Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/563

 THE TEACHING OF SOCIOLOGY

At the recent meeting of the American Sociological Society- Professor Jerome Dowd of the University of Oklahoma moved the following:

Resolved, That the chair appoint a committee of ten, including the chair, to report at the next annual meeting: (i) a statement of the subject-matter of first courses at present given in colleges of the country under the name of sociology; (2) a suggested outline for a fundamental introductory course in sociology.

The resolution was seconded by Professor Riley of Washington University, St. Louis, and after discussion was carried. In sup- port of the resolution Professor Dowd said:

There are two reasons why I offer this motion: First, in taking rank as a science, and in attaining to that dignity and respect which the importance of the subject and the wide interest in it demand, it seems to me desirable that sociology should standardize its fundamental courses in the same way that fundamental courses of the other sciences are standardized. For illustra- tion, when a student takes chemistry I, physics I, biology I, economics I, or law I, such course stands for a definite subject-matter, and enables the student to find an easy adjustment in going from one institution to another, and he has a body of knowledge which forms a solid basis for advanced work. Second, I believe that a concrete statement of the subject-matter for a fundamental course would crystallize and harmonize our views as to the scope and field of sociology, to an extent that no amount of theoretical discussion could possibly do.

Upon adoption of the resolution, and in accordance with it, Professor Giddings, who was acting as chairman, appointed the following committee :

Dowd (Oklahoma), chairman CooLEY (Michigan) Dealey (Brown) Ell WOOD (Missouri) Fairchild (Bowdoin) Hayes (Illinois) Ross (Wisconsin) Small (Chicago), Weatherly (Indiana) Giddings (Columbia), ex-oMcio

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