Milford chronicle., 1961-01-06
University News


higher education than expanding
enrollments, DR.. John A. Perkins.
president of the University of Del
aware, declares.
Writing in his annual report for
the 1959-60 academic year, DR..
Perkins cites electronic computers
as key instruments in the scienti-
fic revolution of the twentieth
century.
He observes, To-day, students
who would be properly educated
in agricultural production, engin-
eering, business administration as
well as accounting, mathematics
and physics need course instruct
tions in the use of these compu-
ters. Social scientists with masses
of data and many variables also
need to be more than vaguely
familiar with cOmputers. Hours
should be found in the instruct
iOnal program, and money in the
instructional budget, to accomo-
date teaching the needed courses.
Not to do so is to fail to educate
so much sought after by our COM
plex industrial society that strugg-
les to lead the world in economic
growth and at the same time to
maintain adequate defenses."
The acquisition of proper equip
ment is but a modest expenditure
compared to the funds for new
| faculty who must be added if Del
aware is to be up to date in the
fields to which the university has
been committed for many years,
DR.. Perkins adds. He points to
two specific areas in which the
university must enlarge its facul-
ty as well as it's curricular offer
ings. In both the school of educa-
tion and the department of econo-
mics and business administration,
the growth of knowledge and larg
er enrollments make expansion
necessary, he reveals.
DR.. Perkins writes, From the
/ time our instruction in pedagogy
began, our relatively small enroll
ment in the school of education,
the small number of school sys-
TENS in Delaware and their size,
and the limited number of school
specialists each required have all
made it impractical for the univer-
sity to try to meet the diversified
personnel needs of the schools. 1t
is one thing to train general ele
mentary school teachers required
by the hundreds and quite an
other to support separate curricu
la to train specialists for teach
ing the handicapped. with job op-
enings for half-dozen a year. For
these reasons teacher-training
program embracing all these spec
ializations h as not heretofore
been possible.
'The superficial observer might
jump to the too-easy conclusion
that the university has not been
deeply interested in teacher-educa-
ton Such a conclusion could not
be more wrong. There is every de-
sire here, especially now that un-
dergraduate enrollments and gra-
duate work for teachers already
in service are fast coming to war
rant it, to staff our school of ed
uction in some of the more essen
tial specifications such as guild
ance and counseling, preparing
teachers for the handicapped and
gifted children, preparing business
a n d commercial teachers, and
school administrators and super
visors. Obviously, the funds for
these developments are the re-
sponsibility of the people through
the Delaware General Assembly"
''As for the second area. enroll
ments in economics and business
administration are growing faster
than in any other field of the
university's endeavors Last year,
there were over 240 students maj
oring in these subjects Further
more, this area of knowledge riv-
ais education as the one in
which the largest university ex-
tension enrolment is found. Obvio-
uSly, as more students enroll more
professors are required. These
new staff members should be sp-
ecialists in aspects of economies
and business which this university
has not heretofore developed This
is not to suggest that our univer-
sity wants to teach host of how
to-do-it courses in advertising,
public relations, and packageing.
Our curricula at the undergraduate
level must always constitute
general liberal education along
with fundamental courses in &C.
onomics and finance, corporate or
ganization, production and mana
cement"
Unless the University of Della
ware can give convincing evidence
of moving with the growth of
knowledge, the likelihood of re-
tanning its best faculty is not good,
DR.. Perkins asserts.
"The job opportunities offered
our faculty by other universities, in
d u try and government were
on the increase last year.
In most cases it was the most
distinguished or the most promis
ing of our faculty who were
sought. Under present highly COM
petitive circumstances, such qua
lty as an institution has could
disappear in a hurry!
For the future, DR.. Perkins calls
for the recruitment of magnetic
frontiersmen" -profes-
sors who by their distinction as
S C h o a r-researchers will attract
capable graduate students who
can be employed to teach under
graduates while pursuing their
own graduate studies.
Such professors of ability" he
"also attract grants in
support of their teaching and re-