University of Nebraska Lincoln - Cornhusker Yearbook (Lincoln, NE)

Page 28 text:

THE COLLEGE OF DEAN C. H. OLDFATHER To the Students of Nebraska: The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest college in the University of Nebraska, and in spirit and purpose it tries to reflect the oldest type of formal educational known. The first formal educa- tion was concerned with teaching a person how to live . Every other college in the University has as its purpose instruction in how to gain a living ; in other words they are professional schools and, in consequence, the instruction in them points definitely towards preparation for a particular profession, such as law, medicine, dentistry, or the like. Now ihe College of Arts and Sciences holds out no special appeal to the student who wishes to take the shortest road to a profession. It has in mind the student who wishes to spend some years in learn- ing more intimately both the world in which he is living and the past which has shaped the present: the boy or girl who desires to make use of the accumulated experience of the race, in order to con- tribute a measurable part to the building of a new political and social order. Among the many lessons which have been learned from the current depression one was distinctly worth while: that it was bad that people lost their money, but the disheartening thing was that people felt that when they had lost their money they had lost everything. Think of it. We are living in one of the most interesting periods in the history of mankind. New phenomena opening up every day in the field of science, to such a degree that the scientists them- selves are at times confused; economic structures and theories tumbling and new organizations being planned, on a scale scarcely dreamed of before; political institutions, which had been thought to repre- sent in principle the ultimate progress of the race, overthrown in many countries and strongly challenged in every other; social institutions, such as the home and education, undermined for lack of vision and inability to measure comparative values. All these things are taking place about us, and yet so many men and women measure life in terms of a new auto- mobile with a large number of gadgets or of a winter in Florida. The years you may spend in the College of Arts and Sciences should help you to understand what is going on about you. It should, therefore, enable you to look at life as a great adventure , which holds out to the reflecting man rewards which are abiding. Yours very truly. Q iQ mjf(Z j Since 1932 the College of Fine Arts has been Incorporated in the College of Arts and Sciences as the Department of Fine Arts. This Is a portion of the class In portrait painting, taken in one of the upperclassmen studios. Students are here seen working in a botany laboratory. These laboratories, conducted under the supervision of the advanced students and faculty of the department, offer opportunities for research and experimentation.

Page 27 text:

OF AGRICULTURE L. D. BURTON, former President of the University of Chicago, once rennarked that agriculture might well be the nucleus of a highly cultural educational institu- tion, and that the arts and sciences could become important and significant in an agricultural college in a particular and promising way. This statement Is sound and has especial application in Nebraska. In this state almost one-half of the people live on farms. Certainly the cultural development of the state de- pends to a large extent on the improvement of its agriculture. The enriching of life has Its technical aspects, Its occupational problems. Art and work must not and should not be separated. The College of Agriculture provides opportunity for a broad and useful education, with particular atten- tion to rural problems. In addition to Its four-year college course In agriculture and home economics, and the four-year high school course at Curtis, there are general and specialized short courses which stress par- ticularly the practices of agriculture. The College also affords opportunity for adult education. The meet- ings of Organized Agriculture, as well as many special meetings on the college campus, attract annually several thousand farm people. The Agricultural Exten- sion Service, through its meetings held In rural com- munities, reaches tho usands of other farmers and farm women, hiundreds of questions are answered by letters each week, and a large number of people call to present their problems personally. In addition, the 4-H Club work carried on through the Extension Serv- ice reaches thousands of boys and girls. All of this requires a staff of research workers, teachers, and extension workers. It is clear from this that the College of Agriculture is equipped with adequate machinery for the carrying out of its purpose. Improvements of the material and mechanical sort can be made here and there but on the whole the organization has been well worked out and Sciences furnishes a background for the work of and the means of reaching thousands of people have been made a reality. Questions of larger importance, however, are facing the administrative heads of the College now. These involve the newer purposes of the College, the sort of education that will be more useful, and the means of providing more useful educa- tion. It Is true that much more can be done In the way of improving the farming practices and living con- ditions in the rural communities, but the enriching of life cannot go on further without considerable atten- tion to the advancement of economic, political, and social studies, In general those studies that have to do with the improvement of community and social life, and a richer life Includes the arts and other means of improving leisure time. In short, greater Intelligence and intellect must be applied to the broad problem of improving rural civilization and the College of Agri- culture, along with other agencies, is doing its best to help. In this wood-worlcing class at the Ag College the students are trained to become teachers for Smith-Hughes positions in high schools throughout the state. Especial attention is devoted to the problems presented by the many aspects of rural building. A draw-bar test in operation at the tractor testing station of the University. Each year new models of all the standard tract- ors are carefully tested and examined. The results of these tests are followed by those who use tractors all over the world.

Page 29 text:

ARTS AND SCIENCES Ti HE College of Arh and Sciences Is the pioneer college of fhe University of Nebraska. In 1871, when the University was founded, there was only one col- lege. At that time it was known as the Liberal Arts College. The Arts and Sciences College differs fronn all the other colleges in that it is non-vocational. Where other colleges aim to train their students in the vocation of their choice, the College of Arts and Sciences has for its purpose the broadening of the student ' s outlook, and the enhancing of his apprecia- tion of the many aspects of the modern world. The courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences are In the fundamental fields of knowledge; in the physical and biological sciences, in mathematics, in language and literature, in phi ' osophy, psychology, history, political science, fine arts, sociology, speech and dramatic arts. The degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Science are granted by this College. All of the colleges recognize the value of some academic Instruction in their basic requirements. In this respect It may be said that the College of Arts the other colleges. Many students prefer to graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences and receive a degree of Bachelor of Arts before taking up special- ized work in another college. Requirements In the College of Arts and Sciences make it necessary for the student to come in contact with varying fields and guard him against the possibility of limiting his education to a narrow scope. Eighteen departments are included in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. C. hi. Oldfather is the present Dean of the College, having been appointed on September I, 1932, to succeed former Dean J. D. Hicks. Dean Oldfather Is also the Chairman of the History Department. The total registration In the University for the first semester was fine thousand and ninety. Of this num- ber one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight stu- dents were registered In the College of Arts and Sciences. This figure represents more than one-fifth of the total number of students registered In all of the colleges of the University. The semester ' s enroll- ment In the Arts and Sciences College shows a three per cent increase over that of last year. That so many students enter the College of Arts and Sciences and pursue Its courses, so rich in prac- tical and cultural value. Indicates the appreciation and respect felt for this pioneer of colleges. It is the hope of this College that Its continued well-being and advancement may testify to Its success In the preparation of competent citizens who are possessed of a clear outlook and a sane understanding of the problems of today. A section of one of the main laboratories of Chemistry Hall. Here each student carries on his own experimentation under the supervision of a laboratory assistant and learns the prac- tical application of the principles and rules of science. A view of Social Science reserve library, a branch of the Uni- versity library. Here those pursuing their studies In the fields of the social sciences find available In a quiet reading room selected references In their own particular subjects.