University of Virginia Library

To The Editor

Computerese

For the past few years the
faculty of the College of Arts and
Sciences has engaged itself in the
task of modernizing the curriculum
and requirement structure. This
they have done admirably, with the
exception of not exploring what I
feel is an exciting possibility - the
offering of computer science as a
satisfactory course in foreign
language.

Indeed, computer programming
is the language of the future, and
even today is not only being used in
scientific fields, but also in the
social sciences (vote analysis,
demographic surveys, etc.) and the
humanities (note the popularity of
electronic music). To be able to
work with computers would be a
tool which majors of many
departments would be able to apply
to their studies both as
undergraduates and on higher
levels.

This is a relatively new and
exciting field, one which will
inevitably aid in many fields of
endeavor, and if, as Mr. Jefferson
predicted, the University is to be
the "capstone of public education
in Virginia," it is a field in which
we should pioneer, not follow
behind the lead of others.