I remember these classes mentioned in James' message.  I don't think it
was so much "PC"- more on the lines of how these younger students were
taught in their schools up to that point. A number of students in these
classes had not yet developed the maturity required to stand and speak
up in front of what they perceived as intimidating.  Their experiences
were certainly very different from my experiences growing up in schools
which greatly encouraged students to speak up one's ideas or opinions.
There is a difference between what is perceived as intimidation and what
is perceived as encouragement to have a thought-provoking and creative
dialogue. (Yes, real intimidation does exist in colleges, but that is a
different subject altogether for a separate discussion.) In my freshman
year, I was only one of two students in a philosophy class who never
hesitated to speak up in spite of one European instructor's tendency to
scream if she didn't like the choice of words or concepts from any of
us. It takes a mature student to understand that she did not realize how
"intimidating" she could be to some classmates, and that her teaching
method was not exactly the best way to teach. We two spoke up anyway,
and it made for lively discussions. She became enthusiastic and highly
respected us for it - even if she did not agree with our views at times.
Passive students were not for her, and they soon realized that. It
wasn't too long before they too began participating more actively  in
class.

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of James Brothers
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 10:36 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Should we regret "PC" history?

I would like to add something from my own experience as a student at
Penn, Duke and a grad student at Penn and Wm & Mary. There was a major
shift from the free wheeling debates I experienced as a student at the
University of Pennsylvania in the 70s and Duke University in the 80s to
what I saw more recently at Wm & Mary. If there was discussion in class
it tended to involve three people- the professor and the two old guys in
class (I was one). All of my fellow students had degrees from good
universities, but apparently had little or nothing to say on a wide
range of subjects, and they did very little but take notes. This made
seminars a bit triangular, and not nearly as satisfying as they might
have been. One day the two old guys agreed before one class that we
would not make any comments. The professor stormed out of class after 15
minutes of deafening silence saying "If none of you did the reading you
could have told me!".  
After he left the rest of the class looked accusingly at we two, as if
it was all our fault. There are many possible interpretations as to why
this occured. With what I have seen in other venues, I'm convinced it is
"PC". A free and open debate is virtually impossible when most of the
potential participants are unwilling to say anything that might possibly
be interpreted in way that might offend.

James Brothers, RPA
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