The pamphlet of electives for '92-'93 will be published in a few days and will be the same in most respects as last year's, with the exception of numerous changes of the instructors in different courses. Several new courses have been added in the graduate department and in general much attention has been paid to this department. From a comparison of this and previous pamphlets the change and development of the college in the last few years is very apparent; formerly the studies were all grouped under a few general heads, but now with the divisions into courses for undergraduates and courses for graduates, starred courses and unstarred courses it is bewildering to think of picking out the four best adapted to one's needs.
Professor James of the psychological department and Professor White of the Greek department will both be away next year, and Professor Tarbell will leave the college permanently. Two valuable men will be added to the staff of instructors, Hugo Munsterberg, professor of philosophy, and C. A. Adams, instructor in mathematics.
A few changes have been made in the Semitic department; Professor Toy will give his course upon the Bagdad Califate instead of the Spanish Califate; the course in Ethiopic will be omitted and in place will be given a course in Phoenician by Professor Toy and Mr. Reisner. The course in Semitic grammar will not be given, but two courses of research in Assyrian have been added.
All the courses of the Greek and Latin departments are given under the heading of Classical Philology, with the courses in Greek given first. Greek 10, a rather popular course of Professor White's on the life of the Greeks, will not be given as Professor White will be away. Two new and interesting courses in Greek have been added, one on Homer's Iliad under Mr. Allen, and one on the Greek poets between Hesiod and Aeschylus. There are several new courses in the Latin department. Two courses on Greek epigraphy and paleography will be omitted.
The sophomore English has been very materially changed. In addition to English B an elective course will be given under Mr. Gates. This new course may be taken as a whole course instead of English B, which counts as only a half course, by any one who has done well in English A. Mr. Baker, who has been abroad this past year, will give again his advanced course in argumentative composition. Several changes have been made in the English literature courses; the courses in Anglo-Saxon, Chaucer, prose writers of the 19th century, principles of versification, and literature of the Elizabethan period will be omitted, and several parallel courses will be given in their places, notably a course on Shakespeare under Professor Wendell.
In the German department there are few changes. The courses for special research have been systematically divided between Professors Von Jagemann, Schilling and Francke. In philology the courses in Gothic and Germanic philology will replace the courses in Icelandic and the early history of the German language.
In the French department there are no changes except that courses in the literature of the 17th and 18th centuries instead of the 16th and 19th will be given.
The elementary Spanish course has been divided into two parts for greater convenience.
Courses in provencal and Low Latin will be given instead of those in old French.
Professor Peabody's course in ethics will be given in place of Professor Palmer's. A new half course in Aesthetics will be given by Dr. Santayana. Professor Palmer will give a new course on the development of ethics.
The courses in history and political economy have been grouped together under the heading of "History and Political Science." In the first division are the courses of pure history. In these there is very little change. Mr. Bendelari's course on the history of Western Europe will be omitted. History 23 is changed from the study of the French government up to the reign of Louis XIV, to a course of geographical study in North America given by Mr. Justin Winsor. Mr. Williams will take Mr. Schofield's place in the instruction of Roman Law. Mr. Williams will give a new course on "The Law of Obligations." Professor Macvane will give a new course. A new and valuable course in Political Economy will be given by Mr. Cummings. Other new courses are one in astronomy by Dr. Willson and one in electricity by Mr. Adams. Besides these changes there are a few other less important ones, such as are made every year.
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Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Durham.