Practice, idea and criticism of a Great Books program. John Erskine and the General Honors at Columbia College (1920-1928)

Abstract

Given the recent introduction of Great Brooks seminars in Europe, stemming from North American collegial tradition, we aim to examine the program that led to their inception: the General Honors at Columbia, a course designed to restore the comprehensive nature of undergraduate education by exposing students to the most significant works in the world of letters. After providing a brief historical context, we delve into its organization, method and implementation, drawing from the memoirs of its architect, John Erskine, and his closest collaborators. Thereafter, we explore the theoretical foundations upon which Erskine, under the influence of George E. Woodberry, built the conception of literature and teaching underlying these seminars. Lastly, in order to assess critically the General Honors, we trace its projection on subsequent programs, analyzing some of their variations – such as adaptation to popular education or integration with instruction of the arts of language – as efforts to achieve two ideals essential to its educational philosophy: the democratization of culture and the growth of intellectual powers.