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Search The following interview is the last in a series of 10 articles highlighting prominent schools and departments within USC. Dr. Chester Bain, acting Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, talks about his schools and its advancements. BY BOB BAKER Editor-in-Chief Q. Dr. Bain, you have only been Dean for about three weeks, and the new College which you are heading is only five weeks old. From your short experience, would you briefly state the purpose of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences? A. First, I'd like to preface these remarks by stating how this new college was formed. Four years ago the old College of Arts and Sciences was split into three colleges--Arts and Letters, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Science and Mathematics. This new school was established July 1 of this year as a merger of the first two, and it took in the 15 depart ments included there. Our major mission is to provide educational and applied training in the traditional humanistic and artistic sciences. The departments within this college offer different undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees. Also, beyond our own departments, I am sure you realize the great number of courses we offer for completing requirements in other schools and colleges of the University. Q. As a new college, what direction does the College of Humanities and Social Sciences hope to take say, in the next five years? A. There are two or three things. One of the goals I would like to see fulfilled which we must constantly SPECIAL "EA Histor At a time when the people of this understand the American Revoluti ment of the U.S. in preparation fo tennial, Susan Cate of the Game researching the history of the I Carolina. Below is the last in a s school's history. This article dei Twentieth Century. BY SUSA N CA of The Gamecock Memorial trees were planted alon streets, several monuments were r4 dead from USC soon rested in the di along with other men from other wA With little legislative cooperatior staff and students, the "return t( University proved to be a very slow The Trustees felt the R.O.T.C. prog "inconsistent with the traditions o1 they ended it in 1921. Who needed a I after the "war to end all wars" had b< Because of the stalemate USC hat President Currell was pressured int( IIis successor, W.D. Melton atteni conditions by following an "educati Melton went to the legislature apologetic plea for funds. lie sii money--and he got it--$406,O00, all propriation of the year before. Melti student body rise from 621 in 1921 to from his efforts and partly from the schools in the state. The fall of noton pries insianted For Aco strive for is to give courses which provide meaningful relationships for students which contribute to new curricula for there is always going to be a constant search for improving in academic excellence and scholarship. Another area we should be striving for is in the area of the applied phases of the liberal arts. We must recognize the needs and the changing interests of students , who are new to the University and also those who might be interested in going back to school as a means of renewing a job requirement. There is also a growing interest in the general environment, and a need to respond to this demand. But, with all of these, we ad ministrators have to find ways to operate with the budgetary con straints we have. Q. Is this need for getting more applied curricula a result of society becoming more specialized or is there something else we should attribute it to? A. There are two forces which demand applied studies. First, there is a demand for special training programs which could help meet new job requirements. On the other hand, there is also a need for studies which will bring together in different areas an adequate background for liberal and cultural development. I see a need by both faculty and students to develop experiential training in the curricula. Also, I am getting a clear impression that a lot of the students who are en tering now for the first time are much more ready for degrees which are more job oriented than those associated with the traditional liberal and cultural disciplines in the past. In many instances, now anyway, em ployers are looking for a student with experience. But, this trend TURE Behinc W"W'% in S.C. an country are trying to The atn on and the develop- students u r our nation's Bicen- School in cock staff has been capabiliti( University of South part of tho eries devoted to our dorm, wa is with USC in the amendme : t rtcof Melton so the Tru establishr E Universit; taf The Dej taffcut 29 pei tuition wa g Green and Pickens 1934 unde ised and the 28 war reinstatec isty annals of history built. The ars. but the st and lack of funds, With th normalcy" of the snobbery and painful process. life was e~ ram on campus was men and i the University" so occupy si nilitary organization seemed ft een fought? In 1940, l seemingly come-to, 'cut in hal > resignation in 1921. program pted to ameliorate years and on for all" policy. 1947 br without the usual education nply demanded the pressed fo nost double the ap1 basement! n saw the dwindling Under 1,419 in 1925 - partly c'onstructi development of high The Rluss( name. an early depression 'rhe nas idemic Dean Chester Bain also tends to lead to a growing request- by former graduates to come back and either pick up more specialized materials taught in some of today's course work or to get the more traditional kinds of courses they did not get when they were first here. Now, this kind of study may be job oriented, or it may be leisure oriented. For in stance, a Master in Public Ad ministration helps a person already in public administration to learn about developments and insights into the present. One thing very interesting in this college is a program for mature students under Phyllis Fleischel, assistant dean for special programs. The program is designed to allow all persons to go to college who may have been hindered in their earlier years or who may have had their college education interrupted. Q. Well, as society grows larger and larger, and job opportunities become more and more diverse, I USC: 1 d the legislature's generosity soon c( losphere was one of hostility towari ntil two co-eds were graduated from 1918. When the female scholars pro !s they became an accepted and sou University. Wade Hampton, the first b huilt after the influential passage o nt. nt D).M. D)ouglas was brought in after with a salary higher than that of the ( stees were forced to lower it. Douglas nent of Wardlaw College of Educ4 'High School for the practice teacht ression hit USC hard in 1932 with appr cent, special scholarships were dist s raised and salaries were slashed. Ai r Roosevelt's "New Deal." Scholars Sims, Preston and McKissick Libr first "natatorium " was const ructed at udents referred to it as the "swairr mi e departure of the Depression when associated with the Columbia insutut trefree as the stock market began tor vomen had cars, cigarettes, jazz and L are time. The imepending war ir ir away. 2.000 students were enrolled, a figure f by 1943. WW 11 started an intensi vith classes being held year-round. 140 USC alumni killed in battle, the we aught forth hundreds of veterans under the G I. Bill. With 4,700 students r space and classes were being held in P~resident D)onald S. Russell, the an program as we know it today wa! 11 House Student Center, built in 1955 two decades have brougoht more caa Exceliet don't you think there will become a need for more job-oriented professional learning? A. I really think the liberal arts can hold their own on this. While there will definitely be some response to increased diversity, there will also be some employer looking for someone with perhaps an English or philosophy background because that is something which cannot be taught on the job. You really need some kind of degree for entry level positions within direct em ployment. Q. The market today is too glutted with graduates who have liberal arts degrees. Isn't there something in the back of your mind which tells you there's more of a need for specialized training'. A. There is really nothing in the back of my mind of that sort. What I see is a response to trends and a need for traditional courses as requirements for other schools of the University. I'm sure you are well aware that there will even tually be a decline in the general base enrollment of students in the future. Also, I might add, I have an impression that right now there are quite a few young people today who are really skeptical about the whole idea of a college education. Combine those two factors, and it doesn't look too good fcr Colleges. It may eventually be that many persons will be coming here to simply satisfy themselves with courses of their own interests. We see a trend now in which the ratio of undergraduates to graduates is shifting toward the graduate side of the scale. But, as the shift oc curs, we will probably have problems getting ample resources as graduate programs are ex pensive. Q. Dr. Bain, what sort of in formation do you have which leads you to believe that many young art Ten !ased. University than any bo I women Allen University stud4 the Law acceptance to USC aft ved their not admitted until the ght after of the student body c women's election of Harry Wall f the 19th of the student body in I The apathy prevel the death volvement of the '60' ov'ernor's "Dixie" at games bec, urged the to sell beer on campui tion and survey showed that 10 ~rs. class bra-less and th( >priations dispense birth contre 'ontinued, relatively peaceful Vi d came in Kent State deaths evo4 lips were boycott of classes was ary were the Russell House. Pc this time the protest was quelle ng pool." The past few years he social campus with the co ~n. Social stadium, a new nursin ise. USC building, the health e( owling to few. Europe The resignation of P 1974 came as a shock t that was time and thought to ve Naval Controversy over the ifter four came to USC in 1962'1 ir ended. 7,695 on six campuses. seeking campuses and was nal UJSC was Year "by WIS Radio ittics and March of 1974 came l new fad rivaled the extensive stuffing and panty raid begun. number of streakers re bears his lit night, one seriously nude runners ever e< gue to the thiecery. tce people are doubting the worth of a college education? A. I have received personal information, read statements in the national press, and talked with students. In many instances students who graduate and are looking for jobs are appalled at the lack of opportunity available to them. I've heard a lot from students as to "What good is my education. I can't even find a job." It's unfortunate that they tend to be discouraged easily because in the long run they don't understand how their college education helps them in everyday living and gainful employment. It's also clear that freshman enrollments are down across the country. With more and more high school students graduating each year, what else can you attribute this declining freshman enrollment to? Q. As far as I know, there is really no comparable means for ranking liberal arts schools around the nation for one is just about as similar as the next. If you could rank them, where would USC rank in relation to the best? A. At the present time we are suffering from time lag. In other words, our level of ac complishment is considerably above what image people previously have had of the University. One thing all depart ments in this college have is strength, vigor, and excellence in its faculty which would place them very high in anyone's national rankings. Of course, just like most things, there are some depart ments at some Universities which are better than some of ours. But, there are a great many depart ments we have that we should be proud of. As we continue to stress academic excellence, and as more grads get out across the country, our reputation will increase very rapidly. 4ore. In January 1958, eleven black !nts threatened legal means to gain er they were refused. Blacks were fall of 1963. By 1970 only 6 per cent Dusisted of black students and the cer, a black man, to the presidency 971 made national television. ant in the '50's gave way to in s. Protest against the playing of ime a major issue. Whether or not was also a point of contention. A per cent of the 1969 co-eds went to student Health Center refused to I pills. Students gathered for a etnam Moratorium in 1969, but the ed a more violent protest in 1970. A Urged and angry students took over lice and troops were called in and d and classes remained open. has brought a new look to the nstruction of the Coliseum, the g center, a new law center, the BA nter and new libraries, to name a resident Thomas Jones in January many. He left to devote his "full the teaching-learning process." real reason still remains. Jones w'hen there was a student body of He helped it grow to 26,342 on nine ned "1966 South Carolinian of the and Television. vith streakers across campus. This goldfish eating, telephone booth s of the past. And even though the ached a phenomenal 508 on a torch doubts the excitement caused by iualed that of the 1800's turkey