DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 85 



agriciiltTiral and engineering economics predominate to the exclusion of 

 all others along social lines, that the presentation must be largely dog- 

 matic. 



The utmost praise is due to the assistant members of this department 

 for the fidelity and industry with which they have done the work which 

 has fallen to them. Mr. Ryder has been relieved from teaching the sub 

 jects pertaining to the course in "Education" through the establishment 

 of the department of education and will henceforth give his entire 

 time to history and political science. Mrs. Hendrick has been enabled 

 to teach English history almost exclusively throughout the year and the 

 opportunity to specialize in this way must necessarily result in more 

 efficient teaching. No small share of the facility Avith which this de- 

 partment has handled the largely increased numbers of students who 

 have within the past two j^ears came into its charge, has been due to 

 the willingness of the associate teachers to sacrifice their inclinations 

 and interests for the good of the work. 



Respectfullv submitted, 



WILBUR O. HEDRICK, 

 Professor of History and Economics. 

 East Lansing, Mich., June 30, 1909. 



REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND MODERN 



LANGUAGES. 



President J. L. Snyder, East Lansing, Michigan : 



My Dear Sir: — The college year 1908-1909, began with the following 

 instructors in mj' department, of whom the first five had been with us 

 the preceding year: Professor E. S. King, Miss Norma L. Gilchrist, 

 Miss Helen Michaelides, Mr. W. W. Robinson, and Mr. J. C. Paltridge; 

 Mr. C. R. Mann, Mr. A. E. Fish, Mr. P. M. Bauknight, and Mr. Herman 

 Hensel. In January the additional work required of the department by 

 the introduction of the new course for engineers necessitated the secur- 

 ing of Mr. Laurence B. Brink for work in English and Mrs. George A. 

 Robson for three-quarters work in German and English. Mr. Bauknight 

 was compelled by illness to resign the first of April. The department 

 was fortunate in securing an exj^erienced instructor, Mr. Roscoe Gilmore 

 Stott, to take his place. All of these instructors, with the exception of 

 Mr. Mann, now expect to be with us during the ensuing year? 



Even with this increased corps of instructors the work of the depart- 

 ment has necessitated a schedule which practically filled the time of 

 instructors, making it impossible for them to continue the development 

 of individual instruction for inexpert students. This individual instruc- 

 tion, the vital touch between student and teacher, seems to me to be 

 one of the essentials of effective college work, and I have been exceedingly 

 anxious that in the English Department it might be fully developed. 

 I trust that the coming year will enable us to do far more of this kind 

 of work than has been possible during the past year. 



