DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 97 



By subjects, llie number of recitation hours during the year equalled : 

 economics, 1037; history, 345; political science, 382. 



The studies -which are included within the scope of this department 

 are in Ihe main studies of a very mobile character, and while the methods 

 of resoiU'ch and investii>ation lemaiu essentially the same from year to 

 year, the subject matter of political science, economics and sociology 

 is conslantly chauiiing. Ten years ago, for example, the trusts in 

 economics and' national expansion in political science, were the ques- 

 tions which were ui)permost in the public mind, and the ones upon 

 which emphasis was laid in teaching; now, they command scant at- 

 teniion in the classroom. 



This variableness in the subject matter of the studies just mentioned 

 shapes in no small degree the methods which are emploj'ed in teaching 

 them. Professor Ryder, for instance, during the past year, finding that 

 the control of public utilities, the initiative and referendum, and the 

 problems of the sutTrage were the political questions uppermost in dis- 

 cussion everywhere, utilized a term's work in the study of these prob- 

 lems. 



This as it happened was the single term during which students lind 

 an opportunity to elect ])olitical science, but it was reasoned that 

 students would derive more benefit from the intensive study of a few 

 topics and these timely ones than they would from covering the whole 

 subject of political science in the conventional way. Mr. Ryder also 

 found that the subject was given concreteness and the appearance of 

 reality, — in this way resembling laboratory study, — through bringing 

 in legislators and public men to discuss special subjects before his 

 students and special lectures were as a result largely used. 



The natural variableness in the subject matter of these studies ap- 

 peared also in the case of economics. The principles of this subject are 

 found to be applicable to some of the phases of agriculture and the 

 name agricultural economics has been given to the special application. 

 At nearly all the places where agriculture touches human interests, an 

 economic significance may be found but it is especially in relation to 

 farm organization that economics is most helpful. 



During the fall term of the past year a course in agricultural econom- 

 ics for advanced students was given, extending throughout two hours 

 per week during the term. Three-fourths of this time was given to the 

 study of farm organization and topics such as follows were discussed: 

 "Factors in Farm Organizations," "Proportioning of the Different Fac- 

 tors to each other," "Size of Farms'," "Farm Teiiure," "Distribution of 

 Farm Enterprises," "Systems of Agriculture," "Rotations," "Choice of 

 Crops," etc. 



It was found in connection with these topics that excellent problems 

 drawm from study which the students had already pursued in other de- 

 partments were obtainable and these added reality and gave zest to 

 the lectures of the course. Indeed, from a pedigogical standpoint, agri- 

 cuHurnl economics oifers admirable material in a college like this and 

 it is quite possible also that the discipline of looking at the farm as a 

 unified activity— the business point of view— may be the best result 

 which shall come from the study of agricultural economics. The course 

 will be given three hours per week instead of two, during the ensuing 

 year. 



