Any Formulation of aims and methods currently adopted in the fields of modern language scholarship in America must of necessity appear too limited to do justice to the ideals of a learned profession and too rigid to reflect the convictions and interests of its individual members. If, nevertheless, such a statement is offered on the following pages, it is motivated by the desire to survey the assets and liabilities of humanistic studies at a time when the very foundations of these studies have been subject to criticism. The philological profession can point to a greater age and to longer traditions than many another specialized occupation. Although some of its pursuits are now considered antiquated or esoteric, its survival through many transformations testifies to the fact that it serves a basic human need.

In 1946, modern foreign language instruction in the College of Arts and Sciences, Cornell University, underwent a drastic reorganization. The former departments of German and Romance Languages became departments of German and Romance Literatures; all language teaching as such (together with the teaching of philology and linguistics) was placed in the hands of a new Division of Modern Languages. The new program was quite frankly experimental: it was to be an attempt to adapt to the college situation the wartime experiences in teaching foreign languages to members of the armed forces. A grant to cover initial expenses was generously made by the Rockefeller Foundation. Within five years a faculty committee was to evaluate the new program and to recommend its continuation, revision, or abolishment.