The Study of Language and Literature in The Traditional American College (1638-1870)

Öz

This paper examines the earliest period of American higher education, the period of the traditional college, when the humanities, and especially literature and language, reigned supreme as curricular subjects and when college students were obliged, since their curriculum was almost entirely prescribed, to focus on such subjects. I aim to show, first, how the traditional college was organized, second, what subjects formed the prescribed curriculum, third, which pedagogic methods were used and, fourth, how and why literature and language were taught. After this, I will review the social, cultural and intellectual aims of the traditional college and discuss the role played by the study of the humanities and, more specifically, by the study of literature and language. Finally, I will discuss the reasons for the decline of the traditional college system and the consequences this had for the academic study of the humanities and of literature and language.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• American higher education, traditional colleges, classical colleges, classics, classical rhetoric, English rhetoric, English departments, English literature, English major

The Study of Language and Literature in The Traditional American College (1638-1870)

Öz

Bu makale, sosyal bilimler ve özellikle de edebiyat ve dil bölümlerinin öğretim programlarında ağırlıklı programlar olduğu ve üniversite öğrencilerinin müfredatlarda neredeyse tamamen öngörüldüğü için bu konulara odaklanmak zorunda oldukları, geleneksel üniversite dönemi olan, Amerikan yüksek öğreniminin ilk dönemini incelemektedir. İlkin geleneksel üniversitenin nasıl yapılandırıldığını, ikinci olarak öngörülen müfredatın hangi konulardan oluştuğunu, üçüncü olarak hangi öğretim yöntemlerinin kullanıldığını ve dördüncü olarak da edebiyat ve dilin nasıl ve neden öğretildiğini göstermeyi amaçlamaktayım. Daha sonra, geleneksel üniversitenin sosyal, kültürel ve entelektüel amaçlarını değerlendirecek ve sosyal bilimler, özellikle de edebiyat ve dil çalışmalarının oynadığı rolü tartışacağım. Son olarak, geleneksel üniversite sisteminin çöküşünün nedenlerini ve bu durumun sosyal bilimlerin ve edebiyat ve dil alanlarının akademik çalışmalarındaki etkilerini tartışacağım.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Amerikan yüksek öğrenimi, geleneksel üniversiteler, klasik üniversiteler, klasikler, klasik retorik, İngilizce retoriği, İngilizce bölümleri, İngiliz edebiyatı, İngilizce dalı

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