Emerson College - Emersonian Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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THE EMERSONIAN 1 4 Emerson College as an ' Educational Force Much may be, and has been, said in regard to the location of the col- lege in historic and cultured Bost.m, and of tlie great ad ' .antages which come to a student from this environment. All this is true; but true also of any other institution in this city. Rather would we emjihasize in this article some of the special, strong and unique advantages which the Kmerson College of Oratory possesses in itself and jiresents to its students. It is not simply an elocution school or a series of studies where students are taught to “speak iiieces and jiresent the thoughts of others. A ' hen this is said we have placed ourselves outside the ranks of the ninety and nine other schools, bearing kindred names, and stand facile pri nrps in the list of the few leading schools that make English studies, expressional . interpretative and cre- ative tk.eir major presentation. To enter the college as a regular student the same (pialilications as for any liberal art college are recpiired. The a erage student, however, is more mature than the average college student : as age with us is no grade or cri- terion. .Students from si.xteen to si.xty recite in the same classes. Ilere may be found the students just graduated from high school, the college professor on a year ' s leave of absence, sjiecial students from llarvard or Boston universities, teachers with ten or more years ' experience, and those who are looking hope- fully to such service or to other iields where personality and self-e.x])rcssion count. The college is a very cosmoiiolitan school; which is an educational ad- vantage worth recognizing. It is no uncommon thing to tind in me year students from forty different states and foreign countries. The Canadian Club usually presents a membershij) of twenty-live, and the South is “solid with more than twice that number. Vcnces from Xew England, Oklahoma, the I’acific States, and the I’rovinces, are heard daily in onr class rooms. There is no o])p(jrtunity for narrowness or provincialism in such surroundings.

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EMERSON COLLEGE

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THE EMERSONIAN 1 5 Of these students a large number are college graduates, or have had normal or partial college courses before coming to Emerson. The work done by them here has won recognition from the old and conservative colleges which grant their degrees, in course, to graduates who are pursuing advanced work under our instruction. Here the speech arts find a home in company with physical and vocal training. Psychology, logic, rhetoric and composition are taught as in liberal- arts colleges, with the added teaching values of normal schools; while anato- my, physiology and hygiene, physical and vocal culture surpass in many ways that taught elsewhere. No matter what a student’s previous training in English has been he finds here new fields for investigation and expression. To write original dra- matic work, and to stage it; to give adecpiate interpretation to worthy writ- ings, to take part in debate or public speaking in an earnest and dignified way, and to express one’s own, or another ' s, thoughts and feelings in a vital and artistic manner, is taught all who p rsue the regular course. Our work is always with that which is of educational value. Only the best is studied; whether it be the writings of orator, essayist, poet or dra- matist. Thus the students soon develope criteri a of taste and judgment that lead them to instructiveh- avoid the trivial or mere tricious. Spontaneity in ex- pression is sought for, so that they learn to “give” and to “lend” instead of becoming receptacles for holding the thoughts of others. Heli)fulness is the key-note of all the college work; for all study is from the teacher ' s point of view, — to be able to present it to others. Not only are the students privileged to study daily with a body of cultivated and enthusiastic teachers, but in the weekly lectures from Doctors Rolfe, Griggs, Burton, Winship, Mead, and others of no less note, they come in closest contact with masterly presentations of highest themes by scholarly and inspiring men. Ability to handle audiences and classes is characteristic of the Emer- son graduate. To name the institutions where the college has sent her sons and daughters to teach and lead, would be to call the roll of the leading col- leges, academies, high and normal schools, from Harvard to the younger