Thomas’s Courses at Oberlin College

W. I. Thomas returned from his year of study in Germany to a position at Oberlin College in Oberlin Ohio, originally serving as Acting Professor of the English Language and Literature for the 1889-90. He held that title until named Professor of English Language and Literature in the 1891-92 academic year.  With that promotion, Thomas proposed several changes to the Oberlin English Language and Literature curriculum, including the extension of its breadth to include courses that would typically be considered "comparative literature," viz., including texts in languages other than English. We have listed these separately. 

In 1894, Thomas was named Professor of Sociology, with the introduction of three new courses into the Oberlin Curriculum: Thomas's "Sociology" and "Anthropology," and Z. Swift Holbrook's "Christian Sociology" described as

A special course of 20 lectures on Sociology has been given during the year 1894-95, considering the subject both historically and practically, and viewing Sociology more as the art of social control than as a completed science.[1]

This is a reference to a planned "Institute for Christian Sociology," organized in part by Holbrook, and staged at Oberlin College in November 1894. Several documents preserve aspects of the event, with five of them available here.

Year Term Course & Description
1889 Fall G. Advanced Rhetorical work. Three themes during the year.
   Mondays. Fall and Winter Terms. 48 hours.[2]
    3. History of English Literature. Selected texts. Lectures.
   Fall Term. 68 hours.
   Required in all courses.[2]
1890 Winter 4. Chaucer, Spenser,  Shakespeare, Milton.
   Winter term. 58 hours[2]
  Spring 5. Selected Nineteenth Century Authors.
   Spring Term. 58 hours.[2]
    6. Historical Grammar of the English Language. Sweet's Anglo-Saxon Primer and Reader.
   Spring Term. 58 hours[2]

 

 Fall 1. Old and Middle English — Sweet's Anglo-Saxon Primer; Cynewulf's Elene, ed. Kent; Zupitza's Alt- und Mittelenglisches Uebungsbuch; Tenbrink's History of English Literature, Vol. I. Lectures on historical grammar, phonology, and the development of form in literature.
Fall Term. Tu., We., Th., Fr., Sa. 68 hrs.[3]
    3. Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton.—Spenser's Faery Queene, book i, ed Kitching;  Shakespeare's Tempest and Hamlet, ed Clark and Wright; Milton's Comus and Paradise Lost, Bks i and ii.
Fall Term. Tu., Thu., Sa. 40 hrs [4]
    4. Browning— Corson's Introduction to Browning; Browning's Selected Poems, ed. Rolfe
Fall Term We., Fr., 34 hours [5]
1891 Winter 5. Nineteenth Century Literature — Ward's English Poems, Vol. IV. (Wordsworth to Rossetti): Tennyson's Selected Poems, ed Rolfe.
Winter Term, Tu., Th., Sa., 34 hours [5]
    6. American Literature — Selected Poems of Longfellow, Whittier, Byant, Holms, Lowell, and Emerson, ed. Scudder.
Winter Term, We. Fr., 24 hours. [5]
  Spring 2. English Literature. — Chaucer's Prologue, The Knight's Tale, The Nonne Preestes Tale, ed. Morris and Skeat; Shakespeare's Macbeth, ed. Clark and Wright; Hales' Longer English Poems. Brooke's Primer of English Literature. A brief survey of the history of English literature is made by means of lectures and assigned reading, the relation of English literature to English history is point out, and occasional lectures are given on poetics.
Spring Term. Mo., Tu., Th., Fr. 46 hrs.[3]
  Fall 3. Old and Middle English — Sweet's Anglo-Saxon Primer; Zupitza' Alt- und Mittelenglisches Uebungsbuch; ten Brick's English Literature, vol. I. Lectures on historical grammar, and on the historical relations of English literature.
Fall Term. Tu., We., Th., Fr., Sa., 64 hours.
May be substituted for Course 1. [6]
    12. Browning.—Corson's Introduction to Browning; Selected Drams, ed Rolfe.
Fall Term. We. Fr. 36 hours. [7]
1892 Winter 1. English Literature—Chaucer, The Prologue, ed. Skeat; Shakespeare, Hamlet, Macbeth, ed. Clark and Wright; Selected minor poems from Spenser to Wordsworth (Palgrave). Brooke's Primer of English Literature. The relation of English literature to English social and political history is pointed out.
Winter Term. Mo., Tu., Th., Fr. 47 hours
Required for Sophomores. [6]
    4. Chaucer.— Minor Poems, ed. Skeat; Selected Canterbury Tales, ed. Morris.
Winter Term. We., Fr., 23 hours [6]
  Spring 7. Shakespeare.—Romeo and Juliet, Richard III., Henry V., Henry VIII, As You Like It, King Lear.
Spring Term. Tu., Th., Sa., 32 hours
Should not be elected by those expecting to elect Course 8. [8]
    9. Spenser and Milton — The Faerie Queene, bks i. and ii., ed Kitchie; Paradise Lost, Comus.
Spring Term. We., Fr. 23 hours. [8]
  Fall  
1893 Winter 3. English Literature.— Chaucer, The Prologue, The Knightes Tale, The Nonne Preestes Tale; Shakespeare, 1 Henry IV., King Lear; Milton, Paradise Lost, books i, and ii; Pope, The Rape of the Lock.
Winter Term. Tu., We., Th., Fr. 47 hours
Required of Sophomores. [9]
  Spring 13. Robert Browning.—Corson's Introduction to Browning. The Ring and the Book.
Spring Term. We., Fr. 32 Hours. [10]
  Fall Not scheduled to teach
1894 Winter Not scheduled to teach
  Spring 7. †Shakespeare.Spring term. Tu., We., Th., Fr., Sa. 55 hours.
Lear, Othello, Richard III., and Julius Caesar are read slowly, after which Midsummer Night's Dream, Anthony and Cleopatra, Cymbeline, Winter's Tale, 1, 2, and 3 Henry VI., Measure for Measure, Pericles, Titus Andronicus, and Timon of Athens are read rapidly. [11]
    14. † The Novels of George Eliot. Spring Term. Tu., We., Th., Fr., Sa. 55 hours
Silas Marner, Adam Bede, The Mill on the Floss, Felix Holt, Romola, Middlemarch, and Daniel Deronda are studied with reference to plot and characterization, and the novel is considered as an art form. [12]
    16. † Robert Browning.Spring Term. We., Fr. 22 hours.
The work studied in this course is The Ring and the Book. Text-book: Corson's Introduction to Browning. [12]
    17. † Robert Browning.Spring Term. Tu., Th. Sa. 33 hours.
The Ring and the Book is studied in this course as in the preceding. Text-book: Corson's Introduction to Browning.
Two courses are offered in Browning in order to secure a division of the class. The two correspond, except that the Ring and the Book will be read more slowly in coure 17.  [13]
  Fall Not scheduled to teach
1895 Winter Not scheduled to teach
  Spring 1. Sociology. Spring term. Tu., Th., Sa., 33 hours
1894-95
An introduction to the study of contemporary society, with lectures on theories of social order from Plato to Schaeffle.[14]
    2. Anthropology. Spring term. Tu., We., Th., Fr., Sa. 55 hours.
1894-95.
A study of the somatic, domestic, political, economic, juridical, aesthetic, moral and psychic life of tribal society.[14]
 

Oberlin Courses Proposed, But Not Taught

1891   8. Shakespeare and the English Drama, with reference to the ancient classical drama and modern romantic drama. Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Richard III., As You Like It, Macbeth, King Lear; Milton, Samson Agonistes; Sheridan, The Rivals; Shelley, Prometheus Unbound; Swinburne, Atalanta, in Calydon; Aeschylus, Agamemnon, Prometheus Vinctus; Sophocles, Antigone, Oedipus Tyrannus; Euripedes, Medea, Bacchae; Aristophanes, The Birds; Plautus, Trinummus; Terence, Phormio; Corneille, Le Cid, Cinna; Molière, Tartuffe,  Le Misanthrope, Les Femmes savantes; Racine, Andromaque, Athalie; Schiller, Maria Stuart, Wilhelm Tell; Goethe, Iphigenie auf Taures, compared with Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and Calderon's El Magico prodigioso; Hugo, Ruy Blas; Ibsen, A Doll's House.
Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms. Tu., Th., Sa. 105 hours.
1892-93, and every second year.
A knowledge of French and German is required for this course. [editors' note: proposed course, not taught] [15]
    13. English Essayists.— Sidney, Apologie for Poetrie; Browne, Religio Medici; Bacon, Essays; Steele, Papers from the Father; Addison, Papers from the Spectator; Swift, Prose Writings; Burke, On the Sublime and Beautiful; Lamb, Essays of Elia; DeQuincey, Confessions, Murder as a Fine Art; Macaulay, Selected Essays; Carlyle, Sartor Resartus; Ruskin, Modern Painters, vol. III.; Landor, Pericles and Aspasia; Arnold, On Translating Homer; George Elliot, Theophrastus Such.
Fall, Winter and Spring terms. Mo. Two hours weekly. 71 hours.
Omitted in 1892-3, 1893-4, and every second year. [editors' note: proposed course, not taught] [7]
    5. The English Drama Exclusive of Shakespeare.— Consideration of the Mysteries, Miracles, Moralities, and Interludes and the decline of the drama. Nine Plays.
Fall Term. Tu., Th., Sa., 38 hours
Omitted in 1892-93. 1893-94, and every second year. [editors' note: proposed course, not taught] [16]
    14. The English Novel — Consideration of the origin and development of English fiction; More, Utopia; Lyly, Euphues; Richardson, Clarissa Harlowe; Fielding, Amelia; Goldsmith, The Vicar of Wakefield, Stern, A Sentimental Journey; Scott, Kenilworth;  Dickens, David Copperfield; Thackeray, Henry Esmond; George Eliot, Romola; Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter.
Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms. Mo, Two hours weekly, 71 hours.
1892-93, and every second year. [editors' note: proposed course, not taught] [7]
    6. Shakespeare.— Merchant of Venice, Midsummer Night's Dream, 1 and 2 Henry IV., Julius Caesar, Othello, The Tempest, Coriolanus.
Winter Term, Tu., Th., Sa. 35 hours.
Omitted in 1892-93. 1893-94, and every second year. [17]
    10. English Poetry of the XVIII. Century — Ward's English Poets, vol. III. Lectures.
Spring Term. We. Fr. 23 hours
1892-93, and every second year [editors' note: proposed course, not taught] [17]
    11 English Poetry of the XIX. Century — Ward's English Poets, vol VI.; Tennyson, Lyrical Poems.
Spring Term. We., Fr.. 23 hours.
Omitted in 1892-93. 1893-4, and every second year.[editors' note: proposed course, not taught] [7]
    1. Old English. — Bright's Anglo-Sazon Reader. Brooke's History of Early English Literature.
Fall Term. Tu., We., Th., Fr., Sa., 64 hours
1893-94, and every second year [editors' note: proposed course, not taught]
    2. Early Middle English.— Morris, Specimen of Early English, Part I. (1150-1350). Parallel study of historical conditions.
Fall Term. Tu. We., Th., Fr., Sa. 64 hours.
1894-95, and every second year.[editors' note: proposed course, not taught]
    16. Epic Poetry. — A comparative study of the greater epics. The Iliad and Odessey, the Works and Days, the Aeneid, the Divine Comedy, Orlando Furioso, Jerusalem Delivered, the Nibelungenlied, Beowulf, will be read in class, and the Canterbury Tales, the Faery Queene, Paradise Lost, and the Idyls of the King will be compared with them. Mahabharata, the Chanson de Roland, the Roman de la Rose, the Cid, and the Icelandic Sagas will be considered at some length. Parallel study of historical conditions. Collection of sociological data from the works read. The epic as an art form compared with the drama and the novel.
Throughout the year. Tu., We., Th., Fr., Sa. 176 hours.
1893-94, and every second year.
Elective for Juniors and Seniors by special arrangement, and not eligible after the Fall term.[editors' note: proposed course, not taught]
    17. The Drama — A comparative study of the dramatic types. Similar to course 16. About 70 plays from Kalidasa, Bhavabhuti, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Plautus, Terence, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Jonson, Sheridan, Shelley, Swinburne, Corneille, Molière, Racine, Hugo, Lope de Vega, Calderon, Alfieri, Lessing, Goethe, Schiller, Ibsen.
Throughout the year. Tu., We., Th., Fr. Sa. 176 hours.
1894-95, and every second year. [editors' note: proposed course, not taught]
    9. Shakespeare.— Othello, The Tempest, Coriolanus, Henry VIII., Midsummer Night's Dream, Richard II.
Winter Term. We., Fr., 23 hours.
1893-94, and every second year.[editors' note: proposed course, not taught]
    10. Spenser and Milton. — Spenser's Faery Queene, books i. and ii.; Milton's Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained Samson Agonistes, Comus.
Winter Term, We. Fr. 23 hours.
1894-5, and every second year.[editors' note: proposed course, not taught]
    11. Shakespeare.—Romeo and Juliet, Richard III., 2 Henry IV., Henry V., Hamlet, Macbeth.
Spring Term. Tu., Th., Sa., 32 hours
1893-94, and every second year. [editors' note: proposed course, not taught]
    12. English Drama Exclusive of Shakespeare.— From the Miracle Plays to the Restoration. Twelve plays, Lectures.
Spring Term. Tu., Th., Sa. 32 hours.
1894-95, and every second year.[editors' note: proposed course, not taught] [z]

Sources.

Notes

  1. Oberlin College (1895): 111.
  2. Oberlin College (1889): 46.
  3. Oberlin College (1890): 55.
  4. Oberlin College (1890): 55-56.
  5. Oberlin College (1890): 56.
  6. Oberlin College (1892): 71.
  7. Oberlin College (1892): 73.
  8. Oberlin College (1892): 72
  9. Oberlin College (1893): 77.
  10. Oberlin College (1893): 78.
  11. Oberlin College (1894): 96.
  12. Oberlin College (1894): 97.
  13. Oberlin College (1894): 98.
  14. Oberlin College (1895): 110 - 111.
  15. Oberlin College (1893):  72.
  16. Oberlin College (1893): 71-72.
  17. Oberlin College (1893): 72.

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