Western Michigan University - Brown and Gold Yearbook (Kalamazoo, MI)

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Miss Mathilde Steckelberg received her A.B. from the University of Nebraska and her A.M. from Columbia University. She has done further graduate work at the University of Wisconsin, the University of Illinois and the universities of Jena and Munich, in Germany. the department of LANGUAGES The Department of Languages offers courses in French, Ger- man, Latin and Spanish, and it is possible to receive a minor or major in any of these languages. During vacations, the staff of the department takes advantage of the chance to broaden their knowledge of foreign countries and foreign languages by traveling to many parts of the world. The summer of 1956 found members of the staf f in England, Europe and Canada. In 1956, Dr. Noble and Miss Tamin, French instructors, re- ceived the title of Officer d ' Academie from the French Consul at Detroit. Previously, they had both been elected to the French Academy in recognition of their excellent work in the study of France and the French language. Interest in foreign languages does not begin and end in the classroom. The department sponsors three organizations : Der Deutsche Verein, a club open to German students ; Ecos Espanoles, a club designed to stimulate interest in Spanish ; and Le Cercle Francais, a club composed in membership of all students interested in French. Dr. Robert R. Russel, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., has been at Western since 1922. He became head of the History Department on July 1, 1956. A Phi Beta Kappa scholar, he has written three books: Economic Aspects of Southern Sectionalism, Communication With the Pa cific Coast in Politics, 1784-1864, and Mobilization of Industry in World War II. the department of his nut y The History Department has a teaching staff of thirteen. Members ' terms of service range from one to thirty-five years. Members have had graduate training in at least thirteen uni- versities ranging from Vienna to Kansas and Minnesota. Well over half the students who have entered Western in recent years have taken the general introductory history course. Foundations of Western Civilization, commonly shortened to Foundations. For many years about two hundred fifty students a year have taken the popular History of Michigan 313, which was so long taught by Professor J. O. Knauss. History is an old, established discipline. It requires no apology. The history teachers, at least, are firmly con- vinced that the study is a valuable preparation for citizenship. 22

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f . i X? ' 1 : jT -V Wiikm Seated — Dr. McCully, Adelaide Howsen, Pearl Ford, Gertrude Wolinski, Carolyn Reiger, Dr. Robert Seber. Standing — Dr. Fred Beeler, Dr. Charles Butler, Kim Peterson, Dr. James Powell, Dr. Herbert Hannon. Dr. Charles H. Butler, head of the Department, is also the present chairman of the Division of Science and Mathematics. He received his A.M. degree from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. from the Uni- versity of Missouri. Aside from counselling majors and minors, and informally discussing with students their many questions and problems, Dr. Butler teaches several of the mathematics courses offered by his department. the department of 31 A THE} The Department of Mathematics offers a variety of courses and sequences designed to serve the interests and meet the needs of students in the various curricula. These might be broadly classified as conventional courses and special courses. The conventional courses are designed to contribute to the general education of college students and to meet the needs of students who plan to specialize in mathematics, science, economics, engineering or other professional fields. The courses are designed to meet the special needs of students in various vocational curricula and of those who are preparing to be teachers of mathematics. The courses in high school mathematics which a student pre- sents for admission determine the pattern of his work in college mathematics. The department offers both a minor and major i n the field. Students who have shown marked excellence in the fields of mathematics and science may be elected to Kappa Rho Sigma, an honorary mathematics organization on campus. 21

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Seated, left to right — Marion Tamin, Dr. Frances Noble, Eunice Kraft, Elizabeth Giedeman. Standing — Herb Jones, Dr. Herman Rothfuss, Mr. Trezevant. First row — Dr. Cornelius Loew, Dr. Margaret MacMillan, Dr. Alan Brown, Dr. Howard Mowen, Dr. Robert Friedman, Dr. A. Edythe Mange. Second row — Sherwood Cardier, H. Nicholas Hammer, Dr. Edward Elsasser, Charles Starring. Gilbert Morrell and Dr. Willis Dunbar. 23