Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/685

 THE TEACHING OF SOCIOLOGY 671

Professor Jerome Dowd of the University of Oklahoma

Resolved, That the chair appoint a committee of ten, including the president of the Sociological Society, to make a report to the next meeting of the society, consisting of: First, a statement of the subject-matter of first courses now given in the colleges of the country; and, second, a sug- gestion of the subject-matter for a fundamental course to serve as a guide to sociological teachers and as a basis for advanced work.

In support of the motion Professor Dowd said :

There are two reasons for 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 the fundamental courses of other sciences are standardized. For illustration, when a student takes Chemistry i, Physics i, Biology i, Eco- nomics 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 institu- tion to another, and it forms a solid basis for advanced work.

Second, I believe that the concrete statement of the subject-matter of a fundamental course would harmonize and crystallize our views as to the scope and field of sociology to an extent that no amount of theoretical dis- cussion could possibly do.

The resolution was adopted, and the following committee was appointed }

1910.
 * For names of committee, see American Journal of Sociology, January,