University of Northern Iowa - Old Gold Yearbook (Cedar Falls, IA)

Page 29 text:

DEPARTMENT OF LATIN, GREEK, AND GERMAN The Department of Latin, Greek, and German makes provision for four years of continuous work in Latin for students whose preparation ranges from no Latin to four years of high school Latin. The courses offered are adapted to the needs of students who pursue the study of Latin as a funda- mental element of liberal education, as an essential education, as an essential part of the preparation of English, or as the major or minor work of a pros- pective teacher of Latin. The work in Latin and Greek furnishes the special opportunities of classical study for de- veloping literary appreciation, precision in thinking, and accuracy and taste in expression, and for mastering the sources of the large classical element in the vocabulary of English. A major or minor in Latin consists of a sequence of courses following four years of high school Latin. The major includes work in translation, interpretation, composition, the historical study of forms and syntax, the investigation and application of the principles of language instruc- tion, and the review and advanced study of the actual material to be used in the teaching of Latin in secondary schools. The work in German constitutes an introduction to the study of a literature rich in cultural value and makes available important technical publications in every field. Preparation for the teaching of German is afforded by special studies in the theory of modern language instruction and by practice in compo- sition and conversation and in the translation and interpretation of a wide range of German authors.

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DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND COMMERCIAL EDUCATION Everything in our world is relative. Our lives are devoted to an effort to gain control of our surroundings by systematizing time and space, and as a result systematizing all sense percep- tion and ideas. This effort involves measurement and from the need for measurement has arisen the science of mathematics and the art of using the symbols. Our course in mathematics is organ- ized around this relationship. Oppor- tunity is afforded for contact with both pure and applied mathematics as well as with modern methods of teaching the subject. It is an attractive field in which to work. Modern educational administration expects of teachers of mathematics, preparation both academic and professional, ability in curriculum construction and in guidance of pupils. We have planned our curriculum to meet this demand. The expansion of commercial education in recent years is remarkable for both rapidity and quality. We no longer think of this form of education as something quite distinct and apart from that which we call academic. Less emphasis is being placed upon preparation for a job and greater emphasis upon making social adjustments which still enable the worker to function success- fully in his chosen calling. Whatever improves the ability of the individual to relate himself to the world in which he lives is worthwhile and is liberal educa- tion. The value of education for service in commerce and industry is no longer debatable. We are offering at this college a program for the training of teachers of commercial education which is planned in accordance with the objective set forth above. Nation-wide surveys in the United States show that the demand for teachers of commercial subjects in the secondary schools greatly exceeds the supply. This is a challenge to young people who are willing to make ade- quate preparation for meeting this demand. Ira S. Condit Head

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DEPARMENT OF ROMANCE LANGUAGES The Department of Romance Lan- guages was created by the State Board of Education in the early part of 1918, and began its work with three teachers in the fall of the same year. At the present time five teachers are on the staff. The Department has two major lines, French and Spanish, and offers courses in grammar, conversation, and literature. It is the aim of the Depart- ment to furnish a thorough knowledge of the grammar of the language studied, practice in conversation, and advanced courses in which the literature of France. Spain, and Spanish America is studied. It is also the aim of the D£ partment to prepare teachers of French and Spanish for high schools, to enable students to satisfy the requirements for the degrees beyond the B. A. and to create a spirit of larger understanding, sympathy, and tolerance, by introducing students to another language, people, and literature. The Department carries on correspondence work and conducts Extension Credit classes in French and Spanish. The teachers in the Department have done graduate work in the United States and abroad, having studied in French or Spanish-speaking countries. The Department is especially well equipped with educational material such as maps, pictures, and post-cards of France. Spain, and South America. The departmental library numbers about three thousand volumes, and receives the leading magazines of France and Spain. In fact, the library for French and Spanish is one of the most complete in the middle west. Ikgebrigt Lillehei Head