Papers Presented at the Second Conference on the Teaching of Economics; Held at the University of Chicago, Saturday, May 6, 1911 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1911 Excerpt: ... economics has to give courses in political science, sociology, and other subjects, but I will assume in this discussion that he is so fortunate as to be able to give his whole time to economics and that he has an assistant to read papers. I will also assume that he is not expected to do more than twelve hours a week of work in class, although I am well aware that many teachers have fifteen, eighteen, and even twenty hours of class work, and are expected to serve on committees, to give public lectures, to write books, to engage in social reform, and, in general, to be useful citizens at home and abroad. It seems to be the general opinion among teachers of economics that the elementary course should be given in the Sophomore year, although many Freshmen are well able to do the work. Indeed, I believe that an elementary course should be given in all high schools, but that students who have had such a course should take it again in college. In both high school and college the elementary course should be a judicious admixture of fact and theory, teaching the student to observe and interpret the facts of his economic environment, while cultivating humility by revealing to him the vastness of the field of study and the depths of his own ignorance. There can be no doubt that most students have a very slight knowledge of the economic world, and that it is very hard to teach them to think on economic questions when they have so little material for thought. What they need most of all is to have their eyes opened to the significance of their economic environment, and to this end nothing is better than a good course in economic geography. Such a course could well be given in the first half of the Freshman year, and students should be advised to take it before attacking...