University of Chicago - Cap and Gown Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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5 D - DoUcLAs WAPLES Amng Dean of Graduate Library Schoal THE GRADUATE LIBRARY SCHOOL The Graduate Library School was of- ficially opened in October, 1928, with George A. Works as dean of the School. The School, now under the leadership of Acting Dean Waples, was established in response to- the insistent demand of the library profession that the study of librarianship be advanced to the univer- sity level. It was an entirely new idea as far as Library Schools were con- cerned. The 'aim was to carry the work forward from a point Where other Li- brary Schools left off. It was believed that the whole field of librarianship had scarcely been scratched for research ma- terial. With that fact in mind, the School decided to give only higher de- grees-Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy, and to -admit only those stu- dents Who had had at least a year's ex- perience and training at some Library School beyond a Bachelor's Degree. Numerically, the Work of the School is still microscopic in comparison with that of the other professional schools of our University. For the present its stu- dent enrollment is limited to fifteen and its faculty to four members. During the three years of its activity only Hve grad- uates have attained the Master's De- gree and three the Doctorate. These, like all of the non-degree alumni, have successfully established themselves in professional practice. But these figures fail to reveal the quality of the School's real accomplish- ment. Though its task was one of pio- neering, time has been found to estab- lish a successful periodical, to publish reports of research, and for faculty mem- bers to serve as consultants in numer- ous professional enterprises. Next au- tumn Louis R. Wilson is to assume the deanship of the School. Dr. Wilson not only served the University of North Carolina as librarian since 1901, but he also served as director of its library train- ing school, and editor of its university press. Outside the University he played a leading part in many movements for library extension and improvement and has. participated in the councils of the National Association of Librarians. With his coming, the School promises to enter on a wider field in its activities. Page 31

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' iii gil ' V -fffzf EDITH ABBOTT Dcan of the Graduale .Sclzoql of Sofia! Sfrwice Adminutralzon THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATION This year of depression has offered new problems to the Graduate School of Social Service Administration. Their work was increased and intensified be- cause of the social disintegration which has taken place in many families and communities throughout the country. The School published fourteen social service monographs, two of Which, Smndarrls of Living of Unskilled Labor- ers in Chicago by Leila Houghteling, Pojmlntion Trends in the Chicago Re- gion by Helen Jeter, are of particular interest to Chicagoans. The research of the School during the last year, dealt with many interest- ing projects. One of the most important undertakings, was done in cooperation with the Governor's Commission on Child lVelfare. Ruth Colby, a Fellow of the School, served as Secretary of the Commission, and the report led to the introduction of twenty-eight bills in the Legislature and the continuation of the Commission until the meeting of the next legislature. Another important re- search undertaking was a statistical re- port, and various other studies on the subject of crime and the foreign-born, prepared under the direction of the Dean of the School. The Public VVelfare Series, under the direction of Miss Breckinridge was continued, and one new volume, Public Pffelfare Adnzizzistration in Louisiana by Dr. Elizabeth Wisiier was published by the University Press. Another pub- lic Welfare undertaking was a study of the Cook County Almshouse. llfliss Breckinridge served as a member of the Special Citizens' Committee and pre- pared a report on the administration of the almshouse together with case studies of inmates prepared by Ruth Powell. Page' 30

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sf I ,rg GRADUATE EDUCATION BUILDING THE NEW SCIENCE OF EDUCATION The Graduate Education Building was erected with a part of the 1,500,000 dollars given to the University by the General Education Board for the sup- port of the scientific study of educational problems. This Board selected the Uni- versity of Chicago as a center for devel- opement of the science of education for two reasons. First, the Middle West has in recent years been more vigorous in educational experimentation, in en- richment of the school curriculum, and in reform of methods of teaching and of school administration than any other part of the civilized world. Second, the contributions of the Department of Edu- cation of the University of Chicago to the science of education have been so conspicuous as to justify fully the ex- pectation that increased contributions to this science will be insured by added equipment. The Department of Education con- ducted two laboratory schools-an ele- mentary school and a secondary school. These schools were the trying-out grounds for the new plans of organiza- tion and administration and for new courses of instruction. Whenever a new enterprise is undertaken in the Labora- tory Schools, trained experts from among the members of the faculty of the de- partment test the results of the innova- tion. The new Graduate Education Build- ing of the University of Chicago showed that an entirely new idea with regard to the science of education was beginning to be accepted. This building has a statistical laboratory, a fully equipped apparatus workshop with a skilled me- chanic, dark rooms for photographic work, laboratory rooms, record rooms, work rooms for members of the staff engaged in school and college surveys and other studies in the field of school and college administration, and a library with work space for two hundred stu- dents and stack space for 100,000 vol- umes. The stack now contains 60,000 volumes on education. There is a spe- cial-collection room, where reports of school systems and colleges are made available for students of educational ad- ministration. Page 32