Springfield College - Massasoit Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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the College tried to meet that need. As a result of this effort the following courses now exist within the College curriculum: C15 the Secretarial Course, C25 the Physical Course, C31 the Boys' VV0rk Coursey QQ the County Work Course. A new course, the County Work Course for Physical Directors will be started in the near future. The College and its supporters should be given great credit for bringing about the conditions which exist as expressed by the following Table of Growth: 1. Growth in the number of Students 1891-Q2 39 students 1914.-I5 276 students 2. Growth in Tuition Receipts . I8QI-Q2 352,080 ' 1914-15 26,400 3. Growth of College Budget . . 1891-92 22,250 19111--15 73,665 4.. Growth of College Endowment . 1891-92 ...... 1914-15 122,800 5. Growth of the Net Property 1891-92 18,000 191-L-15 569,994 The future of the College is one upon which we have our great- est hopes and into which we thrust our utmost confidence. lt is anticipated that in the very near future an extra year will be added to the college course here, which will from a standpoint of time and material covered, make it far more eflicient than it is today. The nature of this year's work would be of a general character, and it would be required of all the men in the school. Perhaps it is wise to say that biology will hold a very prom- inent place in this extra year, for it would assist much in bring- ing about the desired effect in the general course since its object is to give the men a general foundation for their religious think- ing. This course in biology would culminate in organic evolution, showing man in all of his developments, mentally, morally, and physically, and would also show just what place man holds in the great cosmic scheme. The general theme running throughout the College curriculum is The Study of Man. Three of the most essential subjects in this connection are biology, psychology, and sociology. Our courses in psychology and sociology are admir- ably well-developed and in order that our study may be complete we must add the third subject, biology. 16

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Athletics had been dominant in the institution from the first but it was not until 1887 that the physical work as a profession and as a distinct course in the school was started. In the infancy ol' this department it had as its leaders such men as Dr. Luther H. Culick and Mr. Robert J. Roberts. Dr. Cfulick was a recent graduate of a medical school in New York, while Mr. Roberts Was a 1110813 popular and successful physical director in the Boston Young lVlen's Christian Association at the time his services were procured. The College has the unique distinction of being the birthplace ol' a systematic code of ethics in connection with athletics and also of having invented the game which is now so very popular, the game ofbaskct ball. Several rather striking changes have come about during the thirty years of the life of the institution, the most notable of which arc: CID lts locationg Czj the general trend ofthe courses, and Q35 its material advancement. . While the school was in its infancy it was located at Win- chester Park. Because of the need for more space in which to carry on their activities, the location was changed to the present place. The College at present is located on Alden Street and Hick- ory Street, in such a way as to overlook Massasoit Lake in two directions. Because of the natural art surrounding the College this site will undoubtedly continue to be the home of the Young lVlen's Christian Association College. The general trend of the two main courses to be taken here has been most encouraging indeed. The Secretarial Course,,the earliest of any of the College courses, has grown in breadth of vision, depth ol' insight, and in the number of students who respond to the call. Today the Secretarial Course, from the numerical point of view, has increased four-fold. This growth has been due to the splendid training to be had here and the demand on the part of the rapidly-growing Young Men's Christian Association for more men and more ellicient men. The Physical Course sta.rted in the spring of 1887 and has had an interesting growth. It has increased many fold also, and in spite of the lead the Secretarial Course had to begin with, the Physical Course is now decidedly the more largely attended of the two. As rapidly as the Young Men's Christian Association has grown and has created the need for new offices, just so rapidly has 15

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This extra year would give further training in physics and chemistry. It would also go more deeply into public speaking and English and the study of political history. The Secretarial Course will be strengthened, extending the work in business efh- ciency and in personal elliciency, so that business administration and salesmanship will be decidedly more highly developed. A missionary department will be organized and placed in the curriculum, and will be particularly applicable to foreign students. The department will be headed by an expert along missionary lines. At present we are fortunate in having twenty men in the school who are from countries outside of the United States and Canada. Such an expert could not only instruct these men in Foreign Mission work, but he could also find them positions in American Associations where they could get one or more years' experience before returning to their respective helds. Such would greatly facilitate the efhciency of the work now prevalent abroad. We look forward to a stronger course in our Boys' Work De- partment. For that, too, an expert's services will be procured and students will be instructed more thoroughly in the nature study and related branches. In connection with the Nature Study such sciences as astronomy, biology, botany, geology, etc., will be given with the view that they will be of great value in interesting the boy while in camps, hikes, etc. Mr. Walter J. Campbell, an expert on Rural Work, is now doing excellently in the development of men for that field. When the four years, course is established, one year will be spent at the Massachusetts Agricultural College, at Amherst, where the County Work students will study soils, kinds of vegetation, and plant life, and all with the view of making them more efiicient in their deal- ings with inhabitants of rural districts. The Physical Department is aiming to meet all the needs for Physical Directors in the various helds. For quite a span of years this department has trained men for the Association, school, and college physical directorship. Now the demand is coming in for men in County Work to teach the boys in the country how to play and what to play, and also to be of service in the administration or reconstruction of hygienic and sanitary conditions in accordance with modern times. Another demand is for Physical Directors in various Nlunicipal Recreation centers. The department is now 17