The secularization of the curriculum is a fundamental feature of the emergence of the modern university. This book explores why the curriculum of Bryn Mawr College did not reflect the religious intentions of its Quaker founder and trustees. It shows how denominational faith ceded its ascendancy to 'Pan-Protestantism'.

This latest volume in Roger Geiger's distinguished series on the history of higher education begins with a rare glimpse into the minds of mid-nineteenth century collegians. Timothy J. Williams mines the diaries of students at the University of North Carolina to unearth a not unexpected preoccupation with sex, but also a complex psychological context for those feelings. Marc A. VanOverbeke examines eff orts by the University of Michigan to strengthen connections with secondary schools and build a hierarchical educational system in Michigan.