ct with which he ordinarily comes to college. It should
come often enough a week to grip the student, especially the history
major.

=Gradation of courses determined by content=

Gradation of courses in history on the basis of subject matter is
largely arbitrary, and turns upon the method of presentation. General
courses naturally precede period courses. A sound principle is to
select courses adapted to the stages of the student's development. On
this principle it has already been suggested that the first college
course should be, not American but European history. English, ancient,
medieval, or modern history immediately suggest themselves, with
strong arguments in favor of the first if but one freshman course is
offered, as it forms a natural projection of American history into the
past. Beyond this, what subject matter is offered in the several years
is largely a matter of local convenience, as the college student
understands the general history of all nations or periods about
equally well. It is now clear, however, that the student should know
more modern and contemporary European history than he has been
getting, and the sound training of an American of the future should
include thorough training in modern European history.

=Gradation of courses may be determined by method of teaching=

Gradation based on the method of presentation is more nearly possible.
Graduate courses presuppose training in the auxiliary sciences, in the
necessary languages, in research methods, in the special field of
research, as well as a knowledge of general history. This establishes
a sort of sequence of the methods to be employed, irrespective of
subject matter.

=Method of teaching introductory courses--Lecture method=

The lecture method is convenient for the elementary courses,
especially if, as is so often the case, these have a large number of
students. It cannot, however, be gainsaid that convenience or, worse
still, economy is a weak argument in favor of the lecture course,
especially for the first-year student. To him the lecture method is
unknown, and he flounders about a good deal if he is left to work out
his own salvation; and then, too, just when he needs personal
direction and particularly when, as a youth away from home for the
first time, he needs some definite and unescapable task that shall
teach discipline and duty as well as give information, the lecture
system gives him the maximum of liberty with the minimum