Repository: UIHistories Project: Course Catalog - 1874-1875 [PAGE 42]

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40

Illinois Industrial

University,

original researches, essays, criticism, proof reading, and other work intended to illustrate the studies pursued, and exercise the student's own powers. It is designed to give to all the students voice culture and a training in elocutionary practice. A prominent aim in this, as in all the departments of the University, will be to teach the right use of books, and thus prepare the student for self-directed investigation and study which will extend beyond the curriculum of his school and the period of his graduation. With this view, constant use of the already ample and continually enlarging stores of the Library will be required and encouraged. As a farther aid in this direction the members of the advanced English classes are expected to act as assistant librarians. In this service they are able to obtain much valuable knowledge of the various departments of English Literature, of prominent authors, and the extent and scope of their writings. Of special value as an incentive to, and the means of practice in, English Composition, should be mentioned T H E ILLINI, a monthly paper edited and published by the students of the several colleges, each of which is appropriately represented in its columns. A printing office has been provided for in the new Mechanical Building, and a press with the requisite supply of type. In the School of Ancient Languages and Literature, the methods of instruction, without swervir.g from their proper aim, to impart a sufficiently full aid critical knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages and writings, will make the study of these tongues subservient in a more than usual degree to a critical and correct use of the English. With this view w . ltten translations, carefully prepared, with due attention to differences, equivalences and substitution of idioms, and the comparison and discrimination of synonyms, will form part of the entire course. In the School of English and Modern Languages, the instruction in Modern Languages will, for the present, be confined to English, German and French. Instruction in the latter two will extend through two years of the course. In the first year the student passes over a complete grammar and reader, acquiring a knowledge of the technicalities of the idiom, and a sufficient vocabulary for the use of the books of reference within his course. The second vear is devoted to a critical study of the languages and philological analysis, and to a course of select classic reading, composition and conversation. T H E LIBRARY is well supplied with works illustrating the several periods of English, American, French and German Literature. It contains at present nearly ten thousand well selected volumes, and is constantly growing by purchase at home and abroad. Valuable American and Foreign periodicals are received regularly in the Reading Room, a list of which is given in the "Miscellany" following, page 49. For the courses of study recommended in this College, see Appendix.

SPECIAL EXERCISES.

Vacation Journals, with notices of readings, narratives of public events,aud observations on the current literature and'the progress of public affairs will be required.