University - Mirage Yearbook (Greencastle, IN)

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Deipartmen In the university world of shadowy ideals it is a note- worthy fact that the German Department deems its ideal a thing to make real. The prosaic phrase, '4The German I-Iouse,', contains this ideal. True, the abstraction has not yet become concrete, yet there is not a Freshman in the department, even though he is still struggling with the alphabet, who has not heard of 44The German House-3' idea. This is the plan: Built on the campus, its red tile roof, the dormer windows and overhanging balconies will make it decidedly German in appearance and set it in marked contrast with the other buildings. The Doric strength and beauty of its lines will be in harmony with the elegance within. The library will occupy, of course, a prominent place, for already the Bence Library is a large beginning. Then the auditorium will occupy the second floor, an auditorilun with a stage upon which '4Die Jungfraun and 4iEmilia Galottin may be enacted. This is not all. There will be a club-room and a dining-room for das Kaffeeklatsehen. This, in the rough, is The German Housew idea, and at present it merely symbolizes the spirit of the department. It is, in truth, a ufi01'll12l-117, department-Gerl man i11 ideals and tendencies, as though a Ger- man gymnasium had become a part of DePauw University. And it finds favor in the eyes of the students. Every summer students of this department tramp through Germany, only to return better pleased with their Work here. 1: of German Every fall 150 students enter the beginning course, and it is but a comparative short time before they, too, become imbued with the German spirit. The whole de- partment fosters this tendency. The German Club, Das Deutsche Bund, contributes to it, and, of course, the eur- riculum tends to make for the German spirit. The perusal of Storm's 'tImmensee,,' the study of Schiller and Lessing, familiarity with Goethe, and finally, the supplementary study of the modern school, brings the student into a comparatively wide knowledge of not only German liter- ature, but German life and customs, German ideals, and, best of all, the lofty and austere German character. I-Ierr Professor Harry B. Longdon, who is at the head of the German Department, has been teaching German for many years. To him belongs '4The German House idea. He studied for some time at a German university, is a member of the Goethe Gesellschaft, and is above all else a DePauw man. It is significant that the ma- jority of the great DePauw men of the last gen- eration have come under the influence of Pro- fessor Longdonas personality. It is noteworthy that the students of this de- partment receive the rudiments of the language under Associate Professor Minna M. Kern. Miss Kern has lately published a little volume, 'tGerman Stories Retoldf' which reveals her genius as a teacher and her noble woman- hood. Paige 13

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Department of French French is the language of diplomacy. It is, too, the language of the comedy, the short story and the novel. But, aside from its cosmopolitan and literary value, French has a practical value. The political economist, the sociologist, the man interested in finance, can ill afford to neglect the study of the French language, for France is the home of these great sciences. The aim of the Department of French at DePauw Uni- versity is, iirst of all, to give the students a mastery of the language. The courses are planned primarily with this in view. But to accomplish this the students are necessarily led into a field of French literature, and when the people in the department have iinished Hugo's 4'Les Miserables,'l if their inclinations are such, they are capable of taking up the more technical and scientific publications or doing research work in the realm of finance. Beginners in the Department of French are started by practice in pronunciation. The phonetic script is used to aid them in acquiring proficiency in this task. They are also given simple exercises in gram- mar, and by the end of the year are translating easy French selections. This course is followed by higher composition and grammar work, and much time is given to the idioms of the lan- guage. The aim is to impart the faculty of reading. The greatest number of authors pos- sible is assigned for practice. The list includes productions from such well-known literary men as Daudet, Fartarinde, Farascon, L'Ahle, Constantin, Dumas, and others equally as well known. The student then takes up advanced composition, mak- ing a careful study of Victor Hugols ttLes Miscrablesf' '4Ruy Blasv and some selected poems. This will be fol- lowed by a study of the drama. Selections from Racine, Corneille and Moliere will be translated by the class and some effort will be made to learn the technic of their dra- matic productions. The last work required is reading and reports from the class on some phase of the history of French literature. The Department of French is in the charge of Miss Rose Francoise La item. By her mastery of the language from her thorough acade111ic training, and hcr study in France and other centers of European learning, she is eminently well fitted to preside over the department. But, in addition to her scholar- ship, Miss Laitem is a thoroughly likeable woman, and enjoys the confidence of her stu- dents to an unusual degree. She is the Dean of Women, and has a wide acquaintance among the college women. S ? Page 12

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Department of. Greek Are you a lover of the beautiful? And would you know the SOLIPCQ of beauty? Then study Greek. Do you like poetry? And would you know the home of poetry? Then, again, study Greek. Are you interested in lan- guage? And do you desire to find a perfect language? To you comes the answer: Study Greek. iVould you have mental discipline? Do you want. a keen, logical, analyt- ical, and, above all, an accurate mind? Then, by all means, study Greek. For it is these things that the Department of Greek stands for at DePauw. To make you a Greek scholar, to enable you to appreciate Grecian poetry, oratory, philos- ophy and beauty-that is one of the things intended. But, secondarily, if you do not care for this and want training in sound and precise thinking, then the department gives you opportunity for such training. While the physician, the engineer, the lawyer or the business man will find the study of this language val- uable, yet it will be of ample value to the teacher and to the minister. The teachers, especially those who do not intend to specialize in the sciences, should have at least a working knowledge of Greek. To obtain higher degrees i11 literature, language and philosophy in many universities, the students must have Greek credits. And to this class the depart- ment administers. Ministers, too, are given special attention. lt is trite to say a preacher should study Greek. It has come to be an essential in his professional Page 14 training. The department is of especial value to such students. Dr. Swahlen gives such students especial atten- tion and has his course arranged for their benefit. The charge is often made that the Greek language is hard. That is not true at DePauw. That it takes study and hard work to master the language is, of course, true. But any student of ordinary persistence and intelligence can easily master it. Doctor Swahlen has a system of instruction that eliminates all the difficulties. His maps, outlines and charts, and his clear and lucid lectures make the study of this most perfect language interesting, in- structive and pleasant. Doctor Swahlen may well be called the grand old man of the DePauw faculty. He has followed the profession of the teacher for forty-two years, and twenty-two of these years have been spent at DePauw University. His par- ents were of German descent, and the Doctor is an accom- plished German, as well as Greek, scholar. From the University of Pennsylvania Doctor Swahlen received both his master and doctoris degree. In 1867 he was elected to the chair of Greek and German at McKendree College, Lebanon, Illinois, and in 1873 became president of the same school. Doctor Swahlen, in 1887, was elected president of Kansas VVes- leyan University and professor of Greek at DePauw. He accepted the last named position, and although he has had many attractive offers, he has preferred to remain with the school.