But graduate faculties that have not observed the capacity for teaching of their candidates cannot very well comment on a number of the traits in which college employers are interested. candidates in some of the qualities mentioned in Table 4-1.

Īll graduate schools can comment to a potential employer on the strengths and weaknesses of their Ph.D. Table 4-1 shows the qualities that were most often rated as good and as bad traits by the history Ph.D.s of 1958. Recent history Ph.D.s agree that these are valuable traits. The three qualities they most often mention are 'good personal traits,' actual teaching experience, and evidence of enthusiasm for one's field and for teaching. Two-thirds of the college officials consulted in this study rate evidence of teaching competence as more important than promise in research scholarship when they consider candidates for teaching positions.

There can be no doubt that the college executives, in appointing new Ph.D.s in history, want capable teachers. In attempting to find them, this study has relied upon letters from 134 college executives and questionnaires completed by the chairmen of history departments in 126 'better-than-average' four-year colleges, 376 'typical' colleges (some very good ones and a great many more that are not outstanding in prestige), and 51 junior colleges (see Appendixes A, B, C, and D). How do the colleges discover teaching talent and how important is it to them? How well trained are their faculties? What are their working conditions? What kinds of history do they teach? What teaching methods do they use? What special attention do they give to history majors? The graduate faculties need to know the answers to these questions. Seven out of ten of the Ph.D.s in history in the nation actually do teach in colleges and junior colleges. Fifty-three per cent of the history graduate students of 1958-1959 aspire to teach in liberal arts colleges. The colleges are the academic destination as well as the academic origin of many graduate students.

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