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CORCORAN SCHOOL OF HISTORICAL SCIENCE.
Science of Society.
Professor Holmes.
In this class there are two courses, each extending over a half session.
Political Economy.—In the treatment of this department of
knowledge, there is no rigid adherence to the school of Smith,
Ricardo, and Mill. The modification of older doctrines, necessitated
by the increase of productive inventions and productive operations, is
steadily regarded. Attention is paid to the inquiries and criticisms of
Thornton, Cairnes, Jevons, Marshall, etc.; and the altered views propounded
by Laveleye, Walker, and the school of the Cathedrists and
other German schools, are duly considered.
Text-books.—Walker's Political Economy (advanced course); Mill's Political
Economy (abridged).
Science of Society.—The latter half of the course in this class is
devoted to the Science of Society. In this is prosecuted the investigation
of the laws and movements, the growth, decay, and constitution
The necessary organic functions of Society are studied in their several
forms. They are also regarded in their reciprocal relations and in
their conjoint action in successive forms of civilization. All systems
are interpreted; no ideal constitution is contemplated. The course is
descriptive of processes by which experienced results have been
obtained, not speculative in advocacy of theoretic dreams.
This Class is dependent on notes for the Lectures, as no text-book exists.
History.
Adjunct Professor Dabney.
Class of General History.—In this class, which comprises the historical
work required for the B. A. degree, great stress is laid on the
view that the career of man, as revealed in History, is not a mere
jumble of disconnected dates and facts, but a continuous stream, having
its sources and tributaries in the far-off past, its outlet in the remote
future. No attempt is made, however, to traverse in the class-room the
entire length of this stream; for, although constant efforts are made to
impress the vital connection of nation with nation, of generation with
generation, and of anterior with ensuing conditions of historical development,
the lectures are confined to the more important periods, the
student being required to fill the gaps by private reading in a manual
of General History. The periods, and, therefore, the text-books studied,
may be more or less varied each year. Three lectures a week.
Text-books.—Fisher's Outlines of Universal History; Smith's History of Greece;
Froude's Cæsar; Capes's Age of the Antonines; Church's Beginning of the Middle
Ages; Bryce's Holy Roman Empire; Seebohm's Era of the Protestant Revolution;
Gardiner's Thirty Years' War; Dabney's Causes of the French Revolution;
Morris's French Revolution and First Empire.
Class of English and American History.—In this class the principles
taught in the class of General History will be applied to a more
special field. Such students, therefore, as have already completed the
work in General History will derive most benefit from the course. It
may be taken, however, by others; and, as considerable attention will
be paid to constitutional development, it is thought that the course
will be specially advantageous to first-year law students not applying
for a degree. Three lectures a week. A certificate of proficiency is
awarded to any student passing the examinations.
Text-books.—Green's Short History of the English People; Percy Greg's History
of the United States; Gardiner's School Atlas of English History; Hart's
Epoch Maps Illustrating American History.
The Graduate Course in this School, leading to the degree of Ph.
D., will be varied from year to year, but will always be designed to
train the student in original research and systematic exposition of the
results. Some historical period, with the accompanying social, political
and intellectual development of the people, will be made the subject
of study. Such instructions and directions as may be required to
render those pursuits efficacious will be given throughout the session.
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