UA-R-GC-1914-01-01-1939-01-27_Page-030

College of Arts & Sciences 199 Report - Page 6. 1 In the Social Sciences, Mr. Kiven reports the completion of 'a year of satisfactory work. An enormous impetus to the work of this department resulted from the presence and fresh approaches to the subject of Prof. Phelan on Sabbat-ical leave from Carleton College. Mr. Sarruf's work was also found of deep interest to his classes. The Arabic department reports a year of normal success. Alone at one point is there an unsolved problem. The attempt to give non-Arabic speaking students, who expect to live in Egypt, some worth while instruction in Arabic, has proved most difficult. The differences in their linguistic knowledge and ability have been so great as to baffle classification, save as classes were held after school hours, so as not to collide with their regular subjects. This tends to making the work unpopular. The Character-Training Group, teaching ethics, religion and philosophy, has been once again under the leadership of Mr. Badeau. Slowly but steadily through study and experimentation he is working out a progressive and well adapted series of studies for the several classes. This is something we have waited for for years. Perhaps the peak of difficulty lies with Government Course boys who are ninety per cent Moslem, chiefly Arabic speaking and who generally resent any work not vitally related to their great goal, the Govern-ment exams at the end of the year. Mr. Badeau tookthis class himself and succeed-ed in handling it well. Mr. Badeau stresses three points in his Report. He has found great values in having a room definitely set apart for the subjects of his department and which has a certain atmosphere about it due to furnish-ings, tablets, charts, and curios related to Religion in different countries. This room was furnished through the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. Hill. Again, Mr. Badeau stresses the need of developing suitable text books for the courses offered. These would have to result from outlines used in class, until finally a suitable text book emerged. In this connection, Mr. Badeau stresses the need of continuity of method and if possible of teaching personnel in this department, if satisfactory results are to be secured. The Athletic program of the College provides both for required and extra curricular activities. Seventy five per cent of the student body participated in some form of sport. This is highly creditable in view of a wide spread tendency to inertia and languor in a hot country. Chief emphasis was laid on an intramural program, yet the College took the lead in organizing a new City League of schools who were willing to follow rules more truly sports-manlike, avoiding Sunday contests, and engaging in a less strenuous program than an older League afforded. Mr. Campbell urges a greater continuity of leadership in the department than can be secured with short tenu teachers. The athletic program also seriously needs coordination with other College activities and especially exclusion of students from athletic honors who do not maintain a respectable scholastic standing. For the first time in the history of the College a Journalistic department has functioned. After the exploratory work of Prof. Spencer a year ago, Mr. Nichols was appointed to head up such a department within the College and give a professional value to courses that might be built into the Senior College curriculum. I wish to commend highly Mr. Nichols' work and especially his spirit. Few men could have borne more patiently with the lack of financial resources for furnishing at once a suitable Journalistic Room, or worked more quietly and without complaint or irritation at the task of discovering journal-istic conditions and needs in Egypt. To this he added a unique record in placin