Major changes sweep Western Civ
Orwell's "1984" goes for "Lord of the Flies"
as a step toward modernization is made
By CHARLA JENKINS
Western Civilization (WC), begun in 1948, will undergo one of the most extensive changes in recent years next Fall with the addition of a new set of required readings. Present selections have been completely revised.
In the past, students have been assigned the reading of "1984" by George Orwell, before the first class meeting. In order to give a better background for the course, students will now be assigned William Golding's "Lord of the Flies." This complete change in subject matter is just the beginning of major revisions.
In addition to reading changes, the basic manual of the course is being replaced. Instead of a set of collected readings used now, a book, "Heritage of Western Civilization" will be used.
OTHER CHANGES are as follows: "Dialogues," "Crito," and "Republic" by Plato; "Metaphysics" and "Politics" by Aristotle; "The Essential Augustine" by St. Augustine; and "The Pocket Aquinas" by St. Thomas Aquinas.
"The Great Instuitation" by Francis Bacon; "Moral Sense Denied," from "The Enlightenment," by Helvetius; "The Priestly Religion," from "The Enlightenment," by Baron d'Holbach; "An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation," in "The Utilitarians," by Jeremy Bentham; "The Federalist Ten" by James Madison; and "Letters on
the constitutionality of the Bank" by Alexander Hamilton.
"Dialects and History," in "Age of Ideology," by Hegel; "The Epostle of Evolution" by Herbert Spencer; and a series on behavioral psychology with writings by Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Ivan Favlov, and John B. Watson.
"SCIENCE AND the Modern World" by Alfred Whitehead, and "Understanding Mass Media" by Marshall McLuhan.
“On Practice” and “Long Live Leninism” by Mao Tse-tung; “Capitalism and Freedom” by Milton Friedman; “Let Man Prevail, A Socialist Manifesto and Program” by Erich Fromm; and “The Will to Power” by Friedrich Nietzsche.
Writers dropped from the list are George Orwell, Cellini, James I. Montesquieu, Rousseau, Sidney Ball, William Douglas, Friedrich Hayek, Lenin, Dijlars, Khiruschev, Mussolini, Silone, Morton White, and John Newman.
Two aspects of the WC program make it important and unique. First, the concepts learned in WC are designed to give the student a knowledge of the ideas and ideals that have shaped our civilization.
Second, this program is a self-study course. It is the first of its kind at KU, patterned after similar programs at Cambridge and Oxford Universities.
WC I is valuable to a person with a college degree. It gives
him a knowledge of the things that have made society what it it. Even though it meets but once a week, WC can be the background for ideas used through the years.
Four schools in the University require the WC discussion and comprehensive exam. These include the Schools of Journalism and Education, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Department of Chemical Engineering in the School of Engineering and Architecture.
There seems to be an area of controversy between students and instructors concerning the usefulness of the program. Students also are concerned about the structure of the WC staff. At the present time, 40 instructors comprise the staff, 20 of them graduate students.
ALTON ZIMMERMAN, instructor of WC, said, "It is important that we have an understanding of those ideas that have influenced our own progress.
"By having this understanding, we are able to develop our own thinking and our own ideas of what life is all about."
Lee Young, instructor in journalism, who also teaches WC sections, added. "Students need to have an understanding of how we got where we are. The way our governmental and social structure was derived.
"The trends that have made the world what it is are important,
as are the reasons men have acted as they have.
Some students do not seem to agree on the value of the program.
One student said, "I like the program as a type of history course. But I can't really see the point of it, as it is now.
"THERE SEEMS to be an awfully lot of work involved for just an hour's credit. Also, at times I wonder if the instructors are quite as qualified as they might be. If I spend the time reading the assignment and then go to class just to discuss topless bathing suits, I really don't get too much out of it."
Candace Smith, Odessa, Mo., sophomore, disagreed. Miss Smith said, "I think it's the greatest thing in the University curriculum. It has made me think and question things I've never thought of before.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
"I've been amazed at how I can tie in the stuff from WC to my other classes. In reading poetry or literature I see a big relationship to some of the readings.
"The discussions can really make you think. Last semester I had a nun and an atheist in my discussion group. We really got some good discussions going."
Civ looks at new class structure with experimentation in the CC
Students make many requests concerning the Western Civ program changes.
ANOTHER VIEW is expressed by Jim Zeller, colby junior. He said, "The course takes a lot of time for what I've learned. The readings ought to be condensed down to a happy medium between the full readings and the notes.
A faculty committee is always working to improve the program and make it more helpful to students.
Possibly a solution has been found to make the requested changes in the present structure.
Next year, an experimental pilot study will be conducted in the Centennial College program.
It will be similar to the present Western Civ, although scaled down about two-thirds. Students will receive four hours credit for the course.
Two discussions per week will be held, instead of one. At the end of both discussion groups, students will take a comprehensive exam. The exam grade and the discussion participation grade will then be averaged.
This system will put equal emphasis on the discussion and the comp.
This is a long range experiment. If the experiment is successful it possibly will be expanded to the whole program.
"The WC department hopes to get more of an effort from the students with the four hour block. The course would be treated just like biology or speech is now. Student numbers would decide when they would be enrolled."
James Seaver, head of the Western Civilization department, explained, "The idea of giving one hour's credit for the discussion is not altogether fair, in some ways. It doesn't really represent what the student is doing.
Students often request this change, but as it is now, it would be expensive. It would mean doubling the number of instructors to 80. Students would have more time to spend discussing each writer and then some of the pressure would be lifted from the comprehensive.
Lectures were held each week to supplement the reading. The department found that instead of reading, the students would attend the lectures to get the material. Seaver said, "That would be defeating the whele purpose of our self-study program."
Another request frequently made by students is that a series of lectures be instituted. This was tried in the 1950's, but it proved unsuccessful.
By increasing the number of weekly discussions, the department is in hopes that a more complete understanding of the material will come to the students.
Seaver summed the whole program up, by saying, "What the student gets out of the Western Civilization Program is just exactly what he puts into it!"
"The readings are too long to wade through and the notes are too short to get anything out of them."
When asked about the graduate students who serve as instructors, Karen Wayman, Emporia junior, said, "At times it seems they are just trying to show how much they know.
"They go off on wild tangents, leaving the students out in left field. That's where part of the frustration lies in preparing for the comprehensive exam. Everyone has questions on the theories and concepts, but they have no conclusions to back them up."
THE ORIGINAL WC program consisted of a series of readings without a discussion period. In 1948, students had an opportunity to go talk to proctors about their readings.
In 1956, discussion groups were added with the hope that by discussing the readings in groups, students would gain a richer understanding of the concents.
AT THE PRESENT time, a faculty committee, consisting of 14 members, administers the program. They select the readings and supervise the compilation of exam questions.
10 Summer Kansan Tuesday, June 13. 1967
Kief's Record & Stereo Malls Shopping Center
2 Record Set
Chuck Berry, was $7.95, now $3.62
Kief's Record
& Stereo
Malls Shopping Center
All James Brown LP's $2.22
James Seaver is head of the WC department, with offices in Blake Hall.
Seaver summed up the program saying, "The discussions are unique in that a student is strictly on his own.
"At no other time in his college career does he have this opportunity. It is a new experience for him and one that is very beneficial."
Ends Tonight!
Ends Tonight!
"CAPRICE"
7:15 9:15
Next! Starts Wednesday
JOHN WAYNE
KIRK DOUGLAS "the War Wagon" Technicolor - Pangvision
Ends Tonight!----8:00
"SOUND OF MUSIC"
Next! Starts Wednesday
WALT DISNEY'S
Technicolor*
Reflected in KAM15M648684320297
PUBLICATIONS FOUNDATION
---
Open at 7:15 Show Starts et Dusk! Ends Tonight — "HELLS ANGELS ON WHEELS"
Starting Wednesday
Sean Connery in
"A FINE MADNESS"
— plus —
"RAGE"