Introduction:

Although there was no shortage of information in terms of the history of the writing requirement, useful factual pieces were not easy to find. Many didn’t have substance, but rather just explained the scenario at colleges across the country currently where writing class is mandatory. I did come across a very useful article by Robert J. Connors that gave an extensive history of writing in higher education. My other sources were from the University of Minnesota, the University of Rochester, the University of Pennsylvania, and Wellesley College. Nevertheless, these sources all did contain relevance to the history of writing.

Robert Connors’ Summation of the History of Higher Education Writing:

Connors begins by stating how the writing requirement’s history is traced by times of abolition and reformation. Over time it’s swayed back and forth based on changes in society and the beliefs of those in charge. It’s initial creation was founded on the need to boost literacy for all students between the years 1875 and 1885. It all began at Harvard, but “by 1890 the majority of American colleges and universities had established required freshman composition courses”(48). Yet, not long after the widespread requirement was firmly in place, the first abolitionist period commenced. A major advocate was William Morton Payne went along with the notion that “Indiana, Nebraska, and Stanford had all abolished freshman composition in favor of the strong entrance requirements”(49). By 1900, this movement closed out and the requirement became more widely supported once again. Nevertheless, between 1885 and 1915 analyses of current freshman courses were being made in order to see if alterations had to be made to strengthen their value. The conclusion of this was that writing courses needed content in order to teach skills.

As time wore on changes in society also affected writing, after World War I there was a reformism period in the 1920s. Attempts were being made all over to improve the course. By the end of the 1920s, the people going to college had also changed “from 598,000 students to more than 1.1 million, and they were beginning to place heavy staffing demands on the single course that had to serve all students”(52). This workload causes tension in terms of the requirement too. Thus, spurring the 1930s to be the most active period of reform and abolition. It just went back and forth, but still remained apparent in many universities.

Then, in 1941 a Second World War had just concluded and brought wave to a different world. The whole presence of liberal arts colleges was being questioned as if they had no purpose. Then, in the “Harvard Report of 1945, and, gaining power rapidly after 1948, it produced widespread withdrawal from the traditional freshman composition course”(54). The suggestion was to end the requirement and just to add focus on writing in other courses of more content. In the forties, there was more of a communication movement, which is where much of the writing requirement was met. Yet, in the 1950s that lost its support and freshman writing courses flourished. Then, in the 1960s the New Rhetoric came into being with “the gradual growth of composition studies as a scholarly discipline with its own books and journals”(56). At this point, the staying power of a writing requirement became very apparent so abolishment was dying out, but not completely. In 1991, New Abolitionism was posed by Sharon Crowley, who said that requirements put all the blame in the lack of writing skills on professors like her. She then suggests that this be made an elective just not a requirement because with so many people forced to take the course teachers like her cannot focus to the best of their ability. Others did agree with her that held high positions, but nevertheless to this day there are still widespread requirements even though there have been abolitionist movements from 1893 to 1993.

By far, this source was the most dense one that I cam across. It conveyed historical information for writing across the country. I instead came across more individual institution history. I do think all of my other sources support Connors, but he lays a firm groundwork for how writing has altered and been so hotly debated for years.

University of Minnesota’s Judgment of the Importance of Writing:

My second source comes from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of Writing. This institution calls for having “writing across the curriculum” because that ensures that objectives will be met. By requiring writing, the college demands writing practice for all students, which will lead to improvement continued occurrence. Writing intensive courses create ongoing practice and a variety of writing styles. Overall, the goal is to prepare students to communicate effectively in the presence of different circumstances in college and beyond. That’s basically why there is in fact a need for the requirement and why there has been for many years.

This source does provide logical information as to why a requirement is necessary so in that way it is useful. The article didn’t give precise data though. Yet, I did need a source that could explain the reasoning past and present behind the writing classes in order to get a better understanding of the history in higher education. All in all even though, this is one university’s take, the ideas within it reappeared all over the place in my searches for information.

University of Rochester’s Requirement Outlook:

My next source comes from the University of Rochester. A key point is brought up in this case because they state that a student can petition to be exempted from the primary writing requirement if he or she received a 750 or higher on the ACT or got a 4 or 5 on the English Language or English Literature AP test. This is also the case at Syracuse University. As the article goes on, it explains how necessary the writing requirement is for all majors, but there is still the possibility of exemption.

This source does a good job of showing the double standards invoked over time in terms of writing curricula. A course cannot be vital to one’s college career if one can be deemed exempt from taking it. Thus, this source seemed to somewhat contradict itself. That often occurs with writing so I think this source is important because this possible exemption was not always the case. This is a new development, which alters the history of the requirement in higher education.

University of Pennsylvania’s Stance on Writing:

Contrary to my previous source, the University of Pennsylvania doesn’t permit any sort of petitioning for exemption. In fact, it clarifies that writing is “an integral part of learning at any level,” which is why everyone has to take it. In addition, this school will not permit anyone to take the course pass/fail because writing is so heavily valued there. Regardless of how many years pass by; the University of Pennsylvania still withholds the utmost importance of writing as opposed to just speaking about it because they prove in actions as well.

Basically, the University of Pennsylvania provides a stricter example of writing in higher learning. Although it doesn’t really back up it’s stance about not being able to get exempt from the course. I wish that information defending their rule had been made because I think it would explain more so why writing is even a requirement to begin with. Nevertheless, the source was still valid because it contributes to the contrasting views on requirements in higher learning institutions.

Wellesley College’s Vision of Their Requirement:

On the Wellesley College Writing homepage, I also stumbled upon some useful reasoning behind the need and imposition of a requirement. As far as Wellesley having a requirement, their reasoning is that “ Writing is central to academic life at Wellesley and will continue to play an important role in most students’ lives after they graduate, whether they choose majors in the sciences, the humanities, or the social sciences”. They think one of the primary goals of college is to teach writing.

Most other schools and sources went on and on about how important writing is, but only Wellesley really focused their claims on post graduation. That point is key in persuading the students as to why it’s necessary. It does in fact make sense, which is why other schools did mention it. However, this source explained the scenario very well.

Harvard’s Explanation for Beginning This Trend:

Lastly, I focused my attention on a Harvard source because that is where the writing requirement was first instituted. In 1872, the first writing program was founded in Cambridge and the requirement was put in place that same year. It is one of Harvard’s oldest traditions and rigorous courses also. This is the case because writing is the central basis for all other areas of study at the college level. Harvard recognizes that and thus has always put writing at a high level of importance ever since 1872.

This information pertaining to Harvard is necessity because it all recognizes where the writing requirement began. If not for starting there, who is to say that it ever would have been imposed. Thus, when discussing history the beginning is a vital area to cover. This source does in fact touch upon the beginning, but I intend on searching for a more in depth reasoning behind the initiation of the writing program.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, I think I need to gather more information in regards to dates and raw historical information. Many of my sources explain the reasoning in higher learning institutions for why a writing program is necessary, but only the Harvard cite truly touches upon dates. Moreover, I am going to use what I have because part of history is determining the reasoning behind requirement imposition, but I also need to build my historical data pool.

Works Cited

Connors, Robert J. “The Abolition Debate in Composition: A Short History.” Composition in the Twenty-First Century: Crisis and Change. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 1996. 46-63.

“Expos Philosophy.” Harvard Expository Writing Program. 2002. 4 Feb. 2003.

< http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~expos/index.cgi?section=about >.

“Mission of the Writing Requirement at the University.” University of Wisconsin’s Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of Writing. 16 Feb. 2002. 4 Feb. 2003.

< http://cisw.cla.umn.edu/faculty/index1.htm >.

“Primary Writing Requirement.” URwriters. 9 Jan. 2003. 4 Feb 2003.

< http://writing.rochester.edu/requirement.html >.

“Writing 125 Requirement.” Wellesley College Writing Program. 29 June 2001. 4 Feb. 2003. < http://www.wellesley.edu/Writing/Program/requirement.html >.

“Writing Requirement.” University of Pennsylvania Writing Program. 30 Aug. 2002. 4 Feb. 2003.

< http://www.college.upenn.edu/curriculum/requirements/writing.html >.