Principia College - Sheaf Yearbook (Elsah, IL)

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Serving as a basic part of the liberal arts educa- tion, the RELIGION and PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT strives to prepare the student as a Christian Scien- tist to better understand his own religion Within the context of other philosophies and theologies, and to give the student an insight on the interrelationship of philosophy to the other academic disciplines. Learning to apply logic and reason effectively should aid a better understanding--not only to our own thoughts and values, but also of our relationship to humanity, the state, and God. Course Work within the DEPARTMENT of ECO- NOMICS and BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION helps the student to learn to identify and analyze real-world problems, to develop and to evalutate solutions for these problems. In this process, the student must use and expand his capacity for clear, logical, and effective thinking--the touchstone of a liberal educa- tion. The student is required to utilize his skills in communication, in persuasion, and in working with othersg he is encouraged to develop qualities of re- sourcefulness and imaginativeness which are es- sential to all creative effort. Because the student is studying human behavior, a heightened perception of the meaning and determination of value leads him to a consideration of moral values and social responsi- bility, as well as the traditional economic aspect of value. 211 4 In the ART HISTORY DEPARTMENT, we strive to understand the way in which man communicates with his art. The ideas and feelings expressed, the objectives, and the evolution and development of styles are con- sidered in the past and present. We must in- clude the historical, philosophical, religious, and social backgrounds if we are to achieve a fuller understanding of art.

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One of the aims of Principia College is to provide our students with the opportunity for direct contact with cultures other than those which our student body normally represents. The purpose of the OFFICE OF INTERCULTURAL STUDIES is to set up programs so designed as to bring the student into first-hand contact with such a culture and to lead him, through personal experience, to a comparative study of the two cultures. GEOLOGY, as one of the Natural Sciences, has al- ways been one of the liberal arts Cliberating artsj. It was early called natural history which has since been subdivided into a number of disciplines. The naniral sciences are at the core of the traditional liberal arts. How much more relevant can you get? An ability to analyze the text of the play is basic to the interpretation of dramatic literature whether that interpretation be in production or in criticism. Con- sequently, the core of the major in DRAMA is the study of dramatic literature. 23

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The study of literature deals directly with hu- man life. Nowhere else in the curriculum is there such a thorough going discussion of the mingled yarn of life as it is lived--not abstract- ed by statistics, philosophy, or historical con- structs. Literature probes into the emotions, conflicts, decisions, and values, and depicts the ways of meeting these challenges. Instead of the bare bones of mathematics, philosophy, sci- ence, or politicsg literature offers the full structure of life, with the flesh, skin, culture, and habits. Hence, the ENGLISH DEPARTMENT affords training in the less definable aspects of life, and education in human values. . L' L.. Since the EDUCATION DEPARTMENT is pri- marily concerned with learning - -with how one learns--with learning as individual growth-- the majority of its courses are relevant to non- majors as Well as to majors in the field. Learning is approached as a present experi- ence as well as a process to be examined. Only as the individual realizes it in himself is he in a position to promote learning in others. 5