Ohio History Journal

MINUTES OF

THE OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY

Deshler-Wallick Hotel

Columbus, Ohio

April 8, 1949

 

 

The Ohio Academy of History met in Columbus, April 8, 1949,

in connection with the Ohio College Association. More than one

hundred persons attended the several sessions. The morning ses-

sion, at 10 A.M., was devoted to a panel discussion on the subject

"American Cultural History as a Field of Specialization in the

College and the Graduate School." Members of the panel were Lyon

N. Richardson, chief librarian, Western Reserve University, pre-

siding; William Charvat, English department, Ohio State Univer-

sity; Lowell W. Coolidge, history department, College of Wooster;

Louis Filler, history department, Antioch College; G. Harrison

Orians, English department, University of Toledo; and John Hall

Stewart, history department, Western Reserve University.

Some ninety members attended the luncheon session at 12:30,

presided over by George F. Howe, Historical Division, Department

of the Army, president of the academy. Speaker at this session was

John Miller, Jr., Historical Division, Department of the Army, who

spoke on "The Strategic Background of the Northern Solomons

Campaign." Major General Robert S. Beightler, commander of the

37th Division, was a guest at the luncheon and spoke briefly of

personal experiences in this campaign. At the afternoon session,

C. William Vogel, history department, University of Cincinnati,

gave "A Progress Report on the British Colonial Development

and Welfare Program."

Approximately seventy-five members gathered for the annual

business meeting of the academy at 3:30. The committee on

awards, composed of William J. McNiff, Lawrence F. Hill, and C.

William Vogel, announced as the winner of the third annual acad-

332

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OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY                333

 

emy award of distinction, Howard Robinson of Oberlin College for

his History of the British Post Office (Princeton, Princeton Univer-

sity Press, 1948). Dr. McNiff presented the certificate of award

for the academy. Benjamin H. Pershing, for the committee on

membership (Harvey Wish, chairman, Hastings Eells, and Dr. Per-

shing), reported that a list of history teachers in Ohio colleges

and universities and a list of historical societies in the state would

appear in the April issue of the Ohio State Archaeological and

Historical Quarterly. The survey by the committee disclosed that

there were 235 history teachers in the fifty-one colleges and uni-

versities which reported. Membership in the academy outside of

college and university faculties now is comprised chiefly of officials

of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, the His-

torical and Philosophical Society of Ohio, the Historical Society

of Northwestern Ohio, the librarian and archivist of the Firestone

Tire and Rubber Company, and the director of research of the

Hayes Memorial Library and Museum. A motion by Harold J.

Grimm that the executive committee consider the possibility of

publishing this report was passed.

The committee on nominations (Harold J. Grimm, chairman,

Randolph C. Downes, and William D. Overman) presented the fol-

lowing nominations:

President--Stanton L. Davis, Case Institute of Technology

Vice President--William J. McNiff, Miami University

Secretary-Treasurer--James H. Rodabaugh, Ohio State Ar-

chaeological and Historical Society.

On motion of A. Sellew Roberts the secretary was instructed to

cast a unanimous ballot for the nominees.

The report of the committee on publications (Eugene H. Rose-

boom, chairman, Carl Gustavson, Virginius Hall, and the secretary)

was presented by Dr. Roseboom (report published on p. 335). Frank

L. Esterquest, chairman of the committee on the teaching of history

(the other members were Robert L. Jones and Everett Walters),

presented an extensive mimeographed report prepared from a survey

of history courses in Ohio colleges (report published on p. 336).

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334    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

On motion of Francis P. Weisenburger the academy voted its thanks

to the committee for "its elaborate and excellent report." On motion

of Dr. Weisenburger amended by Robert S. Fletcher, the academy

instructed the executive committee to consider means of publication

of the report, a copy of the report to be sent to each Ohio college

department of history with request that it be called to the attention

of the faculty.

Dr. Davis opened a discussion on the desirability of an

historical atlas. By a show of hands the members of the academy

declared themselves as desirous of such a work for their classroom

use. William E. Smith brought up the problem of history teaching

in the high schools, pointing especially to the inadequate training

in history of many called upon to teach that subject. The academy

passed a motion by Dr. Smith authorizing the appointment of a

committee of the academy to study the teaching of history in Ohio

high schools, to make recommendations for the improvement of

such teaching, and to confer with the state director of education

concerning such recommendations.

A motion by Dr. McNiff requesting the secretary to ask the

officers of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society for

permission to carry the proceedings of this meeting in the Quarterly

was passed.

Clayton Ellsworth, chairman of the program committee, ex-

pressed his thanks to the other members of his committee, John

Hall Stewart and Joseph Holliday, and to those who presented

papers and took part in the morning's panel discussion. He pointed

out that the academy had drawn upon members of English depart-

ments to join it in the discussion of American cultural history as

a course for college study. Robert S. Fletcher presented the follow-

ing resolution which was passed: "Resolved, That the members of

the Ohio Academy of History extend a vote of thanks to the pro-

gram committee, the president, and the secretary for the splendid

program."

Respectfully submitted,

JAMES H. RODABAUGH,

Secretary

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OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY                        335

 

Report of the Committee on Publications

The Committee on Publications decided that the only feasible method of

securing from the members reports of their publications was by a circular

requesting such information. Members were asked to call the attention of

eligible non-members to the circular since many newcomers to history depart-

ments and the staffs of historical museums might wish to become affiliated at

the next meeting. For reasons that will be given later no attempt was made

to include historical publications of Ohioans whose primary interests were

outside the field of history. Except in a very few instances where information

was available from other sources, the committee has relied upon the returns

from the members. If any have been overlooked or have not reported their

publications, they are requested to turn them in as soon as possible.

Our tabulation reveals that seven books were published during the year,

four in American history, three in European history. Twenty-nine persons

reported that they had contributed articles, essays and pamphlets to various

types of publications. These were more difficult to classify but 41 were appar-

ently articles in periodicals, one was a bibliography, two were pamphlets, two

were contributions to encyclopedias (not listed as separate articles), one was

a series of brief articles in a monthly museum information sheet, one an essay

in a cooperative work. Sometimes it was difficult to discover the nature of

the publication from the information supplied.

American history was the primary interest of the great majority. So

far as classification was possible, it was found that 38 contributions were in

the American history field (including one in Latin American history and one

dealing with Liberia); three were in European; one seemed to be in both

fields; one group of encyclopedia articles dealt with the Far East; the other

contributions were general in character or could not be classified. Thirteen

of the American history articles dealt with Ohio history primarily, though

several of these had broader implications.

Thirty periodicals contained articles by members of the Ohio Academy

of History. Nearly half of these articles were in periodicals that were not

primarily historical in character. This should make it quite clear why it was

not feasible to compile a list of publications other than by a questionnaire

to the members. The other approach would have involved an examination of

all American periodicals for 1948 with the membership list of the Ohio

Academy (some two hundred names) at hand to be checked for Ohio authors,

a task too great for the committee.

As to the idea that the list of publications should not be confined to

members but should include all Ohioans who have written historical articles,

the answer is that no committee would have time to compile such a list. Our

capable secretary published a bibliography of publications in Ohio history,

archaeology and natural history for the period August, 1947 to July, 1948.

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336     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

The list filled thirty-two printed pages of the Ohio State Archaeological and

Historical Quarterly. Perhaps three-fourths of the titles could be classed as

historical and the great majority of these were by Ohioans. If a committee

should undertake to cover all the fields of history to which Ohioans have

contributed, it would have to list hundreds of titles and the resulting bibliog-

raphy, even if it could be completed, would be of dubious value.

Consequently your committee has confined itself to the membership of

the Academy, broadly construed. The list, subject to additions and revisions,

can be mimeographed and sent to the members, if they so desire and our

treasury will permit. This will enable them to see what types of historical

research and writing are being done by the guild of Ohio historians.

Eugene H. Roseboom, Chairman

Virginius C Hall

Carl Gustavson

James H. Rodabaugh

Report of the Committee on the Teaching of History in

Ohio Colleges

THIS REPORT IS BASED ON THE ANSWERS TO A QUESTION-

NAIRE SENT TO THE 225 HISTORY TEACHERS IN THE 50 OHIO

COLLEGES. ANSWERS WERE RECEIVED FROM 82 TEACHERS. AL-

THOUGH THIS IS ONLY A 36% RESPONSE, IT PROBABLY REPRE-

SENTS FAIRLY WELL THE PROFESSION IN OHIO, SINCE REPLIES

WERE RECEIVED FROM 41 OF THE 50 SCHOOLS AND IN MANY

CASES ONE FILLED-IN QUESTIONNAIRE WAS THE RESULT OF THE

COMBINED EFFORTS OF SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT.

THIS WAS FREQUENTLY NOTED BY THE PERSON FILLING OUT THE

QUESTIONNAIRE.

Each of the three members of the committee assumed responsibility for

one section of the questionnaire, analyzing and summarizing the data and

drafting the report for that section. The committee met and criticized the

conclusions drawn by each other and made suggestions. Thus this report is

the work of the whole committee, although for each section one member is

primarily responsible.

In the report the material which the committee feels is the most signifi-

cant on each section is in capitals. This material may be in the nature of a

summary. The details which follow either expand the material in capitals

or indicate practices which are divergent.

I. ORGANIZATION OF HISTORY DEPARTMENTS AND RELATION-

SHIP WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS

In this section the material is complete as far as coverage of Ohio col-

leges is concerned. Catalogues were used to get material on those colleges

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OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY                        337

 

from which no or incomplete questionnaires were returned. Since two of the

colleges were specialized schools and their data did not fit with that of other

schools, the material covers 48 colleges.

A. IN THIRTY-FOUR OF THE FORTY-EIGHT SCHOOLS, THE HIS-

TORY DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT. In twelve other schools it is

united with the political science department. In one it is united with the

economics department and in one school all the social sciences make up a

single department.

Since the department is usually independent and since the subject matter

touches and even crosses an arbitrary line into almost all other depart-

ments, it is necessary that cooperation and adjustment take place.

B. THE NEED FOR COOPERATION IS ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY REC-

OGNIZED. MANY OF THE HISTORY FACULTY MEMBERS BE-

LIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT SOLVED IN THEIR SCHOOL

SATISFACTORILY. MANY INSTANCES AND KINDS OF COOPER-

ATION LISTED ARE UNIQUE AND WORTHY OF EMULATION

BY OTHER HISTORY FACULTIES. IN GENERAL, INDIVIDUALLY

DEVELOPED METHODS OF COOPERATION ARE MORE EFFEC-

TIVE THAN FORMAL INTER-DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION.

Fewer blanks were left in the section of the questionnaire dealing with

cooperation than in any other part. Only 19 left the item blank. Three

others either felt the problem did not exist or was unimportant. The other

sixty showed considerable concern. Many felt that little progress toward

cooperation had been made at their school. Such comments as "not solved,"

"only trading proctoring at exams" were common.

Some schools have social science division meetings regularly. Others

have correlation committees and inter-department conference arrangements.

The general consensus is that most of these formal organization devices be-

came static and were artificial. An exception is a faculty workshop in teaching

methods at one college.

More successful are the individually developed cooperation methods

such as,

a. the interchange of material, maps, charts, all sorts of teaching aids;

b. joint assignment and direction of term papers;

c. exchange of classes by members of different departments to cover

work which crosses over into the other field. Exchanges of classes

were noted with the departments of art, classics, English, political

science, public speaking, religion, science, sociology, and Spanish. No

adverse comment toward this form of cooperation was made by any

of those filling in questionnaires;

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338     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

d. sharing of speakers and guest experts;

e. delegating students to get information from other classes when

possible.

Several cooperative courses have been developed. These have involved

the departments of classics (ancient and medieval history), Spanish (Latin

American history), economics (economic history), and political science (inter-

national relations and diplomatic history).

Cooperation through student programming was frequently mentioned.

C. THE INTEGRATED COURSE INVOLVING ALL OR SEVERAL SO-

CIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENTS HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY AT

LEAST FOURTEEN SCHOOLS. (Thirty have no such course and in-

formation from four was uncertain.) THE HISTORY FACULTY AT

SCHOOLS WITH       INTEGRATED      COURSES ARE      ALMOST     100%

DISILLUSIONED AND OPPOSED TO IT.

 

Usually the course involves all the social sciences but it may include

only political science or political science and sociology in addition to history.

One school has a history-art course, and one gives a history-science course to

non-science majors and a history-philosophy course to science majors.

Exactly half the fourteen courses are required of all students (a few

exceptions are sometimes made). Eight of the fourteen are given at the

freshman level and these are usually required.

 

Of the history men teaching at schools with these courses, only two gave

unqualified approval to the course, and a colleague of one of these men gave

it unqualified disapproval. Three others saw some advantages in the course,

but tended to emphasize the disadvantages. Three others might be in favor

of the course in theory, because they did not comment on the course itself

but said that the administration of the course and the problem of coordinating

the work of several departments made the work unsatisfactory.

 

More frequent, more definite and usually much more violent were the

notations of the disadvantages of the courses. Such comments as "no advan-

tages, disadvantages very numerous," "no solid foundation," "become a bull-

session type of panel discussion," and "becomes indoctrination" were common.

In general there was agreement that the courses were unbalanced, were too

broad to be worthwhile, and were so generalized as to lose all meaning. There

was also agreement that history usually disappears from the course-"has no

history except incidentally," "becomes indoctrination, violating the premise of

history," "actually a beginning course in sociology."

That on paper the idea of an integrated course looks good to us who in

teaching realize the artificiality of department lines probably is the reason for

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OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY                       339

 

the more favorable comments on such a course which came from those teaching

at schools where no such course is given.

D. HISTORY COURSES ARE REGULARLY TAUGHT BY OTHER DE-

PARTMENTS. OVER FIFTY-SEVEN HISTORY COURSES ARE

GIVEN BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE FORTY-EIGHT COL-

LEGES. ECONOMIC HISTORY IS TAUGHT MORE OFTEN BY NON-

HISTORY FACULTY THAN BY HISTORY. OTHER COURSES ARE

ALSO TAUGHT BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS ESPECIALLY CONSTI-

TUTIONAL HISTORY, DIPLOMATIC HISTORY, AND ANCIENT

HISTORY.

These figures are not complete as far as the teaching by other depart-

ments is concerned. In checking a few catalogues for other data several

omissions on the questionnaire were noted. It would seem that all history men

are not informed about all the history courses taught in their school. The

minimum figures on courses in history taught by other departments are as

follows:

Economic history by economics, geography, or business depart-

ments ................................................. 21

Diplomatic history by political science...............................                 9

Constitutional  history  by  political  science .. .................................   9

Ancient history by classics................................. ......... .. 10

Far Eastern history by political science or religion  ..............               3

Russian history by political science ................. ...............                    1

Church history  by  religion ......................... ...... . ........... .                 2

Early   Oriental history      by                                                              religion ..................................................                                                          3

Historical geography    by  geography..................................................           1

Political science departments give 22 history courses and economics de-

partments give 19 history courses.

Data on non-history courses taught by history departments seems unre-

liable. Only 13 much instances were reported.

E. IN ALMOST HALF THE SCHOOLS (22 OF 48) HISTORY IS SPE-

CIFICALLY REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION. IN THESE SCHOOLS

A SPECIFIC COURSE IS NOT ALWAYS NAMED, BUT IN PRAC-

TICE IT BECOMES THE INTRODUCTORY COURSE IN WORLD OR

EUROPEAN HISTORY, AS IS USUALLY THE CASE WHEN IT IS

SPECIFICALLY NAMED. TWO SCHOOLS REQUIRE TWO HIS-

TORY COURSES, ALTHOUGH ONE PERMITS THE SUBSTITUTION

OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.

History is most often required in schools with three to five persons on

the history staff (56% as compared with 30% for larger schools and 38% for

smaller schools). One school specifies United States history, nine name Euro-

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340   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

pean or Western civilization, and twelve give the history requirement in the

form of number of hours. In the other 26 schools, the usual requirement

affecting history is one or two courses from the social science group.

F. HISTORY COURSES TAUGHT.

SIXTY DIFFERENT HISTORY COURSES OR FIELDS OF HIS-

TORY ARE TAUGHT IN OHIO. THERE IS SURPRISINGLY LITTLE

DIFFERENCE AS TO THE RANGE OF COURSES OFFERED BY

LARGE AND SMALL SCHOOLS. THE FOUR SCHOOLS WITH OVER

TEN HISTORY FACULTY TEACH 46 DIFFERENT COURSES, THE

SIX WITH 6-9 MEMBERS TEACH 45, THE TWENTY-FIVE WITH 3-5

MEMBERS TEACH 48, AND THE THIRTEEN WITH 1 OR 2

TEACH 36.

GENERAL AMERICAN HISTORY IS THE ONLY COURSE

GIVEN IN ALL 48 SCHOOLS. EUROPE SINCE 1500 IS THE MOST

COMMON INTRODUCTORY COURSE.

WHEN EUROPEAN HISTORY IS BROKEN DOWN FOR AD-

VANCED COURSES, THE DIVISION IS SELDOM BY TOPICS (24

courses offered in all schools) AS IS THE CASE WITH AMERICAN

HISTORY (86 courses). INSTEAD, CHRONOLOGICAL OR NATIONAL

COURSES ARE GIVEN.

AFTER GENERAL AMERICAN HISTORY, ENGLISH AND LATIN

AMERICAN HISTORY IS MOST COMMONLY GIVEN. (THREE

TYPES OF GENERAL EUROPEAN HISTORY COURSES--EUROPE

SINCE 476, EUROPE SINCE 1500, AND WESTERN CIVILIZATION-

ACCOUNT FOR THE FACT THAT NO ONE OF THESE IS GIVEN

IN MORE THAN 31 SCHOOLS.) RECENT HISTORY COURSES ARE

VERY COMMON. PROBABLY CURRENT INTEREST ACCOUNTS

FOR THE HIGH POSITION OF FAR EASTERN AND RUSSIAN HIS-

TORY. THE MIDDLE AGES AND FRENCH REVOLUTION ARE

HIGH ON THE LIST.

THE VERY WIDE OFFERINGS IN SCHOOLS OF ALL SIZES

SHOULD HAVE SIGNIFICANCE TO GRADUATE SCHOOLS AND TO

GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO SPECIAL-

IZE TOO SOON.

The following tables indicate the number of times each course was listed

on the questionnaire or found in catalogues.

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OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY                           341

 

Number of Times Individual Courses are given in 48 Schools

By History    By Other

Department Department Total

Introductory        ...................... .............. ................                                          66                                                     66

General   Civilization  .......................................     18                                   18

Europe, 476 ...................................................17                      17

Europe, 1500 ................. .......................               31                                   31

Europe Chronological courses ..............................        166                                 10                176

Ancient  ..............................................................  25               10                35

Middle Ages .....................................                     32                                   32

Renaissance and Reformation..........................      9                                     9

French Revolution Period...............................       26                                   26

Industrial Revolution .................................            1                                     1

19th Century ..................... ............... 34                                 34

20th  Century  .......   .......................... ........         33                                       33

World War II ...... ............................                                                        6                                                        6

European Topical courses ................. ......24                                                                            1                            25

Church        ...................... .............. ...                                                       7                          1                            8

Intellectual         .................................                                                      6                                                        6

Economic ........   ......................                                                                4                                                        4

Expansion  .......................... .............                                                      3                                                        3

Military and Naval ....................... .                                                      2                                                        2

History of Science .............................                                                    1                                                        1

Revolutionary Movements .     ........... ........... 1                                                            11

European National History.................... ............ 93  1                                94

English ......................... ....... ..........                                                        40                                                     40

English Constitutional       ......................................                           7                                                        7

Victorian England       ..............................................                            1                                                        1

British Empire ............................ ........                                                   5                                                        5

Canada       ..............................................................                                  3                                                        3

India           .................. ........... . ...... . . ..                                                  1                                                        1

Russia        ............................ ....                                                               21           1          22

German       ................... .... ............. ..... ...                                                6                                                        6

French        ..... ................. ... ......... ...                                                       5                                                        5

Balkan .......................................                                                               4                                                        4

General United States .................. ............                                                     48                                                     48

United States by Chronology .....................................                                 78                                                     78

Colonial ................... ............. ...............                                                  19                                                     19

Revolution        ............. ............. ..... ........                                             6                                                        6

M iddle  Period..................................... ............                                    13                                                     13

Civil War and Reconstruction .........................                                 3                                                        3

Recent .     .............. ...............                                                                  33                                                     33

Current Affairs ....................................                                                   3                                                        3

United States and World War II...................... 1               1

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342     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

By History   By Other

Department Department Total

United States by Topics.................................                                               86                        40                         126

Diplomatic .......... .............. .....                                                              19                        9                           28

Economic   ...... ................................                                                       14                        21                         35

Social ............. ......... .............. 17                                                                                       17

Constitutional      .. ....... ....... .... ......                                                   15  9                   24

Intellectual           . ... ........... . ................. .                                            13                                                     13

Immigration          ..........................  .......                                                2                                                        2

Imperialism               ..   .................... ......        2                                    2

Negro  .................................. ......  1                                                                                    1

Political Parties .................................  1 1                                          2

Literary  .  ...      ......... ...........................                                                 1                                                        1

United States and United Nations..................                                1                                                        1

United           States  by  Sections   .......................... .                                  33                                                     33

West    .................... ..................                                                               17                                                     17

Ohio    ..  ..................................... ....                                                        10                                                     10

South ........    ..................................                                                         4                                                        4

Northwest .........................................                                                     1                                                                1

Pennsylvania ...                    .......                                                          1                                                        1

Other Courses ........       ............................... 74  3                                         77

Latin America ..   ........... .........................                                              38                                                     38

Far East .......................................                                                            29   3                  32

Near East ......................................                                                          6                                                        6

Caribbean       ...............................                                                          1

Others  ................................................................. ..                                                                                                     56         56

Methodology       ............................... .........  41                                                               41

Biography             ...................... ........... .... ..............                                                                                       9

Bibliography           ............................................    5                                                         5

Historical Geography ....................................  1     1

Number of Schools Offering History Courses (10 or more)

Additional by

Other Depts.

General United  States  ....................    ...............  48

English History ............................... 40

Latin America ....   ..... .... .......... .............                                                                                     38

19th Century Europe .............. ................... .                                                 34

20th Century Europe .............. .............. . ......                                               33

U.  S. Recent  ................................... ......                                                                                       33

Middle Ages .............................       ..... .                                                         32

Europe  after 1500  ........ ........... ........... . ... .......                                           31

Far East ................. .......................                                                                     29        3

French Revolution ..................................... ...........                                                                     26

Ancient ..........................................                                                                    25        10

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OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY                                 343

 

Russia  .. ... ......... ...         ............................ ....                                                                                21                              1

U. S. Diplomatic ................ ......................                                       19                   9

U. S. Colonial .............................................. 19

General Civilization ........................................                                 18

United States West ................................. ....... ....                            17

United States Social .....................................                                    17

Europe after 476 ........................ ....................                                17

U. S. Constitutional ................ ........................                                15                   9

U. S. Economic ..............................................                                  14                   21

U. S. Middle Period .......................................                                   13

U. S. Intellectual ...............................................                               13

Ohio  ............................................................... ..... ........                 10

Renaissance and Reform. ....................... .............                            9

Biography  ........................................... ................... . ..............       9

Church History ........ ......................................... ........ 7  2

English Constitutional ...  ............................                                    7

World War II .......................................... ..                                     6

Intellectual Europe ..........................................                                6

German History ...........................................                                    6

U. S. Revolution ............................                                                  6

The U. S. South ................................. ...........                                  6

Near  East  ....    ............................... .. ............... ............               6

British Empire ...... ............................... ....... .                                 5

French History ..................................... ........ 5

Bibliography ..............................................                                      5

Economic History, Europe ......................................                        4

Balkan History .............................................................                   4

European  Expansion  ..................................... ....................           3

Canada .................................................... ....................                   3

Civil War & Recon. .........................................                               3

U. S. Current Affairs ............................                                           3

Military and Naval .........................................                                 2

U.  S.  Immigration  ............ ............... ......... ............. .                  2

U. S. Imperialism ......................................                                      2

Industrial Revolution, Science, Revolutionary Movements, Victorian

England, India, U. S. & World War II, Negro, U. S. Political Parties, U. S.

Literature, U. S. and U. N., Old Northwest, Pennsylvania and Caribbean--

1 each.

 

II. THE HISTORY CLASSROOM

A. TRADITIONAL TEACHING METHODS ARE FAVORED, ALTHOUGH

SEVERAL UNUSUAL METHODS WHICH WERE REPORTED MERIT

ATTENTION.

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344     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

LECTURE AND CLASS DISCUSSION CONTINUE TO BE THE

MOST POPULAR HISTORY TEACHING METHODS IN OHIO COL-

LEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. Class discussion apparently is the most

commonly employed.    Sixty-nine Ohio teachers reported use of this

method. Twenty-six indicated that they favored it over other methods.

Of the 50 instructors who use the lecture, 39 prefer it to all other

methods. Thirty-one employ other devices in addition. Some teachers

commented that they had been forced to lecture during the postwar years

because of large classes.

Thirty-three teachers stated that they required the use of source

materials.

Forty-one instructors required term papers as part of their courses

and 33 asked students to become familiar with source materials. Twenty

indicated use of reference aids.

Five teachers reported use of the seminar, mostly in advanced

courses.

Other teaching methods used by several instructors merit attention:

1. Students required to hand in comprehensive reports on all

class transactions.

2. Students required to present several oral book reviews each

term.

3. Students seeking grades better than "C", required to do

additional work: book reviews for "B" and a term paper

for "A".

4. Students required to read "Great Books." Short written

reports presented at seminar.

5. Students required to sit at U-shaped table for easier dis-

cussion.

6. Students required to hand in work books.

B. TEACHING AIDS ARE NOT GENERALLY MADE USE OF. MAPS

AND CHARTS ARE EXCEPTIONS.

FIFTY TEACHERS REPORTED THAT THEY DID NOT SHOW

MOTION PICTURES WHILE FOURTEEN DID. The majority appar-

ently believed that motion pictures were too expensive and too difficult to

obtain. Of those who used them seven showed them only occasionally.

SOURCES FOR THESE FILMS WERE THE COLLEGE FILM

COMPANY, CHICAGO; The Cornell Film Co., Ithaca; The Eastman Co.,

Rochester; The American Film Service, Chicago; The Ohio State Depart-

ment of Education, Columbus; The Indiana State Department of Educa-

tion, Indianapolis; and The March of Time, New York.

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OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY                       345

 

TWO TEACHERS CONSIDERED THE USE OF FILMS AS OF

GREAT VALUE WHILE ONE BELIEVED THEM OF ONLY FAIR

VALUE.

SEVERAL COMMENTED THAT THE CHIEF DEFECT EXPE-

RIENCED IN THE USE OF FILMS IS THEIR ELEMENTARY LEVEL.

OPAQUE PROJECTORS WERE USED BY SEVEN TEACHERS

AND SLIDES BY FIVE. Only five reported the use of the radio, six

the use of mounted pictures, two the use of wire recorders and two the

use of recordings.

III. INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM

INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM SEEMS TO BE NO PROBLEM AMONG

OHIO HISTORY TEACHERS.

The vast majority reported that they attempted to present controversial

subjects in an impartial and objective manner. Their students apparently

were free to draw their own conclusions. Typical comments included:

"I do not avoid controversial subjects. I try to present both sides as I

see them."

"I seek to present all sides as objectively as possible."

"I attempt to show both sides of the problem."

Nine teachers were moved to comment that at their respective institu-

tions there was no feeling of "being told what to say." Several reported

"enlightened administrations." Only three indicated that they were somewhat

chary about discussions involving Communism.

Reading the answers on the questionnaires, one feels that history instruc-

tors believe they have intellectual freedom, perhaps because of the nature

of their subject, involuving as it does impartial presentation of fact and the

avoiding of indoctrination.

IV. HIGH SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS

THE POOR HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION OF STUDENTS, NOT

ONLY IN HISTORY BUT ALSO IN GEOGRAPHY, AND ESPECIALLY

IN ENGLISH AND READING AND STUDY SKILLS, REQUIRES CON-

SIDERABLE ADJUSTMENT IN TEACHING. LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE

TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION BY ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH

HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT MANY COLLEGE HISTORY TEACHERS FEEL

SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE AND SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS WERE

MADE.

Most teachers of college history who feel competent to offer an opinion

on the subject of the academic qualifications of entering students today as

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346     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

compared with those of entering students of a decade ago appear to think

that there has been a retrogression. Of 46 who gave their opinion, only 3

thought the students were now better prepared; 20 thought they were about

the same; and 23 thought they were definitely worse.

It would perhaps be natural to assume that college history teachers would

be most critical of the preparation of students in their own field, but such an

assumption is not borne out by the results of the questionnaire. It is true

that, of the 56 persons answering this part of the questionnaire, 11 found that

the students were deficient in European history and 11 found that they were

deficient in American history, but 11 also noted they were deficient in an

elementary knowledge of geography. However, 32 noted that they were

most notably deficient in the use of English (especially spelling and elemen-

tary grammar), and 26 in reading skills or study habits and technique.

It is quite apparent that the defective preparation of entering students

has made necessary considerable adjustment on the part of college history

teachers. It is reported by 19 of the 52 answering this part of the question-

naire that they have had to resort to coaching or special counselling, by 6

that they have referred students to classes in remedial reading, and by 12

that they just assume the students have learned little or nothing in high-

school history and teach their courses de novo. While 27 state that they make

no special adjustment to the situation, the committee feels that probably most

of the 27 would agree that there is of necessity something of a lowering of

their standards.

Liaison between college history teachers and high-school groups has been

almost non-existent. Of 40 colleges represented in this part of the question-

naire, 31 have had no contacts whatever, 4 have contacts through their

departments of education, and 5 rather informal ones through community

groups such as the AAUW or through their own graduates.

Various Suggestions were made, by those who answered the questionnaire,

in connection with the improvement of preparation of students in high school.

The most popular suggestion was that stricter qualifications should be re-

quired of high-school teachers of history, and especially that history should not

be taught by the athletic coach in his otherwise unoccupied time. The next

most popular suggestions were that high schools should devote more time

to inculcating adequate study habits in pupils and less to developing their

personalities; that they should make an effort to improve the teaching of

geography, and especially of English; and that the use of the objective or

"new-type" examination should be drastically curtailed, or, preferably, elim-

inated entirely. The violent antipathy of a good many college history teachers

to the use of the objective examination in high schools is truly remarkable.

It appears that the objective examination is charged with being a major

contributor to the incapacity of entering college freshmen to frame their

thoughts in clear and coherent English.

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OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY                         347

 

V. EXTRA-CURRICULAR ORGANIZATIONS

THREE QUARTERS OF THE HISTORY DEPARTMENTS HAVE

SOME CLUB SPONSORED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

Of 40 colleges or universities represented in the answers to the question-

naire, 30 had one or more clubs of the kinds usually associated with history

departments. There were 6 with chapters of Phi Alpha Theta, 6 with history

clubs (in 2 cases with other names), 17 with international relations clubs

under the sponsorship of the history department, and 5 with international

relations clubs under the sponsorship of the political science department or

the institution as a whole.

VI. FIELD TRIPS

THE GENERAL REACTION IN THE ANSWERS TO THE QUES-

TIONNAIRE IN CONNECTION WITH FIELD TRIPS WAS NEGATIVE.

Only 11 of the institutions have made much use of them, and these were

nearly all to museums in nearby large cities. A few others had field trips on

a purely voluntary basis to such eastern points of interest as Lake Success and

Washington. Of the 60 persons answering this part of the questionnaire,

only 14 thought highly of field trips; 11 were positively opposed to them;

and 35 made qualified answers, which were in the main negative. The chief

objections to field trips were that they are of questionable value to any class

not concerned with local or Ohio history; that they are expensive; that where

many students work outside class, only a few can participate in them; and

that they disrupt school administration and the work of other teachers. The

opposition to field trips in general was even more emphatically expressed

in connection with a round-the-state field trip.

VII. SUGGESTED PROJECTS TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE

OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY

A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE ANSWERING THE QUESTION-

NAIRE MADE SUGGESTIONS AS TO DESIRABLE PROJECTS OR AC-

TIVITIES FOR THE ACADEMY. Some of these are outside the province

of this committee, but because the individual members of the committee

felt that many were very worthwhile, and in order that they may be brought

before the Academy, they are here presented:

1. The Academy should do something about a new historical atlas.

2. Could the Academy put out a map or a chart of places of historical

interest in Ohio?

3. What possibility is there of lecture exchange for international rela-

tions clubs and similar organizations?

4. Could a list (perhaps with evaluations) of worthwhile films for

college history classes be compiled?

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348     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

5. Would conferences or celebrations of historical anniversaries be

desirable?

6. Would it be desirable to contact the English faculty committee which

has been studying the problem of improving high school English?

7. Would it be desirable for history majors to present prepared topics

to nearby community groups?

8. Would it be advisable to have more history student radio programs

presented on the radio?

9. Would student term papers on Ohio local history be of broad state

value?

10. In what form could teaching methods which are unique and worth-

while be made available to other members of the profession?

Frank L. Esterquest, Chairman

Everett Walters

Robert L. Jones

• 17