The American Society for the Extension of University Teaching

Fifteenth and Sansom Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE YEAR 1898-9

The American Society for the Extension of University Teaching was organized in 1890, to arrange for courses of lectures, wherever practicable, which would be of a character to interest audiences of adults in literature, history, music, and other subjects of university study, and to lead at least a portion of each audience to careful reading and thinking and to new intellectual pleasures. This Society was first in the field in this country for the encouragement of such lecture courses in accordance with methods long used in England in connection with the Oxford, Cambridge, and London Societies for University Extension.

University Extension, like other plans for assisting home study, is intended to help people whose time is mostly occupied in other ways to use some of their leisure in acquiring a fuller education, but it has certain distinctive features which give it a character of its own. It insists upon the importance of contact between teacher and student, and lays stress upon an instructor's personal influence, upon the value of his guidance of study, and upon the advantages which come from informal class discussion after each lecture. It recognizes the importance of using as lecturers men who have had university training and who are scholars in their special fields of study-but also the fact that learning alone will not make a good teacher; that the stimulus to study comes from an inspiring presentation as well as from a sense of need on the part of those who listen. It demands that the lecturer shall prepare syllabi, name the best books to be read upon the subjects that are taught, suggest topics for essays, and examine those students who wish to test their work.

The common schools are a defense against illiteracy, at least in the case of native-born children. The public library has been recognized as a necessary adjunct to our civilization. University Extension stands between the two, giving to those who have been trained in the public schools opportunities, not readily to be had by other means, to learn to read wisely; it stimulates a demand for libraries and encourages the use of books of a better class than would otherwise be called for; it also stands in a somewhat similar relation to art, music, and to museums containing collections meant to be used in study. University Extension enlists the co-operation of groups of people, in many different places, who take the lead in getting their neighbors to come together for a useful purpose; it is to some extent self-propagating, as the experience in one neighborhood often leads to the starting of a centre in another place.

The American Society gets no pecuniary profit from its activities. The charges to profit and loss, amounting to about 25 per cent of its annual business, are met by the contributions of those who support its work.

Since the American Society was organized eight years ago 772 courses of lectures have been delivered under its auspices; the aggregate course attendance has been 810,763. During the year just closed 443 lectures were given at 54 different Centres, to audiences aggregating 98,131 persons. The list of Centres, lecturers, subjects, and dates, for 1897-8 follows:

LECTURE COURSES DELIVERED DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR 1897-1898

DATES OF LECTURES.
Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb. 7, 14.

Feb. 21, 28, Mar. 7, 14, 21, 28.
Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25, Dec. 2, 9.
Feb. 17, 24, Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24.
Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26, Dec. 3, 10.
Jan 11, 18, 25, Feb. 1, 8, 15.
Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Apr. 5.
Nov. 9, 16, 23, 30, Dec. 7, 14.
Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, Mar. 1, 8.
Nov. 11, 18, 25, Dec. 2, 9, 16.

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 1898-9

The American Society for the Extension of University Teaching takes pleasure in giving below the list of lectures for the year 1898-9. A copy of the Lecture Schedule giving the exact titles of courses and a statement of the essential points in lecture arrangements will be forwarded upon application.

FINE ARTS: Esthetics, Rev. William Bayard Hale, Middleboro, Mass.; William Cranston Lawton, B. A., Professor of Greek and Latin, Adelphi College, Brooklyn. Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, William H. Goodyear, M. A., Curator of Archæology, Ethnology, and Fine Arts, Brooklyn Institute Museum, Lecturer on the History of Art, Cooper Institute, Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, and Teachers' College, New York; John C. Van Dyke, L.H.D., Professor of the History of Art, Rutgers College, Lecturer at Harvard, Columbia, etc. Music, Thomas Whitney Surette, Staff Lecturer in Music for the American Society. LITERATURE: Stockton Axson, M. A., Professor of English, Adelphi College, Brooklyn; Louis Bevier, Jr., Ph. D., Professor of the Greek Language and Literature, Rutgers College; Clarence G. Child, Ph. D., Instructor in English, University of Pennsylvania; Clyde B. Furst, M. A., Lecturer in Literature for the American Society; John Russell Hayes, B. A., LL. B., Assistant Professor of English, Swarthmore College; Edmund M. Hyde, Ph. D., L. H. D., Professor of Latin Language and Literature, Lehigh University; William Cranston Lawton; Henry S. Pancoast, Germantown, Pa.; Josiah H. Penniman, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of English Literature, University of Pennsylvania; Bliss Perry, M. A., Princeton University; Felix E. Schelling, M. A., Professor of English Literature, University of Pennsylvania; Albert H. Smyth, B. A., Professor of the English Language and Literature, Central High School, Philadelphia; Frederick H. Sykes, Ph. D., Staff Lecturer in English Literature for the American Society; Robert Ellis Thompson, S. T. D., President of the Central High School, Philadelphia.

HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY: Edward P. Cheyney, Ph. D., Professor of European History, University of Pennsylvania; Edward T. Devine, Ph. D., General Secretary of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York; Henry W. Elson, M. A., Philadelphia; Roland P. Falkner, Ph. D., Associate Professor of Statistics, University of Pennsylvania; G. C. Henderson, Late Scholar of Balliol College, Staff Lecturer for the Oxford Society; Cheesman A. Herrick, Ph. D., Instructor in History, Central High School, Philadelphia; William H. Mace, Syracuse University; Dana C. Munro, M. A., Assistant Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania; John W. Perrin, Ph. D., Professor of History and Politics, Allegheny College; Lyman P. Powell, B. A., Philadelphia; James Harvey Robinson, Ph. D., Professor of History, Columbia University; Robert W. Rogers, Ph. D., D. D., Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Exegesis, Drew Theological Seminary; W. Hudson Shaw, M. A., Fellow of Balliol College, Staff Lecturer for the American and Oxford Societies; C. Ellis Stevens, LL. D., D. C. L., Rector of Old Christ Church, Philadelphia, and author of "Sources of the Constitution of the United States"; Robert Ellis Thompson; Francis N. Thorpe, Ph. D., Professor of American Constitutional History, University of Pennsylvania; Ethelbert D. Warfield, LL. D., President of Lafayette College.

CIVICS AND ECONOMICS: Albert A. Bird, Ph. D.; Edward T. Devine; Emory R. Johnson, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Transportation and Commerce, University of Pennsylvania; Joseph French Johnson, B. A., Professor of Journalism, University of Pennsylvania; Samuel McCune Lindsay, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania; Leo S. Rowe, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania; Henry R. Seager, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Political Economy, University of Pennsylvania; Robert Ellis Thompson; Francis N. Thorpe; Ethelbert D. Warfield.

SCIENCE: Astronomy, James E. Keeler, Sc. D., Director of the Allegheny Observatory, and Professor of Astrophysics in the Western University of Pennsylvania; Charles A. Young, Ph. D., LL. D., Professor of Astronomy, Princeton University. Biology, J. H. Pillsbury, M. A., Late Professor of Biology, Smith College; W. B. Scott, Ph. D., Professor of Geology, Princeton University; Spencer Trotter, M. D., Professor of Biology and Geology, Swarthmore College; William P. Wilson, Sc. D., Director of the Philadelphia Museums. Chemistry and Physics, Arthur W. Goodspeed, M. A., Assistant Professor of Physics University of Pennsylvania; William Francis Magie, Ph. D., Professor of Physics, Princeton University; J. H. Montgomery, Ph. D., Professor of Physics and Chemistry, Allegheny College. Geography and Travel, Angelo Heilprin, Professor of Geology, Academy of Natural Sciences; William Libbey, Sc. D., Professor of Physical Geography, Princeton University; Spencer Trotter. Geology, Angelo Heilprin, W. B. Scott. Mathematics, Edwin S. Crawley, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Mathematics, University of Pennsylvania; Isaac J. Schwatt, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Mathematics, University of Pennsylvania.

PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION: John Grier Hibben, Ph. D., Stuart Professor of Logic, Princeton University; Edmund M. Hyde; Dana C. Munro; Robert W. Rogers; Elwood Worcester, Ph. D., Rector of St. Stephen's Church, Philadelphia.

The following lecturers on the Society's list make a vocation of University Extension Teaching: Frederick H. Sykes, Ph. D., Staff Lecturer in English Literature; W. Hudson Shaw, M. A., Staff Lecturer in History; Thomas Whitney Surette, Staff Lecturer in Music; and Clyde B. Furst, M. A., Lecturer in Literature; G. C. Henderson, Lecturer in History for the Oxford Society.

PUBLICATIONS

The Society has published over a hundred syllabi in connection with its work. The syllabus gives usually a brief outline of the thought of the lecture, lists of books and questions for students, and other aids to a further study of the subjects. During the year 1897-8 the following syllabi were issued: Greater English Novelists, by Clyde B. Furst; Shakspere, by Albert H. Smyth; The Classical Composers, by Thomas Whitney Surette; Old Italian Painting, by John C. Van Dyke; American History: Social and Industrial (1789-1829), by Robert Ellis Thompson; The Victorian Poets, by Frederick H. Sykes; Representative Novelists and Short-Story Writers, by Bliss Perry; Paris, by Hilaire Belloc; Romantic Composers, by Thomas W. Surette; The Greek Drama, by Louis Bevier, Jr. A full list of the Society's publications will be sent upon application to the Secretary.

SUGGESTIONS FOR

ORGANIZING A UNIVERSITY EXTENSION CENTRE

In almost any city or town a Centre for carrying on University Extension work can be organized if some one person will take the initiative and invite people who are interested to attend a meeting. A room in the schoolhouse or some church or private house can easily be secured for such a meeting without expense. It is not necessary to have a large meeting; in fact, it is sometimes better to have the meeting small, because the discussion is then more easily confined to business. If the person or persons calling the meeting speak personally to those whom they suppose to be interested, and insert a notice of the meeting in local papers, perhaps also putting up in the post-office and other public places a brief notice of the meeting, inviting all interested to attend, a company of thirty or forty people can be gathered together at the time fixed upon and the whole matter of organizing a University Extension Centre can be settled. It is not wise to organize a Centre unless it seems fairly certain that the expenses of the first course can be provided for, nor unless there is a prospect of continuing the work from year to year.

It is well to have some one present at the meeting to explain the movement. If application is made a few days in advance, the Secretary of the Society, or some other member of the University Extension staff, will, if possible, come from Philadelphia to answer any questions that may be asked, and give full information in regard to lecture courses.

The usual fee charged by the Society is $130 and the traveling expenses of the lecturer. Each local centre must meet in addition any necessary local expenses for hall rent, advertising, etc. The total cost of a course varies in accordance with the amount of these expenses, and with the distance traveled by the lecturer-from $140 to $200 and upwards. These expenses are provided for by the sale of tickets, supplemented, when necessary, by a guarantee or subscription fund. The price of the course ticket, as all other details, is fixed by the local committee, but is usually $1.50 for the six lectures.

The American Society offers to co-operate with local committees in establishing and carrying on University Extension courses in cities and towns in Pennsylvania and the adjoining States. It is prepared to assist in organization, to furnish experienced lecturers, to supervise the lecture courses from year to year and to further the work of the local committee in every way possible. For these services it makes no charge, but merely asks that the system be carried out in its integrity, and that the committee be responsible for the local expenses and for the fee and expenses of the lecturer.

Fuller information in reference to the organization of a Centre can be obtained from the Secretary, JOHN NOLEN, Fifteenth and Sansom Streets, Philadelphia, Penna.

The Citizen