Joseph L. Blau papers, 1912-1987

Photocopies of syllabi, reading lists, handouts, and exams as well as typed and handwritten lecture notes for graduate and undergraduate courses and seminars taught at Columbia. Also included are outlines of planned courses Blau was to give.

Approximately 35 philosophy and 19 religion courses are represented, although for most courses only photocopies of syllabi and exams are included. Those courses with substantial lecture notes are Greek Philosophy, American Social Philosophy, History and Literature of American Philosophy, Philosophy of John Dewey and History of Judaism. Most philosophy course materials appear to be from the 1950s; most religion course materials appear to be from the 1960s.

Philosophy and Religion courses are arranged separately; when known, course name and number are indicated on folders. Materials are filed in course number order; those for which course number is unknown are filed after the numerical sequence. One folder of miscellaneous materials for which both course name and number are unknown is filed after both the religion and philosophy course materials. One folder of miscellaneous materials for philosophy courses taught at Barnard are filed after other philosophy course materials.

Photocopies of syllabi and reading lists as well as handwritten lecture notes for philosophy and religion courses taught by Blau at The New School for Social Research, Baruch College, Vassar College, the University of Minnesota and the University of Arkansas. Also included is a typewritten outline of a course Blau proposed to teach at the John L. Elliot Institute in 1949.

Arranged in alphabetical order by name of institution.

Both typed and handwritten notes on loose sheets and index cards for philosophy and history courses Blau took as an undergraduate and graduate student at Columbia. Includes what appear to be typewritten lecture notes of Salo Baron's 1929 Survey of Jewish History course and of Herbert Schneider's philosophy department course, "Study of Religions." Also includes photocopies of miscellaneous syllabi and of an an incomplete 80-page outline of Eastern religions with some handwritten comments. Series also contains undergraduate papers and Blau's master's thesis on John Biddle, along with what appear to be Blau's father's notes at Columbia.

The history and philosophy course materials are arranged separately. Blau's notes for Baron's Jewish History course are filed with other history class notes; his notes for Schneider's religion course are filed with other philosophy class notes. Within that arrangement, papers and cards are filed in rough chronological order; the papers, other notes, miscellaneous photocopies, and undated materials are filed at the end.

Typescripts and carbon copies of reports written by Blau while a teacher of English and speech in New York public high schools. Titles of reports include "Classroom Use of Auditory Aids" and "The Function of Drills in the Teaching of Speech."

Arranged in alphabetical order by title of report.