Tim Hsieh

WRT 205

2.25.2003

There is a subject; a theme contained in this paper that I believe has a life of its own. It’s a question asked by many, but answered by none. “Why am I required to take writing”. This question has graced the lips of many students here at Syracuse University, including my own. Now in an attempt to tame the beast of this paper, I will boldly go where most students don’t dare tread. In this paper I will make points in how I think I shouldn’t nor any other students in my major be required to take writing.

In order to make points in removing something, one must go back to the source and find out the reasons why writing was required in the first place. History is a vital part of my paper and it will focus on the history of required writing. The required writing class or as some know it by as composition, was born in 1885 at Harvard. Since Harvard was the number school at the time, other institutes followed suit, like sheep following the herd leader.

Many just assumed that it was the good thing to do in that Harvard did it, but soon after the requirement of composition was in place, there was numerous debate about abolishing it. The most popular reasons why in 1890 was that it was set in place as a gap closer. It was set in place to give secondary schools a chance to catch up and improve upon their writing and English programs. Another reason is that that talents of teachers are being wasted on something that is deemed trivial. Time, money, and teachers are going towards something that are sometimes being taught in high school. I know from experience, in that in high school, I was taught all about research papers and such, and in WRT I just basically went over the same stuff.

Some could argue that we need required writing for the sciencetists and journalist and other professions. We need to leave college and go into the real world being able to put together two sentences and make coherent sense when we write. Others say how composition needs improving and that we need it in place to set kids right. Well that’s all fine and dandy but just what about other kids whose majors doesn’t revolve around the writing world.

I am an illustration major currently, and probably going to transfer to adverstising design, but for all purposes of this paper, we’ll just say I’m in illustration. Now at Syracuse University, as a student, I am required to take writing. Even though I’m in illustration, I need to take writing. I for one think this is obsurd, and frankly sucks. I do not see the need for writing in my major, yet I’m required to take it. After exploring many art school web sites, I see no mention of required qriting. I see no courses where students need to take composition classes or any other ones like it.

At these schools, they have courses and majors just like the ones I’m taking here. They have illustration major and they have it here too. So why can’t the curriculium be that like art schools. Many may say how this isn’t art school and that’s true in all aspects, but the major and department that I am in is like that of art school, and it should atleast follow a similar formula to it.