 | The University of Virginia record March 15, 1929 |  |
THE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN THE
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Officers of Administration
EDWIN ANDERSON ALDERMAN, Ph.B., D.C.L., LL.D.
President of the University
WILSON GEE, B.S., M.A., Ph.D.
Director of the Institute
HELEN LOVE HARRELL, B.S.
Executive Secretary
| EDWIN ANDERSON ALDERMAN, Ph.B., D.C.L., LL.D. | Ex-Officio Chairman |
| JOHN LLOYD NEWCOMB, B.A., C.E. | Assistant to the President |
| ARMISTEAD MASON DOBIE, M.A., LL.B., S.J.D. | Professor of Law |
| WILSON GEE, M.A., Ph.D. | Professor of Rural Economics and Rural Sociology |
| TIPTON RAY SNAVELY, M.A., Ph.D. | Professor of Economics |
| DUMAS MALONE, M.A., Ph.D. | Professor of History |
| FLOYD NELSON HOUSE, M.A., Ph.D. | Professor of Sociology |
| FRANK ARTHUR GELDARD, M.A., Ph.D. | Associate Professor of Psychology |
| LESTER JESSE CAPPON, M.A., Ph.D. | Research Associate in History |
| FRANK TRAVER DE VYVER, M.A. | Research Assistant in Labor Problems |
| HUGH NELSON FULLER, B.A., LL.B. | Associate Research Professor of Criminal Procedure |
| WYLIE KILPATRICK, M.A., Ph.D. | Research Professor of Government |
| TAYLOR MUSSER, M.A., Ph.D. | Research Associate in Finance |
| WILLIAM HENRY STOUFFER, M.A., Ph.D. | Associate Research Professor of Rural Social Economics |
| WILLIAM HAMLIN WANDEL, B.S. | Research Assistant in Insurance |
Establishment.—The announcement was made by President Alderman to the
Rector and the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia during the commencement
exercises in June, 1926, that the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial
had made a grant of $137,500 to the University for research in the field of the
social sciences: economics, government, sociology, history, psychology, philosophy
and related subjects. The grant extends over a five-year period, $27,500 becoming
available each of the years from July 1, 1926 through June 30, 1931.
The work under the provisions of the grant has been organized as an Institute
for Research in the Social Sciences. The President of the University, the Assistant
to the President, the members of the University faculty of professorial rank
in the schools of History, Economics, Government, Jurisprudence, Philosophy,
constitute the membership of the Institute.
As outlined in the resolutions which were adopted by the Institute, "the duty
of this Institute shall be to promote research effort, both individual and group, in
the Social Sciences at the University of Virginia—at the outset primarily in the
field of Virginia problems. It shall further be the function of the Institute to consider
any matter that concerns the development of the Social Sciences in the
University of Virginia, making recommendations thereon to the President of
the University."
Social Science Building.—The Institute is housed in one of the original Jefferson
buildings of the University formerly known as the Old Medical Building.
The interior of the structure has been thoroughly repaired and put in excellent
condition for the activities of the Institute. Provision is made for office space
and equipment for the research workers, and also a general office has been set
up where supplies and secretarial assistance are provided.
Scope of Research Effort.—The grant to the University of Virginia is being
utilized at the outset primarily for research into a number of vital economic and
social problems in the life of the State. It has chosen this field for two reasons.
First, because Virginia is in a changing period in its history, and needs full light
on its problems to direct as wisely as possible the current of transition. And
secondly, the University of Virginia realizes that it is a State University and
desires to relate itself more and more intimately with the people and the life of the
State in general, feeling that such a relationship will be mutually beneficial. However,
the work of the Institute in its full development will not be limited to the
field of Virginia problems but large provision will be made for scholarly research
in the broader phases of social science research without respect to geographical
boundaries.
The research in the Institute is carried on as the professor's own research
project assisted by well-trained research workers. The plan is to limit the number
of problems to be studied, and to do these thoroughly, and in a way that will make
the investigations of an immediate or ultimate usefulness in the life of the State,
as well as constituting contributions to the broader field of social science research.
A definite portion of the grant is being allotted for the publication of the studies
when completed.
Research Lectures.—In addition to its research projects, the Institute has
held a series of nine lectures, from 1926 to 1928, on the fundamental objectives
and methods of research in the social sciences. Men of outstanding ability in the
particular fields of social science covered by the Institute projects delivered the
lectures. These have been collected and appeared in book form early in 1929
from the press of the Macmillan Company of New York City, under the imprint
of the Institute for Research in the Social Sciences.
INVESTIGATIONS IN PROGRESS—1928-1929
1. Bibliography of Southern History Since 1865, by Dumas Malone, Professor
of History, and Lester J. Cappon, Research Associate in History.—A critical
bibliography of the literature of southern history since the Civil War which includes
a survey chiefly of official publications of federal and state governments
newspapers and periodicals.
2. The Government of the Virginia County, by Wylie Kilpatrick, Research
Professor of Government.—An analysis of the county mechanism as an administrative
organization and as a political agency, the functions performed separately
or concurrently with associated units, historical antecedents, the personnel problem,
legislation at county seats and State capitol, and the adaptation of local
rural areas to public needs.
3. Labor in the South, by Abraham Berglund, Professor of Commerce,
G. T. Starnes, Associate Professor of Commerce and Business Administration,
and Frank T. de Vyver, Research Assistant in Labor Problems.—A study of the
wage-earning classes of the South and their living conditions and problems, labor
laws and labor movements.
4. Currency, Credit and Crises in Virginia Since 1860, by Alvis Kincaid,
Professor of Commerce and Business Administration, and Taylor Musser, Research
Associate in Finance.—A study of the financial reconstruction in the State to
ascertain just where the credit institutions of Virginia stand today and the processes
by which they arrived at their present status.
5. Criminal Justice in Virginia, by Armistead Dobie, Professor of Law, and
Hugh N. Fuller, Associate Research Professor of Criminal Procedure.—A study
of the criminal situation in Virginia which will be done as a part of a wide movement
now on to work out the causes of the so-called crime wave and the available
remedies in the light of these facts.
6. Insurance in Virginia, by C. N. Hulvey, Associate Professor of Commercial
Law, and William H. Wandel, Research Assistant in Insurance.—A comprehensive
survey of each field of insurance, and a statistical study of the economic
and social effects of insurance on the State.
7. Community Studies, by Floyd N. House, Professor of Sociology, in cooperation
with the Co-operative Education Association of Virginia.—An intensive
survey of several typical communities which is expected to develop later into a
regional study of the State.
8. A History of Philosophy, by Albert G. A. Balz, Professor of Philosophy.
9. Comparative Rural and Urban Standards of Living in Virginia, by Wilson
Gee, Professor of Rural Economics and Rural Sociology, and William H.
Stouffer, Associate Research Professor of Rural Social Economics.—A comparative
analysis of living standards among representative urban and rural groups in Virginia
to ascertain whether there are wide differences between these groups and,
if so, in what measure the variations occur. The accomplishment and status of
children from these groups will be studied and a picture drawn of the social
environment and outlook of each group.
10. Regionalism in France, by Robert K. Gooch, Professor of Political
Science.—A study of the French method of decentralizing government, with
emphasis on two fundamental problems: (1) the relationship of the executive and
the legislature in the central government, and (2) the relationship of the government
of localities to the central government.
| The University of Virginia record March 15, 1929 | |