"Intelligent, responsive, and adaptive to French methods of instruction" is the verdict of Professor Albert Feuillerat, exchange professor of English for the first half-year from the University of Rennes, on Harvard students. Professor Feuillerat is leaving the University today to return to France.
"I have had courses with both undergraduates and graduates," he said. "The former I knew only by sight, but in my lectures I have felt them to be very responsive. My class of graduates, however, was small, and I did with them exactly as I would do in France, taking them as if they had been French students. At first they were a little surprised at my methods, but they quickly adapted themselves, and their work has been very satisfactory--in fact marvellous."
Professor Feuillerat explained that his method of teaching was to require reports in class at frequent intervals on problems of research. These he criticized very rigidly, often demonstrating in detail how the work should have been done.
Praises Exchange System
"The exchange system is excellent. It broadens the outlook as much for the exchange professor as for the students. I have been learning a great deal in that respect this year; in fact, I've been at school myself."
Asked to compare the merits of French and American universities, Professor Feuillerat replied that there are no French institutions which correspond to American colleges, the universities there being rather comparable to graduate schools. "French children work harder in their primary years, and the cultural stage of education comes in the secondary schools. They never have as much leisure time as American students, and consequently gain about two years by the time they enter the universities."
Other Changes in Faculty
In addition to Professor Feuillerat, a number of other exchange professors and visiting lecturers are leaving or returning to the University. The ramifications of the exchange system extend not only to France and England, but south to Princeton and as far west as Colorado and Pomona Colleges.
Among the first half-year exchange professors are Professor Charles Rufus Morey of Princeton, who is leaving the University after giving two half-courses on medieval art, and Professor Chandler Rathfon Post '04 who is returning to Harvard after a half-year at Princeton. Professor Arthur Kingsley Porter, who has been exchange professor to France, will remain abroad lecturing in French and Spanish provincial universities. Professor K. G. T. Webster '93, however, will return from Beloit, Carleton, and Knox Colleges.
During the coming semester only Professor George Grafton Wilson will leave the University, going to Grinnell, Colorado, and Pomona Colleges to lecture on international law. There will be two visiting lecturers. Professor George Raleigh Coffman G. '09 from Grinnell, and Professor John Leonard Conger, head of the department of History at Knox College.
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