DePauw University - Mirage Yearbook (Greencastle, IN)

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Department of hetoric and English omposition It is strange that, in a practical age, English Composi- tion often is taught by theory. Too frequently the belief is held that if students discuss figures of speech, if they examine minutely the structure of paragraphs, they will come into the mastery of style as though skill was ac- quired by speculation. If the Department of Rhetoric insists upon any one thing, it is practicalness in the study of English Composition. As a result, many thousands themes tl1'0 written during the yea1'. Rhetoric is required of first-year students, and fully 300 enter the department each term. The beginner is well grounded in the princi- ples of writing. and then is told 'cto practice, practice, practicef' It is needless to say that this method brings fruitful results. The Freshman course includes outline theory of Rhet- oric, Narrative and Descriptive Composition, and Expos- itory Composition. ln all, nineteen courses are offered in this depa1'tment, and major students have a chance to study Anglo-Saxon, the History of the English Language, as well as the fundamental princi- ples of style and composition. Among the advanced courses of this curri- culum are six t7, S, 9, 10, 11, IQJ courses which contain the germ of the .Tournalistic Depart- ment of the University. Courses 7, 8, 9 are Page 22 designated as Newspaper-writing, and courses 10, 11, 12 have to do with the 4'Making of a Newspaper, 'tHis- tory of American Journalism,,' and seminar work on vital subjects. The t'DePauw Daily affords a chance for practical newspaper work. ln the future new courses will be added to this journalistic curriculum, which will lead to a degree in Journalism, perhaps. The Rhetoric and .lournalistic Library is just now in the making. The shelves are being filled rapidly with authoritative books. Almost every journalistic work pub- lished is possessed by this 'isemf' There is a card cat- alogue. Professor Nathaniel lfVaring Barnes has the chair of Rhetoric and English Composition. l-le is a Columbia man, securing both his bachelor and master degrees at the New York University. lVhat the Rhetoric Depart- ment is today is largely due to Professor Barnes, enter- prise and ability. The chair was founded at his coming, and it is he who is making the precedents and building the traditions of the department. He is popular with the undergraduates. Miss Miriam Low, who is instructor in this department, has an A.l3. degree from Iowa State College, and a master deg1'ee from the University of Chicago.

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tminimum of Mathematics is required, the aim Department As long as man has been on earth he has been curious to know the laws of nature. It is the duty of Physics to explain the why and wherefore of natural phenomena. Physic has not served alone as a means of gratifying the idle curiosity of man. This is the age of science, and to defend the study of science would be worse than useless. Our nation is bound together by copper wires and parallel bars of steel. A message is sent to England instantan- eously as a result of mants progress in the study of phys- ics. IVires are even dispensed with, and ether, that mys- terious fluid which pervades all space, is made the servant of man. Science has earned as large a place in a liberal education as that held by literature, and no one can call its influence narrowing. DePauw University is well equipped for the study of Physics. The south wing of Minshall Laboratory, equipped with dark-rooms, constant temperature rooms, and piers, is assigned to the Department of Physics. This laboratory is especially well equipped with of Physics being to give the student such general scientific knowledge as everyone should have. The second and third year,s work is on a strictly scientific basis, while during the fourth year the student works on some special topic and prepares a thesis embodying the results of his work and reading. In this way tl1e habit of true scientific research is formed. Professor J. N. Naylor, A.M., was born at Malta, Ohio. He did his undergraduate work at Adrian, Michigan. He received the degree of A.M. pro merito at Indiana Uni- versity in 1885. He has taught two years at Indianapolis, was the Assistant Professor at Indiana University for three years, and since 1891 has been Professor of Physics at DePauw. Professor Naylor is a Fellow of the Indiana Academy of Sciences, a member of the Scientific Teachers' Association, and of the American Association for the Ad- vancement of Science. Wfhile at DePauw he has made his laboratory work very popular and profitable by standards for accurate measurements, gal- vanometers, interferometers, bridges, etc. The first year's work is devoted to a study of the fundamental principles of Physics. A the many pieces of apparatus which he himself has devised for certain experiments. His de- partment is a very popular one with the stud- dents, and his personality has endeared him to many who have taken work under him. Page 21

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MIRIAM LOW Instructor in Rhe boric FRANK ELBERT WATSON Instructor in Biology Cxqsslblam' Trofessors and nsiruciors MINNA M. KERN Associate Professor of German MINNA LUCILE MATERN Instructor in German DADE BEE SHEARER Instructor in Latin and English Literature DR. CECIL NORTH Who is to have Chair of 'Sociology