Repository: UIHistories Project: Course Catalog - 1896-1897 [PAGE 59]

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DESCRIPTION OF DEPARTMENTS

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theories and to the estimate of the educational value of the different subjects taught in our common schools.

RHETORIC

The courses at present offered in Rhetoric are four, and extend over two years and one term. The object of the courses is not only to acquaint the student with the principles of rhetoric, but to teach him correctness and effectiveness in the use of English. In the first year's work a textbook is used, supplemented with lectures and a critical discussion of the written exercises. About thirty short themes and two long" papers a term are required from each student. More emphasis is put upon practice than upon theory. The second year's work is a daily theme course, and is intended to give practice in higher English composition and criticism. A one-term course is offered in the theory and practice of argumentative discourse.

ROMANCE LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

This department offers four years of instruction in French and one year each in Spanish and Italian. In the elementary courses the main object is to give the student correct pronunciation, grammatical knowledge, and the ability to read the languages with facility. In French 2, attention is especially directed to various phases of nineteenth century literature; effort is made to ground the student thoroughly in the modern idiom, and lectures are given upon the outlines of French literature in general. French 3 makes a special study of the masterpieces of the seventeenth century. Ability to understand readily spoken French is requisite for admission to this course. The subject of French 4 is literature and society in the eighteenth century. A graduate course is offered in Old French; some of the more important texts are studied, and attention is given to the origins of the language.

SOCIOLOQY

(See Economics in the philosophical group in the College of Science, and courses 6, 7 and 7a in the "General Descrip-