Charles Sisam and
William Lovitt were hired
to replace Cajori in 1918 and a few years later, the changing
of the guard began to register on the mathematics curriculum.
First, the major requirements were detailed more carefully:
- In addition
to the all-college algebra-geometry-trigonometry requirement, a
mathematics student had to pass one year of analytic geometry
(up through 3 dimensional topics) and one year of calculus.
- Then the student could choose two courses from projective
geometry, theory of equations, differential equations, determinants,
theoretical mechanics, vector analysis, and solid analytic geometry.
- Finally, the student had to earn a grade of C or better in
30 hours (about 5 year long courses) selected from any mathematics
courses (this included the history course and statistics), Astronomy,
Business Mathematics, Graphics (drafting), and Physics.
By 1920, there were just a few changes to the curriculum
in place when Cajori left.
The History and Logic of Mathematics became the Teachers'
Course reflecting the emphasis on history and methods appropriate
for secondary education. Professor Albright added a course on
the mathematical theory of investments and Professor Sisam taught
statistical methods.
Economics was taught at the college and,
in fact, their curriculum included statistics and investment courses
covering mathematical topics.
There has always been an interplay between Economics and Mathematics,
and in 1920 the mathematics department decided to give their own
spin to some of the more mathematically oriented economics courses.
By 1926, there were two
statistic courses in the mathematics curriculum and both Lovitt
and Belschner (1927)
taught them. Albright's investment course remained
in the curriculum until 1960.
In 1928, at the more advanced end of the curriculum,
Professor Sisam designed a course titled Functions
of a Complex Variable. This course stayed in the curriculum
until Sisam left in 1948; it was then dropped for awhile reappearing
in the mid sixties.
Also in 1928, the college began organizing
disciplines into three divisions; the main curricular reorganization
occured in 1932, but it was foreshadowed a few years earlier.
Students at this time selected a major field and two minor fields
of study.
* (Above image from the 1924 Pikes Peak Nugget.)
Back to Evolution of the Curriculum
