Evening star., 1942-10-18
Georgetown Adopts
New Approach 10
American History
Literature Courses Also
Altered to Supply
Wartime Demands

Prompted by wartime need for a
wider appreciation and understand
ing Of American history and litera-
ture, Georgetown University has
adopted q new approach to these
subjects in the college, besides max
ing them compulsory for freshmen
and available to all other students
The Rev. Stephen F. McNamee.
S. j., dean Of arts and sciences,
disclosed last night that the altered
courses constitute = comprehensive
study Of American civilization. They
correspond in most respects to SINH
lar plans inaugurated this fall at
many other colleges and universities
Last spring Georgetown adopted
an accelerated college schedule
providing for three academic terms
instead of two because of the war
It followed this by making mathe-
matics compulsory for all freshmen
and physics available for all stu
dents in accordance with the wishes
Of the Government.
Arranges Three-Point Program.
Now the college has gone q ster
further in arranging a three-point
program to guide students to q
clearer understanding Of their own
American civilization and to con-
trast American political and social
ideologies with the civilization OF
the Old World.
The program adopted for the col
lege embraces these points:
American literature, which Is
made compulsory for all freshmen
American history, compulsory fo1
B. S. S. students and available for
all other students.
Planned supplementary reading in
American civilization, compulsory
for all students.
Under this plan, the freshman
English course now includes COM
pulsory term Of American literature
and a six-credit course in American
history for those enrolled in the
social sciences. The former courses
in political science, American gov
ernment, European economic history
and American economic history have
been Cancelled as a result.
Supplementary Reading.
The supplementary reading pro-
gram for all students, from freshmen
to seniors, is from volume one of
American Issues" the accepted
textbook The volume deals broadly
with the Social Record. The reading
will be supplemented by occasional
lectures in CASTOR Hall during each
quarter and examinations.
The second volume, the Literary
Record. has been adopted as the
text for freshman English in place
of English poetry.
The program of studies, commonly
called the American civilization
plan. offers an entirely new and
more interesting approach to history
to the average freshman. who has
made a general study of history in
his secondary school. Government
officials, including those of the Army
and Navy, have expressed the
opinion that young men about to
enter the armed services should be
imbued with a clear understanding
Of American ideologies and that such
preparation in colleges and uni
versities would aid the war record
The Rev. John E. Wise, S. j., dean
Of freshmen. will have overall super
vision over such courses for the first
year men. The lecturer in American
history will be the Rev. Daniel E.
Power, S. j., professor and chairman
of the history department of the COL
lege. Courses in literature will be
given by Prof. Paul Sullivan, Prof
Charles Sullivan and the Rev. Philip
Sullivan.