In Defense of the Survey Course

Abstract

RATHER generally condemned as necessarily mechanical, unwieldy and superficial or even gross abomination, the Survey has long been a comparative stranger among its fellow courses in the program of German departments. The writer himself until three years ago inclined to the side of those who looked with disfavor upon what too often actually did create in the mind of the student only a confused conception of the thoughts of some two hundred authors and vaguer conjecture of as many more known by name only. This prejudice was born of experience as a student in outline courses in English and French literature and was strong enough to have prevented electing a similar course in German, had one at the time been offered. Again in frank self-analysis of his former reaction to survey courses the writer confesses to a certain disinclination to attempt such a project, first for fear of inculcating in the students a state of mind similar to his own undergraduate experience, and secondly because of doubts as to the economical advisability of devoting the time and energy to designing and arranging such a course as would appeal to comparatively few students. In other words, in these difficult years of restoring German instruction and building up departments, would it not be more profitable to make more provision, perhaps in the way of extra sections, for some of the elementary classes? It is an old truism that a recent convert frequently becomes an enthusiastic exponent of his new faith. Be that as it may, it is the belief of the writer that many German departments are unduly hesitant about offering a one-year survey course, and very possibly because of one or all of the above considerations. For the average college where the German registration is between one hundred and two hundred students the survey has manifest advantages as a fourth year or even a third year course.' Very naturally departments with long-established traditions are loath to introduce any new feature that would encroach upon the field of existing courses, but in practically all of our institutions