DEPARTMENT XVI SOCIOLOGY 



(Hall 7, September 20, 4.15 p. TO.) 



CHAIRMAN: PROCESSOR FRANK W. BLACKMAR, University of Kansas. 

 SPEAKERS: PROFESSOR FRANKLIN H. GIDDINGS, Columbia University. 

 PROFESSOR GEORGE E. VINCENT, University of Chicago. 



THE Chairman of the Department of Sociology was Professor 

 Frank W. Blackmar, of the University of Kansas, who in opening 

 the work of the Department said : 



"It affords me great pleasure to call to order the first meeting of 

 the Department of Sociology of this remarkable Congress and to 

 introduce the eminent speakers provided for this occasion. We are 

 to be congratulated on the rapid advance of the science of sociology 

 during the past fifteen years. Perhaps there is no parallel to the 

 progress in the United States of this science in our universities and 

 colleges unless it is the rapid development of natural science within 

 the last half-century. 



" While sociology has made marvelous gains in the pedagogical 

 world, its progress in the realm of pure sciences is less certain, although 

 out of the numerous writings of learned men in Europe and America 

 and the results of their investigations from many points of view, 

 there is to be recorded substantial and positive gains to sociology 

 as an independent and self-constituted science. 



" The progress of sociology has been made by each investigator 

 following a particular line of investigation from his own standpoint. 

 As a result there is yet no common consensus of opinion as to the 

 nature and scope of the science. But a stage of development has 

 been reached, common to the growth of all sciences, when synthesis 

 is necessary. What is needed now is harmony of all of the apparent 

 conflicts of sociological theory. I say apparent conflicts, for I am 

 sure that the differences of opinion that exist among scholars arise 

 from independent individual investigation rather than from any 

 vitally antagonistic views. Sufficient data have been gathered, 

 sufficient truth discovered, adequate principles enumerated, and 

 adequate laws demonstrated to permit the formulation of the 

 science of sociology along definite lines easily recognized and cheer- 

 fully acknowledged by all. Recently our foremost sociologists have 

 been making rapid progress in this way. 



