The San Francisco call., 1910-08-12
u. c. ESTABLISHES
CHAIR OF SPANISH
Important Faculty Change Pre-
pares for Opening of
Panama Canal

BERKELEY. Aug. 11.-Looking for
ward to the opening Of the Panama
canal and the time when the commerce
Of California and the Pacific states will
demand an adequate knowledge of
Spanish American countries, their IAN
guage and institutions. the regents of
the university have established chair
OF Spanish and DR.. Rudolph Schevil of
Yale university has arrived 10 assume
the professorship. 1t is now but a
step to create a new department of
Spanish by Withdrawing its faculty
from the general department of Ro-
nance languages and institutions. and
it is predicted that this will take
place within the next two years.
All departments Of the university
welcome the creation Of the chair Of
Spanish. Prof. Henry Morse Stephens
sees in it the greater development of
the history department and an added
stimulus to the study of history of
Spanish-American countries on the
part of the university students. The
commercial benefits. he believes. Will be
tremendous TO the state and coast.
The opening Of the Panama canal" !"
he said, will bring TO this coast COM
merce now bn its infancy. With the
growth OF trade viii come the demand
for men and women with a knowledge
Of the Spanish language and the eco
nomic needs Of the LatinAmerican
countries.
1T is most gratifying that pro-
fessorship of Spanish has been estab-
lished here TO meet the neee for stu
dents with a thorough knowledge of
Spanish TO aid in the development of
International commerce with the south.
The benefit to the history depart
ment viii be equally as great, and ]
regard the establishment OF a chair Of
Spanish as a distinct gain for all stu
dents who desire to do original re-
search in the history Of these countries,
which bore such close relationship
with early California"
Anticipating the need in commercial
fields for graduates who should help
build up d commerce with the countries
Of Central and South America, DIT.
Wheeler and the regents have been
active I'm the last three years in up
building a department Of Spanish which
viii MI future wants.
For many years the study of Spanish
was conducted under one Instructor, and
only half dozen courses were given
by him. There was bat one section
open to the students Of the depart
ment entering the university. and there
were few opportunities for grouping
on this subject as q major study.
Three years ago there were four
sections opened to entrants beginning In
Spanish. Last year these had been in
creased TO six sections for beginners
and u courses in the department. Prof
John T. Clark and {. II. Howard were
named 10 assist Instructor Carlos
- T1ao o-t-
ment. but the major part of their du-
ties lay in the French department.
This year the regents have increased
the sections for beginners to seven and
new course has been added, entitled
Modern Spanish Prose" which will be
given for the first time here by the
new professor.
He arrived here a few days ago to
enter upon his new duties for the term,
after service at Yale university. which
won him credit Professor SchevilI
was for three years assistant professor
Of Spanish at the New Haven institu-
tion and was regarded as one of the
ablest members of the faculty. His
brother is a well known American his
torian who has lately completed
masterpiece.
Professor Schevin is an alumnus of
Yale and a graduate Of the University
Of Munich. Germany, where he took his
degree Of doctor Of philosophy.
Assisting him in the rejuvenated de-
partment will be Assistant Professor
}. r. Clark and Dr.. Carlos Bransby.
both OF whom have ben connected with
the work in previous years.
Besides the regular courses outlined
for students of the lower classes,
number of courses for seniors will be
given, and for the first time an oppor-
tunity Will be had to take honors in
the Spanish department.
Honor courses, IN which only stu
dents who wish 10 devote considera BILE
enroll, viii be announced by Professor
Schevill on the opening Of the univer-
sity.
The separation Of the department of
Spanish from that Of the Romance
1angua ges. Of which 1t has long been
part. is a matter Of little consequence
now that professorship of Spanish has
been ests blishsd.
The first step in the separation pro-
cess was taken a year ago when Prof
Lucien Foulet was appointed head Of
the French department. He was given
the title of professor of French Ian
guage and literatsres and not that Of
professor of Romance Iangua ges and
Iiteratures. the title of his predecessor
the late Prof. Victor Paget.
Now that q chair of Spanish has been
established and Professor Schevill
named to fill il, the complete separa-
tion Of the departments is a matter of
but a short time. It is probable that
in actual operation the Spanish de-
partment viii this year. for the first
time, be under the direction of the new
head