Curriculum in Early American Colleges Richard Leong (rel2138) History BC 3570/Spring 2014

Early Harvard Founded in 1636, “to advance learning and perpetuate it to posterity; dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the churches, when our present ministers shall lie in the dust.” New England's First FruitsNew England's First Fruits Instruction began in August : Poor teaching methods/housekeeping prompted students to abandon the college. 1640: Henry Dunster appointed President.

Henry Dunster’s Harvard ( ) 4 Year Program --> 3 Year Program Monday/Tues day WednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday 1st YearLogic GreekHebrewRhetoric History & Nature of Plants 2nd Year Ethics & Politics Divinity Catechetical (Training for Christian Baptism/Confi rmation) 3rd Year Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy

Henry Dunster’s Harvard ( ) All students studied and memorized passages from Scripture in the weekday mornings and recited them to the President on Saturdays. After freshmen year, medieval-style disputations (formal debates) were required twice/week for all students. Three years of individual study required for the M.A., students often guided by a minister. Harvard influenced Yale’s first curriculum, as many of its early founders Harvard graduates.

Yale Compared to Harvard, there was more emphasis on science and less on languages. Rector Thomas Clap (1745) 1st YearLanguages 2nd Year Languages (Optional) Rhetoric, Geometry, Geography 3rd Year Natural Philosophy, Astronomy, Mathematics 4th YearMetaphysics and Ethics

College of New Jersey Modeled after Yale, with influence from English dissenting academics Student Joseph Shippen (1751) 1st Year Greek, Hebrew Rhetoric, Logic Classical Greek Texts Science (limited amount) 2nd YearScience/Natural Philosophy 3rd YearMoral Philosophy 4th YearReview

College of New Jersey By 1722, classical languages received less emphasis, with a greater focus on science and moral philosophy. Student John Witherspoon (1722): 1st Year: Latin, Greek, Rhetoric 2nd Year: Continued languages, Geography, Philosophy, Mathematical Knowledge 3rd Year: Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, Moral Philosophy President lectured on Chronology and History to Juniors, and Composition and Criticism to Seniors Offered French as an elective

College of Philadelphia Began 1751 First college to depart from medieval tradition and specifically religious objectives. William Smith: A General Idea of the College of Mirania (1752) Outlined for a college in NY, but impressed Benjamin Franklin enough to have him appointed to teach logic, rhetoric, ethic, and natural philosophy (1754) Appointed provost in More emphasis on giving students a choice of subjects. Syllogistic disputations and declamations still regular.

College of Philadelphia Three-Year Program, split into roughly 1/3 Classics; 1/3 Mathematics and Science; 1/3 Logics, Ethics, Metaphysics, Oratory 1st Year Latin and Greek Composition Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Logarithms Classical and Rhetorical Studies 2nd YearMathematicsLogic and Ethics Natural Philosophy, Classical Readings, Orations on Classical Models 3rd Year Natural and Civil Law, Civil History, Laws and Government Trade and Commerce Natural Philosophy

King’s College Established the same year that William Smith’s plan was established in Philadelphia 1755: 1st Year Latin and Greek Classics Rhetorics, Geography, Chronology 2nd & 3rd Year Classics, Criticism Mathematics Experimental Philosophy: Agriculture and Merchandise Fourth Year Metaphysics, Moral Philosophy, Criticism Logic Principles of Law and History

Late 18th Century Trends Tutorial System: A tutor taught all subjects to a group of students throughout their college career --> Tutors and Professors assigned to subjects Syllogistic Disputation (formal debates with rules from medieval universities) --> Forensic Debate (moderated debate in English that was more flexible and conducive to contemporary questions) Inclusion of foreign languages 1787: Joseph Nancred first established and paid instructor of French at Harvard President served as an instructor, often lecturing on ethics and moral philosophy to an entire class

Major Takeaways At first, the curriculum of American colleges closely resembled the curriculum of Cambridge As new colleges were founded, they tended to model/respond to their predecessors. Many founders were graduates of those very colleges. Even today, colleges still follow the lead of their most prestigious peers College curriculums responded to the interests/needs of a changing society. Religious affiliation was still important, but it decline slowly.

Sources "Alma Mater: The History of American Colleges & Universities." Alma Mater The History of American Colleges Universities. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb Kraus, Joe W. "The Development of a Curriculum in the Early American Colleges." History of Education Quarterly 1.2 (1961): Print.