Whitman Speech, Rhetoric and Public Address, and Rhetoric and Film Studies Department

Speech department begins in 1947 having operated in the English department prior to that. Speech/argument/rhetoric has been a part of the Whitman College curriculum since at least 1882.

Whitman had a Speech Major until 1968. A minor was restored in 1997. Karen Skantze received an independently designed Political Rhetoric major in 1998. Nicholas Thomas received an independently designed Rhetoric major in 2002. A major was reestablished beginning with the 2002-2003 year for the newly named Rhetoric and Film Studies department.

1954 - 70

Dean McSloy with X, Arlene Dummond, x, x, William Veatch

Speech major. The department offers a comprehensive approach including speaking, debating, discussion, radio, public address, persuasion and argument, oral interpretation, and speech correction.

Speech Correction is dropped in 1960.

Oral Interpretation is dropped in 1962.

The Speech Major is dropped in 1968.

1970 - 72

Larry David Arlington (instructor) with Remy Wilcox (forensics)

Major alterations in the program occurred. The fundamentals course is redescribed. Radio is dropped. Forensics appears to take less importance. The fundamentals course is redone as a (classical) rhetorical theory course. The description of the department changes in 1970 and 1971 significantly.

1972 - 80

Joann Rasmussen (instructor) with Remy Wilcox (Forensics)

The fundamentals course is returned as a public speaking course. Argumentation, discussion, public address, persuasion are all dumped. Instead, a course in voice and articulation is added, somewhat akin to oral interpretation but more linguistic in nature. Forensics becomes a yearly course again.

In 1977, the department becomes “extra-departmental,” a teaching department. This description was essentially dropped in the 1980 catalog but remnants of it existed up until the 2000-2001 catalogue when Jim Hanson and Bob Withycombe submitted a proposal that ended the teaching areas, created interdisciplinary studies as an area, and placed the Rhetoric Department into the Humanities Division (II).

1980 - 92

Bob drops the articulation and diction course and returns to argument and persuasion and a western rhetorical theory course.

1992 - 2002

Jim’s addition to the instructors allows multiple new courses. Rhetorical Criticism, Argument in the Law and Society, Free Speech, Black Protest Rhetoric, Advanced Public Address, Kenneth Burke, Contemporary Rhetorical Theory, Classical Rhetorical Theory, Rhetoric in Race, Class, and Gender courses are added.

Department name changed to Rhetoric and Public Address in 1997.

Marilee Mifsud is visiting Johnstone Professor in Rhetoric for 1997-1998 and teaches a variety of classical rhetoric courses.

Minor added in 1997; its requirements were adjusted in 1998.

Robert Sickles is added in fall 2001. Department is renamed Rhetoric and Film Studies in Spring 2001.

2002-Present

A major is established in the Fall of 2002. It is revised and unanimously approved by the faculty for 2003.

Bob, Robert, and Jim continue to be the 3 Department Professors.

Andrew Douglas served as Visiting Professor in the Fall of 2004.

1882-1895

Rhetoric, Elocution, Greek Oration and Declamation classes required 1882-1897

1882-1888

Miss Abbie E.Cushman, A.M., 1883 - 1888 , Lady Principal and Professor of English Language, Elocution, and H