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Ever since William James published, in 1876, an article in the first volume of Mind, American psychologists have been publishing at a rapidly expanding rate in an ever increasing number of journals. They continue to do so. While we may grant, for purposes of discussion, that every paper published contributes something of worth, how many of them make contributions that are lasting?We cannot, of course, answer that question for the current contents of psychological journals. But we can look back at the articles these journals were publishing in those long-ago days when some of us, who are today's psychological senior citizens, were graduate students. All of these publications were considered, at least by their authors, to be contributions of some significance. Even in those days it was considered quite necessary to keep up-to-date with advances in the field, and new textbooks were evaluated, partially, on the basis of the recency of publication of the items in their bibliographies. Yet, while this is still true, are there any of the older contributions that have survived? Are there any articles published two and three generations ago that today's psychologists consider worth calling to the attention of their students? In short, are there any psychological classics? And, if so, what are they?

SYCHOLOGY as a topic of general interest is possibly more popular with the general public than is psychology as an academic subject-field with college students. Furthermore, the content of the general interest psychology is probably quite different from the content of a college course. What is there about the "good" psychology of the classroom that is less enticing than the "inferior" popular brand?Is it possible that academic psychology is designed solely for potential professional psychologists and that the professors purposely ignore the interests of other students?I once heard a very well-known professor say, in an obviously unguarded moment, that the principal purpose of the first course in psychology was "to proselyte the bright students and let the pigs go where they may." Unfortunately this, though extreme, may well represent the feelings of many who plan and conduct such a course.But there is another point of view. George A. Miller (1969), in his APA Presidential Address, deplored the alienation of people "from a society in which a few wise men behind closed doors decide what is good for everyone [p. 1074]" and suggested that "psychological principles and techniques can be usefully applied by everyone [p. 1073]" and that "psychological facts should be passed out freely to all who need and can use them [p. 1070]."The proponents of general education as a significant aspect of higher education have long held to this position. It is most encouraging that so prominent a leader in the field of psychology has come to this way of thinking, but discouraging that it has taken so long.General education in psychology, the process of freely passing out psychological facts, requires good teaching to be effective. Good teaching in-1 Requests for reprints should be sent to Ivan N.

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