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The variability of denominational affiliation among students of the University of Southern California

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The variability of denominational affiliation among students of the University of Southern California

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Content THE VARIABILITY OF DENOMIMATIONAL AFFILIATION AMONG
STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
A Thesis
Presented t©
the Faculty of the School of Religion
the University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Religious Education
by
William Landon Allison
June 1955
UMI Number: EP65236
All rights reserved
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Pissâïtaïieiti RübhsNrig
UMI EP65236
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R '55 A
This thesis, w ritte n by
William. Iiandon. A llison .........................
under the guidance of h ls....F acu lty Comm ittee,
and approved by a ll its members, has been p re
sented to and accepted by the F a cu lty of the
School of R e lig io n in p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t of the
requirements fo r the degree of
MASTER OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
D ean
3 ^
.Î
Date..
Faculty Committee
Chairman
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED . . . 1
The problem ................................ 2
Statement of the problem ................. 2
Educational importance of the study . . . 3
Definitions of terms used ................. 4
Variability ................................ 4
Denominational affiliation ............... 4
Sociological factors ........... 4
Ecclesiological factors . . ............ 4
Pedagogical factors ..................... 5
Procedure ................................ 6
II. A SURVEY OF RELATED INVESTIGATIONS............ 9
III. THE MATERIALS USED AND GROUPS STUDIED .... 19
The materials u s e d .......................... 19
The groups studied.......................... 22
IV. RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE.................. 25
V. ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS ........... 43
School groups studied ......................... 43
Present church preference ......... 45
Church attendance habits ................... 46
Denominational preference of parents .... 49
The influence of the spouse................. 51
ill
CHAPTER PAGE
Influence of fraternity and sorority . . • . 54
Campus religious organizations .... 59
Sociological factors ..................... 61
Ecclesiological factors ........... .... 63
Pedagogical factors 64
Comparison of the three major factors . . . 6?
Church relationships ................... 69
Direction of religious change ....... 70
Attitude toward further change ........... 73
VI. STUDENT INTERPRETATION OF RELIGIOUS CHANGE . . 76
Sociological factors ................... 77
Ecclesiological factors ................... Si
Pedagogical factors S5
Analysis of student reactions ....... S9
VII. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . 91
Summary 91
Statement of the problem ............... 91
Method of procedure..................... 91
Findings . ............................ 92
Conclusions................................ 96
Recommendations ............................ 97
BIBLIOGRAPHY 9^
iv
CHAPTER PAGE
APPENDIX........................................... 102
Religious Activities Card ........................ 103
Letter with Questionnaire ..................... 104
Religious Activities Questionnaire ................ 105
Religious Data for Students in S.C, Day
Divisions ...... ....................... 10?
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGE
I. A Comparison Between the Number of Students
and Professors of Religion in Some Early
New England Colleges............... 11
II. Nhmber and Percentage of Students who Sent
Replies to the Questionnaire as Indicated
by Their School or Department of Enrollment
in the University of Southern California . . 24
III. Number and Percentage of Students Affiliated
with Various Denominations ............... 27
IV. Number and Percentage of Fathers of Students
Affiliated with Various Denominations .... 29
V. Number and Percentage of Mothers of Students
Affiliated with Various Denominatipns .... 30
VI. Number and Percentage of Boy Friends or
Husbands of Students Affiliated with
Various Denominations ................. 31
VII. Number and Percentage of Girl Friends or
Wives of Students Affiliated with
Various Denominations ................. 32
VIII. The Importance of Sociological, Ecclesiological
and Pedagogical Factors in Influencing Students
to Change Their Religious Preference ......... 35
VI
TABLE PAGE
IX. Number and Percentage of Church
Relationships of Students as Members
and Attendants............................ 37
X. The Number and Direction of Denominational
Shifts of Students................. 3^
XI. The Frequency of Movement of Students
within General Denominational
Classifications ..................... 41
XII. Number of Students in each General Distri
bution According to Glasses ............... 44
XIII. Number and Percentage of Church Members
and Non-members among the Students
According to their Habits of Church
Attendance ............................ 4^
XIV. Frequency Distribution of Direction of
Change in Religious Preference of
Students According to the Church
Affiliation of Their Parents ............. 52
XV. Frequency Distribution of Direction of
Change in Religious Preference of
Students in Relation to the Church
Affiliation of Their Spouse or Boy or
Girl Friend 55
TABLE
XVI. Frequency Distribution of Fraternity-
Sorority and Mon-fraternity-Sorority
Students in Relation to Denominational
Affiliation ..........................
XVII. Frequency Distribution of Fraternity-
Sorority and Non-Fraternity-Sorority
Students in Relation to Church
Attendance ..........................
VI1
PAGE
56
57
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
records of religious activities of students at
the University of Southern California show that within the
past five years many of them have changed their religious
denominational affiliation, while they were pursuing their
college education. In many instances students shifted
from one type of denomination to another extremely differ
ent from it. In other instances the change was not so
radical, for example, from or to the ultra-liberal church,
or from or to the ultra-conservative church. In any case,
this definite pattern appeared to be such as to warrant
an investigation.
In no known instance has an intensive study been
conducted to determine the underlying factors and causes
of denominational change. Nor does it appear that a study
has been made to determine which religious groups have the
most notable change. Further, no study has been made to
determine in which social groups these changes occur.
For the purpose of this s1>udy, an intensive investigation
was made of three major influences in the lives of the
students to see what factors have effected the religious
behavior pattern of the students on the campus at the
University of Southern California.
I. THE PROBLEM
Statement ©f the problem. The purposes of this
study were:
(1) to determine then extent of denominational change
for the entire student body, in general, and for other sub
groups in particular. These sub-groups included men and
women; fraternity and non-fraternity students; freshmen,
sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate and special stu
dents; and students enrolled in the various schools of the
University, as well as the College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences.
(2) to see if there might be any evidence or signif
icant data to determine the direction of denominational
change. For example, would the student, after attending
college, move towards a more liberal or a more conservative
religious denomination?
(3) to see what were the causes of the denominational
change. The major factors studied here were ecclesiologi
cal, pedagogical, and sociological influences on the lives
of the students.
(4) to seek the meaning of denominational affilia
tion for these students at the University of Southern
California. Has it a vital meaning?
Educational importance of the study. Denomina
tional affiliation is often regarded as one of the most im
portant factors in the life of the individual. Church mem
bership may furnish an index as to social, moral, and
spiritual orientation in life. Church leaders, as well as
educators, are interested in the transition evident in the
lives of college students.
The fact that 20.5 per cent of the students at the
University of Southern California appeared to change their
denominational affiliation in slight or considerable ways
while enrolled there seems significant. This study is im
portant because it will contribute to an overall evaluation
of the religious activity program on the campus of the Uni
versity of Southern California. It will be of value to the
faculty and to the administration in making an appraisal of
their influence on the lives of the students. It will help
religious educators to gain a deeper appreciation for, and
understanding of, the role of religion in the lives of
persons engaged in higher education. This study will also
help the parents of college students to know something of
the religious trends in the minds of their children.
Lastly, a study of this type will be of value to the col
lege student himself in self appraisal, and comparisons
with fellow students of other religious denominations.
II. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
Variability. For the purpose of this study, the
term ^variability** means the shifting from one type of
classification of church preference to another type of
church preference or classification. It is a change on the
part of the student in the report made on his religious
activities card, as evidenced by two or more reportings.
Denominational affiliation. For the purpose of this
study, denominational affiliation may be taken to mean any
church or religious group connection. It is the type of
religious faith that the student indicated was his prefer
ence.
Sociological factors. Factors that influence the
life of a student are termed sociological if they include
the family background of the student, the denominational
affiliation of his parents, and of his mate if he is
married. Also considered here is some close personal
acquaintance of either sex. The various social ties that
a student might have on campus, such as a non-church fra
ternity, sorority, or social club would be defined as a
sociological factor.
Ecclesiological factors. This word was coined in
this study as a useful term to classify those religious
organizations and church-related institutions, as well as
the church organization representing the faith of the
student. This terra includes all campus religious organi
zations or church-sponsored clubs: the Newman Club (Roman
Catholic), Baptist Student Fellowship, Baptist Student
Union, Christian Science Organization, Disciples of Christ
Student Fellowship, Episcopal Student Club, Hillel Founda
tion (Jewish), Lutheran Student Association, Lambda Delta
Sigma (Mormon), Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, Wesley
Club (Methodist), Westminster Student Fellowship (Presby
terian), the Young Men * s Christian Association and the
Young Women * s Christian Association. A minister or denom
inational leader would be considered under ecclesiological
factors. Lastly, any influence that the student might
have felt from reading church or denominational literature,
from participating in discussion groups and classes of a
denomination, or from learning in any other way through
the denominational-sponsored activity, would come under
ecclesiological factors.
factors that influence the life of a student may be termed
pedagogical factors. For example, school associates,
classroom teachers, administrative officials, the curricu
lum, the content of college courses studied, and supple
mentary reading were included under the above heading.
Lastly, any other college
cared to mention, not
der this heading.
influence that the student
in the questionnaire, came un-
111. PROCEDURE
The initial information for this study was found in
33,898 reportings, representing 11,516 students enrolled
at the University of Southern California for an average of
2.85 semesters. Of the 11,516 students, whose religious
1
activities cards were studied, 2,379 indicated a change
during the sequence of reportings that were made in some
instances as far back as 1950 and as late as the spring
semester of 1953*
By way of further explanation, the period covered
on some students was longer than the period of enrollment
of other students. The first records of religious activi
ties used in this study were on students who enrolled in
1950" In some instances, students were enrolled for a
semester, then dropped out of school, and returned at a
later date. But if any significant change was noted in
their denominational affiliation, then they were used in
the selection for study. The general principle used in
selecting students enrolled was that they were currently
enrolled in the spring of 1953, and had been enrolled for
at least two or more previous semesters at the University
of Southern California. Every student who was sent a
questionnaire had definitely indicated a change in denomin
ational affiliation, although when the replies to the
questionnaire were received, thirty-nine students stated
there had been "no change” in their religious preference.
This survey, then, was based primarily on these re
portings which culminated with the registrations for the
spring of 1953# At this time there were 10,571 day stu
dents enrolled at the University Park and 7,157 students at
the Civic Center and in night classes of University College
This made a total of 17,728 students, but reportings were
not secured from students in either Civic Center or Univer
sity College.
The religious activities cards filed in the office
of Chaplain Clinton A. Heyman were separated into two
groups. (A copy of the religious activities card appears
in the Appendix.) One group was made up of students who
indicated no change in religious preference. The other
group was composed of students who indicated some variation
in previous reportings. Of the latter group which num
bered 2,379 students, or 20.5 per cent of the total number
of students enrolled, a careful study was made to see if
these changes were significant. An example of a signifi
cant change would be one from the Baptist to the Catholic
8
Church. It would be an insignificant change if the
student checked that he was a Protestant one semester and
a Methodist the next semester. Such a change would indi
cate a minor variation, so none of these students was
mailed a questionnaire. As many as 1,779 of the changes
were considered significant.
With the assistance of G. A. Neyman, Paul B. Irwin
and Harvey J. D. Seifert, a questionnaire was constructed,
a copy of which is included in the Appendix. This ques
tionnaire was mailed to six hundred students who indicated
a major change in their denominational affiliation. Along
with the questionnaire was a form letter and a self-
addressed, stamped envelope. A copy of this letter is also
in the Appendix. A discussion of the responses to these
questionnaires and explanation of the items therein is
found in Chapter 111 entitled, "The Materials Used and
Groups Studied.”
When all of the available information was obtained
from the replies to the questionnaires, the results were
then tabulated. Each item was carefully analyzed and in
terpreted. Then the major part of the thesis was written
from this information.
CHAPTER II
A SURVEY OF RELATED INVESTIGATIONS
In recent years there has been increasing research
interest in college students. Among other factors studied
in the lives of these students was their religious attitude.
Only one other study was discovered which attempted
to determine why students change their denominaitional pref
erence. Stratford’s study at the University of Southern
California was limited to thirty-five students. He said:
The objective of such a questionnaire survey was
to determine whether or not the school was a major
influence causing students to change their religious
beliefs.
Hot one student in thirty-five checked the state
ment, ”changed because of influence or events here
at use.” The majority showed that the reasons for
changing were not associated with events or activi
ties at the University.
attempt was made to determine which religious
groups cause or receive most of the traffic in
changes of religious preference. Much more can be
done pertaining to such matters, but it should be
done only by those theologians or religious phil
osophers who are capably qualified.!
From the foregoing statements it can be seen that
this previous study involved, primarily, only one of the
^Leland Morris Stratford, "What Causes Students at
the University of Southern California to Change Their Re
ligious Preference?" (unpublished Master’s thesis. Univer
sity of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1953), pp. 1, 3,
and 17.
10
major areas of this investigation, namely, pedagogical;
and apparently no conclusive evidence was found in this
field. However, it might be well to point out one or two
other conclusions reported by Stratford.
1. Sixty per cent of the students at the uni
versity are not members of a church.
2. If church membership is contrasted to liber
alism it can be concluded that college students are
more liberal in their religious views than the
average citizen.
3. Twenty-six per cent indicated a change in
religious beliefs because of dissatisfaction "with
doctrinal (or other) views of previous church."
4* A disappointing but conclusive bit of evi
dence from this study shows a definite lack of
student support for campus religious organizations.*
As was pointed out previously, the present study
deals with the underlying factors, with special attention
to the sociological, ecclesiological, and pedagogical fac
tors, as well as with the extent and direction of change.
It is interesting to compare some of the findings
of Stratford with those given by Shedd^ in reporting the
following statistics for some of Mew England Colleges pub
lished by Amherst College Society of Inquiry in I856.
^ Ibid.. pp. 15-16.
3
Clarence Shedd, Two Centuries of Student Christian
Movements (New York: Association Press, 1934), pV 122.
11
TABLE I.
A GOMPARISOM BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF STUBEMTS
AND PROFESSORS OF RELIGION IN SOME
- EARLY NEW ENGLAND COLLEGES
College Students Professors Per cent
Bowdoin 152
37 24.3
Waterville
University of
86 46
53.5
Vermont 123
30
24.4
Amherst
187 113 60.4
Williams 207 106 51.2
Brown
243
80
32.9
Harvard
319
30
9.4
Yale 446 130
29.1
Dartmouth
237
60
25.3
Note : These figures were published by the Amherst
College Society of Inquiry in 1056.
12
The figures in Table I are presented to show something
of the relationship between religious interest of students
enrolled in some of the leading colleges in 1856, as com
pared with religious interest of students enrolled in the
University of Southern California in 1952.
In 1927 Goldsmith^made a study of how college stu
dents spend their time. He found that 33*1 per cent of
six hundred and fifty students enrolled at the University
of Chicago spent no time at religious meetings; 26.1 per
cent spent less than two hours ; 34*0 per cent spent at
least two but less than four hours; and 6.9 per cent spent
four hours each week or more at some religious meeting.
From the foregoing information, it seems that with
so little time spent in any religious organization, there
would likely be very little variation on the part of these
college students in denominational affiliation, simply be
cause they showed so little interest in religion.
By way of comparison, several years earlier Crooker
studied religious activities of students at the University
of Michigan. He reported:
It may confidently be asserted that there is
proportionately much less hatred of the church
among students today than half a century ago.
^ Alfred G. Goldsmith, "How College Students Spend
Their Time," (unpublished Master’s theses. University of
Southern California, Los Angeles, 1927), p. 8.
13
Today a larger proportion of students than ever
before are aggressively active in the religious
life. These results show that, as our educa
tional institutions have ceased to coerce students
in these matters, the young people themselves have
taken religious interest into their own hands; and
they have not only made religion a more personal
affair, but they have given it a more practical
and varied expression.5
The foregoing studies represent two schools, but
perhaps a broader perspective can be obtained from a study
made of some twenty-three colleges and universities. In
this study an effort was made to obtain at first hand ex
pressions of opinion regarding the conditions and influ
ences affecting the character of undergraduates. Accordirg
to Edwards, sheets were returned by 674 seniors, who ane
swered questions on moral and religious practices and be
liefs. His findings were, in part:
Naturally, this sample of 674 senior class
students in twenty-three colleges cannot be re
garded as in any sense an adequate representation
of the half million undergraduates throughout the
country. Nevertheless, it is the most extensive
sample in numbers of students and of institutions
and in the areas of life covered that has recently
been gathered. The summary and interpretation of
the responses follow the order of the questionnaire.
1. The most constructive influences in college
life were found to be associations with others,
chiefly other students (men 49 per cent, women 44
per cent) and the influence of professors. The
5 Joseph H. Crooker, ReliEious Freedom in American
Education . (Boston: American Unitarian Association, 1903),
14
third and fourth for men were athletics (23 per
cent) and fraternities (19 per cent), while for
women the third was the church (25 per cent) and
the fourth athletics.
2. The largest group came to college having
accepted religion as taught and as a matter of
course (men 39 per cent and women 60 per cent).
3. A majority of both men and women found
religion a larger force in everyday experience by
senior year (men 55 per cent, women 59 per cent).
The chief ways in which this was true were as a
greater practical help (men 39 per cent, women 3^
per cent), and as having received more thought
(men 18 per cent, women 26 per cent).
4. Unexpectedly large majorities said they at
tended church either regularly (men 44 per cent,
women 55 per cent), or occasionally (men 39 per
cent and women 36 per cent).®
In 1935 Symington made a study in which he compared
those who are liberal in their religious thinking with
those who are conservative. He concluded:
The results indicate that the school and college
constitute an influence that affects religious
thinking very decidedly.
Our conclusion is that religious education both
conditions and is conditioned by the factors of
general personality; that religious education and
character education go hand in hand; that there
are ideas about religion that need to be taught;
that these are always very closely associated with
certain desirable personality and social habits;
and that both the religious ideas we teach and the
6
R. H. Edwards, J. M. Artman and Galen M. Fisher,
Undergraduates (New York: Doubleday, Doran and Company,
192ë), pp. 241-243.
15
types of behavior we associate with them need to
»
carefully examined.?
Katz and Allport investigated changes in religious
attitudes and beliefs of 4,248 students Syracuse Univer
sity with the following significant conclusion:
It is true that the majority of them (students
at Syracuse University) had relinquished the Old
Testament notion of a personal Creator and Ruler-
of the Universe to be supplicated through prayer,
and had accepted the conception of an intelligent
and friendly Being, working in accordance with the
laws of nature . . .
The differences between the broad denominational
groupings (Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and individ
uals of no church affiliation) were in the main those
which would have been expected. The degree of ortho
doxy and of belief in miracles decreased in the order
of the groups as above named. As the denominational
groups increased in the orthodoxy of their teaching,
individual differences and sex differences become
more and more obscured, while group typicality
increases.o
Likewise, Rankin made a study of the religious atti
tudes of college students in 1938. He declared:
It probably is safe to conclude then, that the
data analyzed • • • tend to indicate a low posi
tive relationship between these students’ re
ligious liberalism and their educational advancement.
7
Thomas A. Symington, Religious Liberals and Con
servatives (Mew York: Teachers College, Columbia University,
1935), pp. 55, 74. ,
8
Daniel Katz and Floyd Henry Allport, Students’
Attitudes (Syracuse. Mew York: The Craftsman Press, Inc.,
1931), p. 276.
16
There is no apparent association between
these students’ educational level and the
variabilities of the groups or the skewness
of the distributions representing their at
titude scores.
As far as the associations revealed by these
data may be said to be due to casual relation
ships between the factors studied, the church
would seem to be a stronger determinant of these
students’ religious attitudes than either the
students^ own educational advancement or the
educational advancement of either parent.
It would appear that among these students
those who, while in college, become radically
more liberal with respect to their religious
attitudes are exceptional individuals.°
Some of the various studies related to this subject,
which have been conducted more recently, should also be
considered. For example, an interesting bit of data,
which might throw some light on the sociological factors
influencing students in their religious ties, was reported
by Hollingshead.
What the child learns in the home is carried
out of it to the neighborhood and the child is
not aware of the connection between home influence
and what he does. In this way, family background
goes along with the child wherever he goes, and
what he has learned at home acts as a powerful
influence on his behavior in a non-family
situâtion.10
9 Fay Swogger Rankin, The Religious Attitudes of
College Students (Nashville, Tennessee: George Peabody Col
lege for I'eachers, 1938), p. 34*
August B. Hollingshead.-Elmtown’s Youth (New York
John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1949;, p. 69*
17
A study of the religion of the post-war college
student was made in 1946 by Allport, Gillespie and Young.
This was an investigation of the religious attitudes and
practices of 414 undergraduates of ^^arvard College and 86
undergraduates of &adcliffe College. Their statement was:
There is reason to suppose that the early
twenties is the least religious period of life,
and that a return to religion often occurs when
the responsibilities of parenthood are assumed.
It is apparent that religious training is by
no means a thing of the past, though its inten
sity has undoubtedly slackened. About 6 per cent
of the men and 10 per cent of the women reported
no such influence existed in their upbringing.H
Then in 1950 Ross studied and analyzed the struc
ture and function of the religious beliefs of young
adults. His findings were based on a questionnaire sample
of 1,935 youth and intensive interviews with 100 young
people. This is, perhaps, one of the most significant
studies made in this area within the past ten to fifteen
years. He concluded:
On the basis of admitted scanty evidence one
might suggest that not more than a quarter of
the population (and probably less) have clear,
meaningful, and, functional religious beliefs.
Three fourths of the respondents may be identi
fied as "believers" in God, Jesus, and the Bible.
G. ¥. Allport, J. M. Gillespie, and J. Young,
"The Religion of the Post-rWar College Student," The Jour
nal of Psychology. 3:25, 194&.
18
Their religious beliefs are not matched
with practice.
Religion and religious issues are not a part
of the active thought processes of most of the
youth in this sample group.
The questionnaire data suggest that most
young people do not give prior attention to re
ligion in their thinking, or when making a con
crete decision. Among the interviewees 50 per
cent said that they never discussed religious
issues and another 38 per cent talk about them
infrequently.
Less than half of the group (47*8 per cent)
f
o to church once a week, and over a quarter
27.4 per cent) go infrequently, if at all; less
than a half (42.5 per cent) pray daily, while
almost a third (30.8 per cent) pray infrequently
or not at all; three in a hundred (3#4 per cent)
read the Bible daily, and over three quarters of
the group (77*1 per cent) read the Bible infre
quently, if at all.
Less than a quarter of the group were in pos
session of religious concepts that could be called
active in the sense that they (more or less con
sistently) were in the mind o f r e s p o n d e n t s .
As was previosuly pointed out, these studies are re
lated to the present research, only because they are help
ful in analyzing the underlying causes of the student * s
reaction to college environment, and his life before enter
ing college. There have been other studies similar in
nature to these described, but a careful survey of the
literature found them most relevant for consideration.
12
Murray G. Ross. Religious Beliefs of Youth (New
York: Association Press, 1950), pp. 141, 149 and 182.
CHAPTER III
THE MATERIALS USED AID GROUPS STUDIED
The materials used. The questionnaire referred to
in Chapter I, had twelve major items, the first of which
was designed to determine the school of the university in
which the student was enrolled, the classification (class
standing) and the sex of the student.
The second item asked the student what his present
church preference was, and just how long he had preferred
this denomination.
The third item was designed to investigate what the
church attendance habits of the student might be and to
see if there was any correlation between church membership
and church attendance.
The fourth item was designed to get information on
the denominational background of the parents of the
The fifth item sought to learn the denominational
affiliation of some Of the close associates or the best
friend of the individual. The question did not ask about
the denominational affiliation of the spouse, but most of
the students reporting indicated this in their replies.
The sixth item was designed to determine whether the
student belonged to a fraternity or sorority.
20
The seventh item was used in determining some
thing about the ties that the student might have with
campus religious organizations.
The eighth item, one of the most important ones,
was divided into twelve parts. The first four sub-items
under the major heading were planned to discover the socio
logical factors which influenced the lives of the student.
The purpose here was to see whether some social process,
involved in the life of the student, influenced his denom
inational preference. An effort was made to determine
what part suggestion, imitation, leadership, or conformity
played. This item also sought to learn if parents, rela
tives, the spouse, or friends influenced the student in
making a change. Throughout the entire study, an attempt
was made to see if the change was brought about by the
ideas, modes and concepts primarily obtained at the Univer
sity of Southern California; or if it was something that
might have been going on in the mind of the student for
some time prior to his enrollment.
The second group of five sub-questions was designed
to study the ecclesiological factors which influenced the
life of the student. How was the religious frame of refer
ence manifested in the life of the student? Did the stu
dent begin attending another church merely because of
21
geographical location, and thus join the church? Did
the student become engaged in some church activity entire
ly different from any he had known before coming to the
university?
The third group of three sub-questions sought to
bring forth some light on the pedagogical factors which
influenced the student to change. Did the school environ
ment, the curriculum, teachers, administrators, and fellow
students influence the student? How did the general phil
osophy of education or the spirit of the educational pro
cess at the university influence the denominational varia
tion of the students?
The eighth item was, thus, designed to determine
the meaning of the foregoing facts in the life of the stu
dent, or the role they played in his life organization.
The ninth item was designed to gather data on the
chronological order of the church relationships the studeit
had experienced during his entire life. For this study,
the word "church" means any formal, organized religious
body, and includes synagogue, temple, etc. If the student
was an atheist, or had no religious preference, he was re
quested to so indicate.
The tenth item was constructed to test the flexi
bility of the student in matters of religion. In other
words, an attempt was made to determine whether or not the
22
student would change his religious preference again.
The eleventh item was intended to serve as an addi
tional check oh the third one, concerned with the church
membership and church attendance habits of the student.
The twelfth item asked the students to express the
reasons why they thought their fellow students changed
their religious preference. Also, it was constructed as an
indirect question to elicit the reason why the student had
changed his own religious preference.
The groups studied. One hundred and twenty-three
completed questionnaires were returned from the six hun
dred mailed to the students. Twelve of them were returned
because the student had moved, left no forwarding address,
or because the address was incorrect. Approximately one
third of the questionnaires were mailed to women, while
the other two thirds were sent to men. The women on the
campus were outnumbered by men with a four to one ratio,
according to figures furnished by the registrants office
in 1952.
The questionnaires of the students who replied were
arranged into three groups in order to facilitate the
study. The first group was made up of students listed in
the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences* The second
group was composed of students enrolled in schools that
23
would definitely be classed as science schools. They
were Schools of Engineering, Architecture, Medicine, Den-
tistry, Psycholo^, Pharmacy and Chemistry. The third
group was called the Humanities. It was merely an arbi
trary grouping and included the Schools of Education, Com
merce, Religion, Public Administration, International Rela
tions, Music, Social Work, Sociology, Journalism, and the
Graduate School.
Questionnaire replies were received from one or
more students in most of the schools of the university.
The distribution appears in Table II on the following page.
All classes, including graduate students, had one or more
students who replied, with the exception of freshmen, who
were first-time students and, therefore, had less than two
reportings.
A scrutiny of Table II reveals that while most of
the schools and departments of the university were repre
sented in this study, as a whole the group representation
was small. Therefore, it should be borne in mind that the
reliability of conclusions drawn from these small groups
may be open to questioning.
TABLE II
1ER AND PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO
TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE AS INDICATED
SCHOOL OR DEPARTKNT OF ENROLLMENT IN ,
THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
T REPLIES
THEIR..
Number School or Per cent
26.S Sciences Arts
Departments:
Chemistry .
Journalism
Schools
4.0
13.ê
3.3
13.8
9.8
8.1
Architecture
Commerce
Dentistry
Education
12
10 Graduate
International Relations
Medicine
Music
Public Administration 2.4
Social Work
100.0
123 Total
CHAPTER IV
RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
The data gathered from a study of this questionnaire
indicated some of the trends in the students* religious
lives, while they were on the campus at the University of
Southern California. In order to obtain a clear picture of
the results of the questionnaire, each of the questions is
stated here and the results or the replies obtained are
then presented either in discussion or in tabular form.
1. S.G. College or School Glass Sex M. ___ F.
Since Table I gave the distribution of the schools
and colleges of the university represented by the students
in the study, it will not be repeated here. However, the
students may be divided into three larger groups according
to schools : Science, 30; Letters, Arts and Science, 39: and
Humanities, 54.
A distribution was made of the students according to
classes represented, showing the number in each class and
also the per cent of the total group. In the sophomore
class there were thirteen students, or 10.6 per cent; in
the junior class, thirteen students, or 10.6 per cent; in
the senior class,thirty-three students, or 26.8 per cent;
in the graduate group fifty-nine, or 48.0 per cent; in
other groups, three students, or 2.4 per cent; and two
26
other students, or 1.6 per cent, did not state their
class.
The classification according to sex showed that
there were one hundred men, or 81.3 per cent; and twenty-
three women, or 18.7 per cent.
2. What is your present church preference? _____________
How long? ________
This question, of course, indicated the last selec
tion that the student had made in his denominational affil
iation. The various denominations represented by the
students in this survey are shown in Table III, together
with percentages of the group studied and of the respective
denominational enrollment.
3. Please check the status that applies to you:
1. Member and attend_____
2. Member, but do not attend _____
3. Hot a member, but attend _____
4. Hot a member; do not attend
Replies to this question were grouped as follows:
Number Per cent
Member and attend 32 26.0
Member, but do not attend 19 15«4
a member, but attend 30 24*4
a member; do not attend 34 2?.?
8 6.5
TABLE III
27
AND PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS AFFILIATED
WITH VARIOUS DENOMINATIONS...--
Denomination Number
Per cent
of group
studied
Per cent of
respective
denominational
enrollment
**None”
23
18.8 1.2
Presbyterian
15 12.2 1.2
Methodist
14 11.4
1.0
Roman Catholic 7 5-7 .5
Congregational
7 5.7
2.0
Lutheran
7 5.7 1.7
Episcopal 6
4.9
.8
Agnostic
5 4.1 21.7
Protestant 5 4.1
.8
Unitarian
4 3.3
5.0
Baptist
4 3.3 .7
Latter Day Saints
3 2.4
1.2
Christian
3 2.4 1.3
Christian Science 2 1.6 .6
Atheist 2 1.6
66.7
Church of the Nazarene 2 1.6
6.7
Buddist 1 .8
3.1
Quaker 1 .8 3.0
Universalist 1 .8 2.0
Church of the Open Door 1 .8
33.3
Church of God 1 .8
12.5
Unity 1 .8 10.0
Community 1 .8
5.3
Vedanta Society 1 .8 50.0
Free Methodist 1 .8
33.3
Evangelical United
Brethern 1 .8 3.0
Eastern Orthodox 1 .8
1.4
Not stated 1 .8
.9
28
4. What denominational preference do your parents
have? Father Mother
replies to this question are presented in
Tables IV and V which show the number and percentage of
each denomination for the fathers and mothers of the stu
dents, respectively.
5. What denominational preference does your best friend
have? Girl friend _____ Boy friend ______
Although spouse was admitted here, most married
students indicated that they considered their spouse their
best friend. In studying the possible influences that a
girl friend or wife, or a boy friend or husband might
have on the choice of the student, the data was grouped
in Tables VI and VII, which show the number and percenta^
of each denomination for both sexes. Table VI presents
the data about the girl friend or wife and Table VII in
dicates the distributions for the boy friend or husband.
6. Do you belong to a social fraternity or sorority?
Yes
The replies to this question showed that the eom-
*
parison between the number of fraternity or sorority stu
dents and the number of non-fraternity or non-sorority
students was as follows: fifty students, or 40.7 per cent,
answered in the affirmative; while seventy-three, or 59*3
per cent,answered in the negative._______________________
TABLE IV
AND PERCENTAGE OF FATHERS OF STUDENTS
AFFILIATED WITH VARIOUS
29
Dénomination Number Per cent
"None” (written in) 22 17^9
Not stated . 17
13.8
Methodist
15
12.2
Roman Catholic
14 11.4
Baptist
9
6
7.3
Presbyterian
4.9
Episcopal
5 4.1
Lutheran
5 4.1
C ongregat ional 5 4.1
Christian
3 2.4
Christian Science
3 2.4
Protestant
3 2.4
Hebrew 2
1.7
Church of Nazarene 2
1.7
Buddist 1 .8
Latter Day Saints 1 .8
Molokan 1 .8
Agnostics 1 .8
Assemblies of God 1 .8
Community 1 .8
Jewish Unitarian 1 .8
Religious Science 1 .8
Mennonite 1 .8
Brethern 1 .8
Evangelical United Brethern 1 .8
Eastern Orthodox 1 .8
TABLE V
NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF MOTHERS OF STUDENTS
AFFILIATED WITH VARIOUS DENOMINATIONS
30
Denomination Number Per cent
Methodist
23
18.8
Roman Catholic
17
13.8
Presbyterian 10 8.1
Baptist
9 7.3
"None” {written in)
7 5.7
Episcopal 7 5.7
C ongre gat i on al 7 5.7
Lutheran 6
4.9
Christian Science
5 4.1
Not stated 4 3.3
Protestant
4 3.3
Latter Day Saints
3 2.4
Church of Nazarene 3 2.4
Christian
3 2.4
Unitarian 2
1.7
Buddist 1 .8
Molokan 1 .8
Hebrew 1 .8
Four Square Gospel 1 .8
Assemblies of God 1 .8
Community 1 .8
Unity 1 . 8
Jewish Unitarian 1 .8
Religious Science 1 .8
Mennonite 1 . 8
Brethern 1 .8
Evangelical United Brethern 1 .8
Eastern Orthodox 1 .8
31
TABLE VI
NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF BOY FRIENDS OR
. HUSBANDS OF STUDENTS AFFILIATED
. WITH VARIOUS DENOMINATIONS
Denomination Number Per cent
Not stated
45
36.6
None 19 15.4
Roman Catholic
14 11.4
Presbyterian
9 7.3
Protestant
5 4.1
Methodist
5 4.1
Baptist
4 3.3
Christian Science
4 3.3
Latter Day,Saints
4 3.3
Congregational 3 2.4
Atheist 2 1.6
Buddist 1 .8
Episcopal 1 .8
Jewish 1 .8
Unitarian 1 .8
Agnostics 1 .8
Reform Jewish 1 . 8
Free Methodist 1 .8
Lutheran 1 ^ .8
Eastern Orthodox 1 .8
32
TABLE VII
NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF GIRL FRIENDS
OR WIVES OF STUDENTS.AFFILIATED .
’ WITH VARIOUS DENOMINATIONS -
Denomination Number Per cent
Not stated 26 21.1
None 17
13.8
Presbyterian
14 11.4
Methodist 13 10.6
Roman Catholic 13 10.6
Protestant 8 6.6
Lutheran 6
4.9
Baptist
4 3.3
Congregational
4 3.3
Latter Day Saints
3 2.4
Christian Science 2 1.6
Atheist 2 1.6
Episcopal 2 . 1.6
Buddist 1 .8
Church of Open Door 1 .8
Unitarian 1 .8
Agnostics 1 .8
Church of God 1 . 8
Vedanta Society 1 .8
Christian 1 .8
Religious Science 1 .8
Church of Nazarene 1 .8
33
7. Do you belong to a campus organization of your
church? Yes No
The distribution of the replies to this question
showed that six students, or 4*9 per cent, were members of
a campus organization of their church; one hundred and
fifteen students, or 93*5 per cent, were not members of
such organizations; and two students, or 1.6 per cent, did
not reply to the question.
8. Which of the following factors do you consider most
likely to have influenced you toward the church you
now prefer? (Please indicate by 1, 2, 3, etc., as
nearly as possible, the order of importance, leaving
blank those that do not apply to you.)
0 a. Your family background (including parents).
0 b. One close personal friend.
0 c. Your mate.
0 d. Your affiliation with some non-church sorority,
fraternity, or social club.
0 e. A campus religious organization.
() f. The minister or some leader of your church.
() g. Your own personal study of the fundamental con
cepts embodied in your religion.
0 h. Your school associates.
() i. Books read, not directly related to course "of
study here.
34
() j. The content of college courses you have
taken here.
() k. The influence of some teacher or teachers,
past or present.
0 1. Any other _________________________________
For the purpose of this study, question 8 was con
sidered the most important. It was arranged so that items
a, b, c, and d could easily be classified as sociological;
items e, f, and g as ecclesiological; and items h, i, j,
k, and 1 as pedagogical. The responses to these items
were then arranged in tabular form.
In making a comparative analysis of each of the
three factors, the weighted score method was used. For
example, if the student marked the item as of first impor
tance in influencing him toward the religion.that he now
prefers, then the score was 11. If however, the item was
fourth place, the score would be 8. On items that were
merely checked, a score of 6 was given, this being the
mean possible score. The total score for each item was
then divided by the number of persons replying to question
8, and thus the weighted score was obtained. Table VIII
shows the results of the replies to question 8; it lists
the items as first choice, second to twelfth choice, or
merely checked and also gives the weighted score and rank
for each item. ____________ ___
35
TABLE VIII
THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIOLOGICAL, ECCLESIOLOGICAL
AND PEDAGOGICAL FACTORS IN.INFLUENCING.STUDENTS
THEIR RELIGIOUS
Questionnaire items
Factors Choice Merely Total Weighted Rank
1st 2-12 Checked Score
Sociological (I)
Family
67
610 -background
27 25 15
1
Close friend
4 23 5
32 270
7
Spouse
14 17 2
33
323 6
Social group 0
4
2 6
33
11
1236
Ecclesiological (III)
Campus religious
12 organization 0
3
1
4 24
Minister or church
leader
3
28
9
40
330 4
Personal study
of religion 28 12 10
50
Ü
2
Pedagogical
(II)
School
associates
3 15 3
21 170
9
Books read 5 28 7
40 360
3
Course of study 1 18
3
22 172 8
Teachers 0
15
2
17
130 10
Other
5
20 16
41
328
lléO
5
reasons are
the students
It should be
subjective
pointed out that the
and based on the judgment
36
9. Please list in chronological order all the church
relationships that you have had during your life and
indicate whether you were a member or just an attend
ant, (for example. Baptist, Roman Catholic, Jewish).
Church
Approximate Member Attendant
length of
time
1. Before enrolling
at 8. C #
2. Since enrolling
at S.G.
The data assembled from the replies given by the
students to question 99were analyzed and tabulated according
to religious denomination. Table IX indicates the number
and percentage of church relationships of the students,
both as members and as attendants. The table was divided
into two parts: one showing this relationship prior to
enrollment at Southern California and the other after en-
tollment at the university.
Table X presents the frequency and direction of the
shift of students from one denomination to another. The
detail shows the distribution of the shifts from each de
nomination. A break-down was prepared and the churches
were grouped into four general classifications: more
37
TABLE IX
NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF CHURCH RELATIONSHIPS
.. OF STUDENTS AS MEMBERS AND ATTENDANTS.
Church Per cent Per cent
Relation Member of group Attendant of group
ships studied studied
Before enrolling at Southern California
1 53 43.1 49
39.8
2
15 12.2 23 18.8
3 4 3.3 12 9.8
not stated 11 8.9
none 6
4.9
Agnostic 1 .8
Atheist 1 .8
After enrolling at Southern California
1 39 31.7 38 30.9
2 1 .8 9 7.3
3
1 .8 1 .8
Atheist 2 1.6
none 20
16.3
not stated 28 22.8
THE NUMBER
38
TABLE X
AND DIRECTION OF DENOMINATIONAL
SHIFTS OF STUDENTS . . .
From Number To Number
Denomination Students Denomination Students
Roman G atholi c 12 None - 6
Lutheran 2
Unitarian 1
Agnostic 1
Church of God 1
Baptist 1
Baptist 8 Episcopal 2
Roman Catholic 1
Congregational 1
None
3
Nazarene 1
Methodist 8 Latter Day Saints 1
None 2
Unitarian 1
Congregational 1
Presbyterian 1
Vedanta 1
Roman Catholic 1
Christian Science 6 None 2
Methodist 2
Presbyterian 1
Christian 1
Presbyterian
5 Congregational 1
None 1
Roman Catholic 1
Christian 1
Baptist 1
Congregational
5 Roman Catholic 1
None 1
Presbyterian 1
Methodist 2
TABLE X (concluded)
39
From
Denomination
Number
Students
To
Denomination
Number
Students
Lutheran 2 Atheist 1
Presbyterian 1
Latter Day Saints 2 Agnostic 1
Episcopal 2
Baptist
Unitarian
1
1
Unitarian 1
Nazarene
None
1
1
J ewish 1 None 1
Evangelical United
Brethern 1 Methodist 1
Christian 1 Presbyterian 1
Assembly of God 1 Baptist 1
Church of Christ 1 None 1
Union Church 1 Presbyterian 1
Brethern 1 Quaker 1
Unitarian 1 Universalist 1
Dutch Reformed 1 Agnostic 1
: Three students had no denominational affile
iation at the,time of enrollment but shifted to Roman
Catholic, Presbyterian and Latter Day Saints- Eight who
had no religion reported that they still had none. Two
remained atheist and eight left the question blank. Two
other students remained agnostics.
40
conservative, more liberal, more radical, and un
identifiable. In Table XI the frequency of movement with
in these general denominational classifications is shown.
10. Would you be willing to change your present status if
you found a church you liked better? Yes ___ No ___
Sixty-eight students, or 53*3 per cent, stated that
they would be willing to change to another church; forty-
four students, or 35.8 per cent, did not wish to make any
change in the church of their preference; while eleven
students, or 8.9 per cent of the group, made no reply.
11. On the average, do you attend church:
1. 4 or more times a month _____
2. 2 or 3 times a month ____
3. 1 or less times a month _____
4. Not at all _____
A tabulation of the replies to question 11 showed
that twenty-six students, or 21.1 per cent of the group,
attended church four or more times a month; thirteen stu
dents, or 10.6 per cent, attended church two or three
times a month; forty-three students, or 35.0 per cent of
the group, attended not more than once a month; while
forty students, or 32.5 per cent, did not attend church at
all. One student failed to reply to the question.
41
TABLE XI
THE FREQUENCY OP MOVEMENT OF STUDENTS WITHIN
GENERAL DENOMINATIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS .
General Classification
of Churches
Movement
From To
More Conservative
Assembly of God
Latter Day Saints
Lutheran
Church of God
Roman Catholic
Church of Christ
Dutch Reform
Nazarene
19
11
More Liberal
Brethern
Baptist
Congregat ional
Methodist
Presbyterian
Episcopal
Christian
Quaker
31
22
More Radical
Unitarian
Atheist
Agnostic
Univeraalist
2 8
Unidentifiable
Union Church
Christian Science
Vedanta
Jewish
8
19
42
12. Why do you think Southern California students
change their religious preference?
So important were the replies to this question, it
has seemed advisable to devote the entire Chapter V to
their analysis.
CHAPTER IV.
ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS
School eroups studied. An analysis of the items of
the questionnaire was made in detail. The results of the
first item showed that this study represented students
from every class in the university, with the exception of
the freshmen, who had not been enrolled long enough to
make any variation in their denominational affiliation.
There were also students from nearly every department or
school in the university, although some had only a small
representation. The largest percentage of college students
was enrolled in the College of Letters, Arts and Science,
which has the largest number of students on the campus.
Second place was attained by the students in the School of
Education and the School of Commerce, both with 13*9 per
cent. The third place went to the School of Engineering,
with 9*^ per cent. It is evident that since the majority
of the students was enrolled in these schools, they would
naturally, have the greatest number of replies.
In order to get a more composite picture of the
schools, the students were divided into three groups: (1)
Letters, Arts and Science; (2) Science; and (3) Humani
ties. This general distribution is shown in Table XII
according to classes. From this table it can be seen that
TABLE XII
44
NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN EACH GENERAL
DISTRIBUTION ACCORDING TO GLASSES
Class
School Sopho
more
Junior Senior Grad
uate
Other Total
Letters,
Arts and
Science
5 7 15 17 3 47
Science 6
3
8
15
0 32
Humanities 2
3
10
27
2
44
Total
13 13 33 59 5 123
45
graduate students responded to the questionnaire,
possibly because of their understanding of the importance
of such a study, with the greatest number of replies, fol
lowed in order by seniors, juniors, and sophomores.
The enrollment figures, as supplied by the Regis
trar's Office, show that men on the campus outnumber the
women by a ratio of four to one. In this study, the ratio
was 4*3 to 1.
Present church preference. Although the number of
students in this survey was only a small representation
of all the students who claimed denominational affilia
tion, yet question 2 disclosed that the largest percentage
of them (l8.& per cent*) -indicated that they had no denom
inational affiliation at all. Is this an indication that
there is a trend away from denominational affiliation on
the part of students, while enrolled here at the Univer
sity of Southern California? This can only be conjectured
and more intensive study should be made with larger groups
of students.
It was, however, somewhat of a surprise to learn
that the greatest response came from students who had
marked ”None” for their present church preference. At
least they were interested enough to respond more readily
than students who represented denominational groups.
46
According to the figures released through the
Chaplain’s Office, shown in the Appendix, those who wrote
"None* on their Religious Activities Card comprised only
2.4 per cent of the entire student body. Roman Catholics
had 16.5 per cent, Methodists 13.7, and Presbyterians 11.2
per cent of the students enrolled at the time of the
study. Responses came from these three groups as follows :
Presbyterian 12.2 per cent, Methodist 11.4, and Roman
Catholic 5*7 per cent. The variation in the first of
these two groups seems slight enough to be insignificant.
However, since a smaller percentage of Roman Catholics re
sponded to this survey, the hypothesis might be set up
that this group showed a little hesitation about cooper
ating with a religious survey conducted by a student in a
Protestant seminary.
Church attendance habits. With regard to the
church attendance habits of these students, it may be
noted that the largest single group (27*7 per cent) of
them fell into the category of "belonging to no church and
attending no services.” There was a definite correlation
between this figure and the percentage of students who
answered "None” on question 2. No doubt these students
> ,
were honest enough to admit that since they were not mem
bers of some church, they did not attend any church.
47
The next highest group represents students who
were members and did attend church. Twenty-six per cent
of the students were in ^this group. The third group of
students (24*4 per cent) comprised those who were not mem
bers of a church but attended church anyhow. Then the
next group of students (15*4 per cent) included those who
were members but did not attend church. The last group
(6.5 per cent) omitted this question. The comparisons
among these four groups are presented in Table XIII.
Since question 3 was so closely correlated with
question 11, it might be well to discuss it at this time.
Question 11 was intended to serve as a double check on
church attendance habits of these students.
When asked, "On the average, how often do you at
tend church?" the replies were as follows. Some of the
students (21.1 per cent) stated they attended church four
or more times a month; a second group (10.6 per cent) at
tended two or three times a month; and another group
(35.0 per cent) stated they were in church once or not
even that often each month. The last group (32.5 per cent)
admitted that they never attended church. One student
left the question blank.
These figures indicated that approximately one
fourth of the students attended church regularly. Another
TABLE XIII
NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF CHURCH MEMBERS AND
NON-MEMBERS AMONG THE STUDENTS ACCORDING
TO THEIR HABITS OF CHURCH ATTENDANCE
Church Member Non--Member
Habits Number Per ceht Number Per cent
Attend
Church 32 62.7 30
46.9
Do not
Attend
Church 19 37.2 34 53.1
49
10 per cent were fairly regular in their attendance
habits, making a total of 31.7 per cent of the students
who had favorable church attendance records. The other
35*0 per cent who attended only once or less frequently
each month, along with the 32.5 per cent who never attendee^
did not have a very impressive record. Why are not two
thirds of the students interested in attending churdh? Are
the churches failing their youth of college age? The
latter question furnished an interesting topic for dis
cussion for a Town Meeting of the Air program some time
ago.
Reference to Table XIII shows that 62.7 per cent of
the students who were church members attended church and
also 46.9 per cent of those who were non-church members.
It appeared, then, that those students who were church
members were morë likely to attend church; and conversely,
those who were not members were more likely to be absent
from church services.
Denominational preference of parents. Next for
consideration are the responses to question 4, relative to
the denominational preferences of the parents of these
students. Since ^able II in Chapter III shows the exact
number and percentage of these students, the discussion
here will be an interpretation of those figures.
50
First of all, it should be noted that there is a
decided difference in the denominational affiliations of
the parents of these students. For example, 17*9 per cent
of the fathers had no church denominational affiliation,
while only 5*7 per cent of the mothers were not church
members. It would be of interest to find out if this same
pattern continued to be true of future generations of stu
dents. Many of the earlier studies of sex distinction in
church membership compare favorably with the hypothesis
that women outnumber men by a substantial margin.
The fact that another 13.draper cent of the students
omitted this question might tend to show that their fa
thers had no church membership. Thus, it might be assumed
that 31*7 per cent of the fathers had no denominational
affiliation. Since only 3*3 per cent of the mothers were
omitted, the assumption might be in order that 10 per cent
of the mothers had no denominational affiliation. To put
it another way, one out of every ten mothers and three out
of every ten fathers who sent these students to college
had no church membership. This finding could be consid
ered a definite sociological factor worthy of note.
The Methodist Church included 12.2 per cent of the
fathers in its membership, while the Roman Catholic Church
was close behind with 11.4 per cent of the fathers. The
third highest group represented was the Baptist, where
51
7.3 per cent of the fathers belonged.
The Methodists had the most members among the
mothers also, with 18.É per cent, but once, ragain, the
Roman Catholics were second with 1 3 per cent.^The third
place was held by the Presbyterians with 8.1 per cent,
while the Baptists followed closely behind with 7*3 per
cent.
The fact that many years ago the University of
Southern California was a Methodist school could be of
fered as a possible explanation for the majority of the
students having that denominational affiliation.
A comparison of the foregoing figures with those
given in answer to question 2 shows that these same three
groups ranked highest among the churches represented.
Although it is reasonable to assume that the majority of
students, up to the college level, follow their parents
in matters of religious belief, some studies have shown
that they tend to move away from the religion of their
parents as they grow older or receive more education. In
order to see whether this trend appeared to be true among
the students at the University of Southern California,
Table XIV has been prepared.
influence of the spouse. Another factor that
often influences the variability of denominational choice
TABLE XIV
52
FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF DIRECTION OF CHANGE IN
, RELIGIOUS.PREFERENCE OF STUDENTS ACCORDING TO
THE CHURCH AFFILIATION OF THEIR PARENTS .
Direction of Change
From To To Church
Parent Parent’s Parent’s other than
Church Church Parent’s ^
Number Number Number
Students Students Students
Father 41
12 35
Mother 59 15 53
'XIf both the previous and present church preference of
the student were different from the father’s and the
mother’s.
NOTE: It would appear that the religious influence
of their parents has not been great during the college
career of these students. This finding contradicts the
students’ own subjective judgments presented in Table
VIII, unless in checking "family background (including
parents)” as an influence toward their present church,
these students had in mind a negative reaction toward
the influence of their parents.
among college students is their spouse. On the ques-
tionnaire, this term was inadvertently omitted, but the
boy friend or girl friend was included, assuming that if
the student were single, his future or prospective spouse
might presently have some effect on the variability of his
denominational affiliation. According to Table VII in the
preceding chapter, it can be noted that 13.8 per cent of
the girl friends or wives of these students had no church
affiliation. Another 21.1 per cent was left blank. The
churches represented by wives or girl friends came in this
order: Presbyterian (11.4 per cent); Methodist (10.6 per
cent); and Roman Catholic (10.6 per cent).
In the case of boy friend or husband shown in
Table VI, an even larger number listed no denominational
affiliation (15.4 per cent); but it has been pointed out
elsewhere that there was evidence to indicate that men are
a little less likely than women to be affiliated with a
church. The fact that 36.6 per cent was left blank may or
may not be significant. Husbands or boy friends of the
girls reporting belonged to the following "Big Three"
churches: Roman Catholic (11.4 per cent); Presbyterian
(7.3 per cent); and Methodist (4.1 per cent).
There is one further word of comment relative to
the above data. If the largest group of these students
was either married to or planned to marry someone who had
54
no church connection, and 18.8 per cent of these stu
dents studied had no church connection themselves (see
question 2), just what influence would that have on the
succeeding generation?
Table XV shows the direction of change in religious
affiliation of students, in relation to the religious pref
erence of their boy or girl friend or spouse.
Influence of fraternity and sorority. Question 6
was designed to make a study and comparison of f rat emit y-
sorority and non-fraternity and non-sorority students. All
of the students tabulated had shown some change in their
religious preference on their Religious Activities Cards
before the questionnaire was mailed. Of the replies, 40.7
per cent were received from fraternity-sorority students
and 59*3 per cent from non-fraternity and non-sorority
students. Table XVI presents a comparison of the denomin
ational affiliation of the two groups;and their church at
tendance habits, according to frequency, are shown in
Table XVII.
From these two tables, it can be seen that the
fraternity-sorority students have a higher church member
ship record than those not in any social organization.
This finding could be interpreted to mean that students
who gravitate toward social organizations on the campus.
TABLE XV
55
FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF DIRECTION OF CHANGE IN
. RELIGIOUS.PREFERENCE OF STUDENTS IN RELATION.
. TO THE CHURCH AFFILIATION OF THEIR , .
SPOUSE OR BOY OR,GIRL FRIEND -
Direction of Change
Relationship
From
Church of
Spouse or
Friend
To
Church of
Spouse or
Friend
To
Church of
Other
Person
Number
Students
Number
Students
Number
Students
Girl Friend 8
24
0
Boy Friend
7 19
0
Spouse 2 8 1
Person other
than spouse
or friend
83 54
NOTE: Twenty-three students indicated no change.
Eighty-three students had a church relationship other than
that of their spouse or friend; fifty-four of them changed
to still another affiliation different from that of their
spouse or friend. Apparently the influence of their mates
or friends is significant, although a large number of
changes had no relationship to this factor.
TABLE XVI
56
FRBQUEKGÏ DISTRIBÜTÏON OF FRATERNITY-SORORITY
. AND NON^FRATERNITY-SORORITY STUDENTS IN.
RELATION TO DENOMINATIONAL AFFILIATION,
Per cent of Attendance
Denominational
.Affiliation
Fraternity-
sorority
Non-fraternity-
Sorority
Member and
attend church
31.9 23.7
Member and do not
attend church 19.1
11.8
Not a member but
attend church 21.3 26.3
Not a member; do
not attend church
27.7
38.2
TABLE XVII
FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF FRATERNITY-SORORITY
. AND NONr-FRATERNITY-SORORITY STUDENTS IN.
: RELATION TO CHURCH ATTENDANCE
57
Attendance
at Church
Per cent
Fraternity-
sorority
of Attendance
Non-fraternity-
Sorority
Attends church
4 or more times
a month
21.3 22.4
Attends church
2 or 3 times
a month
14.9 7.9
Attends church
1 or less times
a month
36.0 31.6
Does not attend
.church at all
27.7
38.2
58
also tend to join other groups like the Church. The
feeling of belonging is a strong motivating factor in the
lives of many people.
It can also be noted that the fraternity group had
a slightly fewer number of students (21.3 per cent) who
attended church when they had no denominational affilia
tion, as compared to the non-fraternity group with 26.3
per cent,who were not members of a religious body but did
attend church.
Only 27.7 per cent of the fraternity-sorority stu
dents stated they were not members and did not attend any
church at any time. By way of comparison, 38.2 per cent
of the non-fraternity-sorority group indicated they were
not members of a church and did not attend services.
This evidence would tend to substantiate a previous
hypothesis,that among fraternity-sorority students there
is a slightly larger percentage with some denominational
affiliation.
With reference to the church attendance habits of
the two groups, only a slight difference was noticed be
tween them. The non-fraternity group outnumbered the
other one by 1.1 per cent in the regularity of church at
tendance on a weekly basis. But the fraternity-sorority
group attended church almost twice as frequently when
computed on a bi-monthly basis.______________ ____
59
Again, data gathered from question 11, strengthened
the earlier premise that was noted in question 3, namely,
that there was very little difference between the non-
fraternity-sorority group and the fraternity-sorority
group, when compared as to non-attendance at church. In
fact, only 10.5 per cent fewer of the latter group indi
cated they never attended church, as shown in Table XVII.
While it can not be stated on the basis of this
study, that sorority-fraternity students are any more re
ligious than those who do not have such affiliation, it
may be noted that there is a trend toward a better atti
tude with respect to church membership and attendance on
the part of those students who belong to some social fra
ternity or sorority.
Strictly speaking, these conclusions apply only, of
course, to those sorority-fraternity and non-sorority-
fraternity students who have changed religious preferences.
Further study is necessary of those students who have re
tained a single preference.
Campus religious organizations. Question 7 was of
special interest to those who took part in campus reli
gious organizations. It was quite a surprise to learn
that out of this entire group, only 4*9 per cent had any
connection with a campus church organization. The number
60
who admitted that they had no such affiliation was
93*5 per cent. Since only 1.6 per cent of the group
failed to answer this question, the omissions probably in
dicated no connection with the subject under discussion.
Chaplain Meyman pointed out that while only 4*9 per
cent had any connection with a religious organization on
the campus, such organizations sponsored by their respec
tive religious denominations were available for at least
70 per cent of these students.
However, there were other factors that might have
influenced the number that belonged to campus religious
organizations, such as, a large number of students living
off campus, and the fact that the university has a compar
atively limited campus. Yet, it seems that the major rea
son was lack of personal interest on the part of the stu
dents themselves in religious activities. Perhaps, those
students who did not change religious preference,have a
stronger relationship to religious organizations on the
campus.
Since campus religious organizations come under the
category of ecclesiological factors, it might be well to
point out that little evidence could be found to indicate
that campus religious organizations played an important
role in the variation of denominational affiliation, for
the obvious reason that so few were members.
61
In making a comprehensive study of the three
major factors which influenced the students♦ church pref
erence, it must be kept in mind that the basis of the
study was the subjective judgments of the students them
selves. They felt the factors most likely to influence
them to change their denominational affiliation were:
sociological, ecclesiological qjpd pedagogical.
\
Sociological factors. In making a study of the
sociological factors, attention bhould be called to Table
VII, which lists the weighted scores* given by the students
for each item of question 8.
The first it^em, family background, received the
highest score of 610 and ranked first in importance with
these students. The first impression would be that the
students probably followed their parents in selecting
their religious preference. However, further study of
Table XIV seemed to indicate that students changed fre
quently from the religion of both their mother and father
to some denomination unrelated to that of either of their
parents. One might conjecture that family background
would be a deciding factor in the decision of the student^
as to whether he wished to become a Catholic or Protestant.
It can also be assumed with reasonable certainty that at
least one half of these students took their family
62
background into consideration when they selected their
present religion. More than one half of the students, or
54.5 per cent, either checked this item or gave it some
place in the count of sociological factors. However, the
fact that 38.2 per cent omitted the item might indicate
that they relied very little on family background, as a
determining factor in religious preference.
These students gave some close, personal friend the
seventh place, or a score of 270, as an influence upon
their church affiliation. This rating coincided with the
data presented in Table XV, which shows that a consider
able number of students shifted to the religion of their
best girl or boy friend, or of their spouse.
Closely related to the influence of the friend was
the influence of the spouse. Students in this survey
showed that the spouse ranked sixth in importance, as to
their selection of church affiliation.
The influence of some church social group, non
church sorority, or fraternity ranked next to last in im
portance, or eleventh place, as an influence over the
choice of the students’ religion. Not one student gave
this item first place, and only 3.0 per cent gave it any
consideration whatsoever. The conclusion might be in order
then, that in this,case, sororities and fraternities had
little influence upon the students, as far as selecting ___
63
their particular denomination was concerned.
As a whole, the factors of the sociological group
had a weighted score of 1236, and ranked first in the
judgment of the students themselves, as,having influenced
their selection of a religious preference.
Ecclesiological factors. The first of the items
under this classification (8-e) was least important in the
opinion of the students,as to the selection of their re
ligious preference. The fact that religious organizations
on the campus have yet to make a deep impression on the
lives of the students is further reflected,when it is ob
served that 89.4 per cent of them omitted this question
and only 2.4 per cent considered it at all. Thus, these
religious organizations still have an unrealized opportu
nity to assist students.
The influence of the minister or of some leader in
the church of the student’s preference (item 8-f) ranked
fourth in importance with a weighted score of 330 points.
It was encouraging that 7*3 per cent of the group checked
this item and 2.4 per cent gave it first place, making a
total of 10.7 per cent, who seriously considered their
church a valuable influence. However, it is reasonable to
believe that churches could make an even greater impact on
the lives of these students.
64
The next inquiry furnished a bit of news for the
writer. Question 8-g was, "Your own personal study of the
fundamental concepts embodied in your religion." To. this
item 22.8 per cent gave first place and another 8.1 per
cent checked it as having definitely influenced their
lives. In"fact, it ranked second with a score of 446.
This rating can mean one thing for certain, if these stu
dents are honest, they have been thinking for themselves,
or at least they believe they have been thinking. What
"personal study" means to these students is unknown. A
little less than one half of them (40.7 per cent) gave
this factor some place in influencing them in the selection
of their denominational affiliation.
Ecclesiological factors, as a whole, received a
weighted score of 820, giving this group of items third
place in comparison with sociological and pedagogical
factors.
Pedagogical factors. The majority of the students
did not believe their school associates had much influence
upon them when they selected their church. In fact, only
2.4 per cent gave this item first place and the same per
centage checked it. It ranked ninth with a score of 170
points. However, 17.1 per cent did take their school as
sociates into consideration, as a factor in influencing
65
them to change their denominational affiliation.
The replies to question 8-1, concerned with the in
fluence of the books that the students read, not directly
related to the course of study here, showed considerable
bearing upon the survey. It ranked third with a score of
360 points. The students showed some evidence of outside
reading in the religious field by the fact that 4*1 per
cent gave this item first place and 11.4 per cent rated it
second, while another 5*7 per cent checked it as a definite
factor in selecting their religious membership. In all, a
total of 21.2 per cent of the students rated their outside
reading as an important factor. Of the four factors con
sidered under the pedagogical influences, outside reading
rated first; and a larger majority gave it greater con
sideration (32.5 per cent) than any of the four items in
this category.
There was not a very high correlation between the
studies of the students at Southern California and thier
religious attitudes. In fact, 76.4 per cent left this
question blank; only three students checked it; and merely
.8 per cent of them gave it first place. It ranked eighth
with a score of 172 points.
Can it mean that so little religion of any kind is
brought out in the classroom study here, that no influence
is apparent? It may be that in a school of this type.
66
non-state controlled and non-sectarian, this is the
type of a pattern the administration would choose to fol
low in keeping with the democratic process.
Likewise, the influence of some teacher or teachers
upon the religious life of these students seemed slight.
In fact, none gave this first place and only 1.6 per cent
even checked this item. Although 13.8 per cent did con
sider their teachers as a factor in influencing their de
nominational affiliation, the item (8-k) ranked only tenth
with a score of 130 points.
Space was provided in the questionnaire for the stu
dents to write in any other factors not named that might
have influenced them. For the sake of uniformity, this
item was included under the pedagogical classification.
However, 60.2 per cent left the added line blank, while
17.1 per cent either wrote something in or indicated that
what they wrote in was the most important of all the peda
gogical factors that had influenced them. Item (8-1) re
ceived fifth place with a weighted score of 328 points.
Only eight students in the entire survey failed to
answer every question and they did not indicate that any
of the factors mentioned had influenced them. Thus, it
seems that the majority of the students who replied to the
questionnaire considered all of these factors somewhat
67
seriously before writing their answers to the ques
tionnaire. The pedagogical group, as a whole, ranked in
second place with a score of 1160.
Comparison of the three manor factors. It is now
possible to make a comparison,as to the ways the three
basic institutions of society have really influenced the
lives of the students at the University of Southern Cali
fornia in the variability of their denominational affilia
tions.
The sociological factor which represents the home
ranked first. It is reasonable to assume that this would
be so, even though a student were in college. It is also
worthy of consideration for parents to realize that their
religious influence may often be felt by the college stu
dent after he leaves home. Close friends and the spouse
influenced the student to a considerable extent, and ^as
previously discussed, the church preference of these col
lege students tended to approach closely the religion of
their associates, more so than the religion of their par
ents.
Yet, the actual influence of the family background
will always be a very vital factor in influencing a stu
dent in his religious preference. Even though he may
change from the religion of his parents, he may have their
6a
full approval at the time of making the change; and
since the change may be from one denomination to another
similar one, many of the parents probably have no objec
tion. It goes without saying that when homes are broken,
the religious orientation of the student often is affected^
and if the sociological factors are as important as these
stildents judge them to be, then herein lies a challenge
for the home.
In second place, with a weighted score seventy-six
points below that of the sociological factors, were the
pedagogical factors, such as books read, school associates,
course of college study, teachers, and other factors that
the student mentioned as having influenced him while he
was enrolled in school. Of these, the third most important
factor in any of the items listed under question 8 was
books read while the student was attending college. It is
reasonable to assume that college students are qualified
to read and to think critically for themselves. Therefore,
one definite sign of their college maturity was reading
independently. And after they made a retrospective, intro
spective, and perspective analysis of the religious books,
they might decide to change their denominational prefer
ence .
Although ecclesiological factors ranked in third
place with 820 points, there was one item that ranked
69
second only to family background, as of importance in
influencing the religious lives of these students. This
item was a personal study of the fundamental concepts em
bodied in the religion which the student selected. It
carried 466 points, while other items mentioned in this
group, such as the minister or church leader, had 330
points and the campus religious organizations were in last
place with only 24 points. The ecclesiological factors
which represent the church in society, then, are still very
important, although the students considered them slightly
below sociological factors representing the home and peda
gogical factors representing the school. It should be
pointed out, however, that all three of these factors play
an important role in the total life experiences of the
student.
I
Church relationships. The church relationships of
these students presented an interesting portion of the
survey. It was found after studying the results of ques
tion 9 on church membership, that before they enrolled at
the University of Southern California 43.1 per cent of
these students had been a member of only one church, while
39.6 per cent had attended only one church to any degree
of regularity. Another 12.2 per cent had been members of
two or more churches, while 18.8 per cent had attended two
70
or more churches for a while but did not join. Only
3.3 per cent had belonged to three or more churches before
they entered Southern California, but ,9.8 per cent had
attended as many as three churches, even though they were
not members.
Since they enrolled at the University of Southern
California, 31*7 per cent claimed membership in only one
other church, but almost as many (30.9 per cent) asserted
they attended one other church. A small number (.8 per
cent) had joined two churches and the same percentage had
joined three churches. No church relationship had been
claimed by 16.0 per cent since they enrolled (assuming
they alienated themselves from the one they did have);and
22.8 per cent of the students omitted the question, which
might also have indicated no active church connection at
the university.
Direction of religious change. It must be admitted
there was one important factor that should have been given
consideration, but dataware impossible to obtain on the
basis of the religious activity which was used in this
survey as well as the questionnaire. The factor was a
complete listing of the specific local church congrega
tions where the students attended, and this information
was not available.
71
A careful study showed that it was almost im
possible to label a church "liberal" or "conservative,"
"modernist" or "fundamental" on the sheer basis of the
name of the church. This is true in many respects with
the four large Protestant denominations, the Methodists,
Baptists, Presbyterians, and Gongregationalists.
Another thing that must be considered was that the
direction of denominational change depended largely upon
where the student was affiliated before he made the change.
If, for example, a Presbyterian changed to the Roman
Catholic Church, it might seem that he was growing more
conservative; and yet there are certain practices upheld
by the Catholics that would call for immediate dismissal
from the majority of Presbyterian Churches. Likewise, a
Presbyterian might change to the Baptist Church, but since
it was not known which Baptist Church or which Presbyterian
Church, côulduit honestly be determined whether he moved
to a more liberal or to a more conservative church? And
soothe best attempt to solve this problem seemed just to
list the churches, showing both where the student last be
longed and where he moved, and then to permit the reader
to make his own conjecture regarding what might have hap
pened to the student.
In SÔ doing, it should be remembered that "conser
vatives" are usually thought of as those who adhere to the
72
religious beliefs commonly held before the advent of
the historical criticism of the Bible. As Symington^ has
pointed out, the "liberals" are often thought of as those
who have adapted their religious opinions to the changing
times and have attempted to integrate their religious
thinking with the more recent discoveries of history and
science. The "conservatives" are often accused of build
ing up a defense against the reconstruction of religious
thinking, while "liberals" are accused of adopting so many
newer standpoints of religious thought and behavior that
they are a threat to traditional religion, in general.
In methodology, the "conservative" is accused of
teaching and preaching mainly with one point in view,
namely, to preserve and pass on to the next generation ac
cepted religious standards and ideas of the past. The
"liberals" seem to produce attitudes of freedom in the
presence of existing conditions that might mean change.
Essentially, one group is concerned with transmissive ed
ucation; the other with creative thinking.
Further, while liberals find orientation in the
past, they also encourage freedom of thought and assimil
ation of the insights of contemporary thought. Inasmuch
1 Thomas A. Symington, Religious Liberals and Con
servatives (New York: Teachers College, Columbia Univer-
sity, 1935), pp. 1-6,
73
as the differences between conservatives and liberals
are not in terms of denominations, it would be difficult
to determine from the present data the direction in which
the student moved.
Table XI showed from what denomination these stu
dents moved and to which denomination they gravitated.
The following distribution in Table XVIII gives further
interpretation of the variability of the denominational
affiliations of these students. In it appear the net
gains and net losses of each denomination according to
student enrollment. With the exception of the Roman Cath
olics, the Baptists, and the Gongregationalists, the net
gains or losses were comparatively slight.
Attitude toward further change. Of the total group
of one hundred and twenty-three students who responded to
the questionnaire, 53*3 per cent stated they would be
willing to change their present church statu#, provided
they found one they liked better. These students might be
referred to as the creative thinkers who will dare to be
different, if they believe they can better themselves.
They might be described as students with a liberal quest
ing spirit on one side of the ledger; but on the other
side, they might be unstable in their present religious
affiliation.
TABLE XVIII
74
A COMPARISON OF THE DENOMINATIONAL CHANGE
OF STUDENTS ACCORDING TO NET.GAIN AND
. \NET LOSS IN.ENROLLMENT .
Net Loss Net Gain
Denomination Number Denomination Number
Students Students
Roman Unitarian 2
Catholic
9
Presbyterian 1
Methodist 3
Lutheran 0
Baptist 5 Episcopal 0.
Christian Nazarene 2
Science 6 Christian 1
Congregational 2 Church of God 1
Lutheran 0 Quaker 1
Latter Day Universalist 1
Saints 1
Episcopal 0
Jewish 1
Evangelical
United Brethern 1
Assembly- of God 1
Church of Christ 1
Union Church 1 Other
Brethern 1 Agnostic
3
Dutch Reformed 1 "None"
18
As for the other 35.8 per cent who reported they
would not change their church preference under any circum
stances, even though they found a church they liked better,
the reason for their loyalty can only be conjectured.
Possibly they had a closed mind and were too dogmatic to
change. They might be indifferent toward further change,
or in some rare instance afraid to change their religion
because of early indoctrination. On the other hand, they
might be so completely satisfied with their present affil
iation that they would not care to investigate another
religion.
Probably the other 8.9 per cent who left this ques
tion blank did not care to commit themselves. It may be
assumed, however, that this group of students was fully
aware of the role of changing religious attitudes in this
changing world. Therefore, the next chapter will hevéal
itlbÿ letting the students speak for themselves, as to
why they chose their present religious status, and why
they thought their classmates changed their denominational
preference.
CHAPTER VI
STUDENT INTERPRETATION OF RELIGIOUS CHANGE
In making a study and analysis of the variability
of denominational affiliation of students at the Univer
sity of Southern California, the question of changing re
ligious preference seemed of such vital importance, that
the present chapter is being devoted entirely to a discus
sion of this subject. It is of signal importance to all
concerned to understand the reasons students give for
their own change or for changes by their classmates in re
ligious preference.
The following quotations were taken from the many
replies received in answer to question 12, "Why do you
think S. G. students change their religious preference?"
While there necessarily was some overlapping, these re
plies have been carefully divided into the three major
groupings: sociological, ecclesiological, and pedagogical.
Some of the students felt that only one factor had been
the major reason for change, while others felt that two or
even all three of these factors had influenced them. In
order to get a little background about the student whose
interpretation is given, a brief description of him pre
cedes his statement.
77
Sociological factors. Case number 1 was a
Lutheran, then changed to the Dutch Reformed Church, and
at the time of the survey had no church preference at all.
Due to associations with forceful people,
I am an agnostic— neither disbelieve or believe.
I feel no need for church. I.embody all the basic
concepts and ideals taught, but feel church is
only for those who need a helping hand.
Case number 2 was a young man from a Baptist family
who had no church preference.
A number of students I know have given up all
religious beliefs. When in college they see the
relativity of all religions and come to value
social amelioration as a more noble goal to work
toward, rather than some mythical paradise. I am
an Atheist concerning religion. I only believe
in the impwvability of mankind’s. lot here on
Earth. His only destiny is in creating a better
life for human beings here on earth. It is true
that some religions have these ideals too, but
the evil they do in other areas of thought ^
(opposition to birth control, etc.) far outweighs
their limited social good. How can a man think
soundly when he has the remnants of anacronistic
superstition distorting his thinking?
Case number 3 was a young lady who changed from
Presbyterian to Methodist.
If they find a philosophy that satisfies them
better than the .one they knew first. Friends can
help change this; also groups with status, etc.
Case number 4 was a young man who shifted from the
Congregational to the Presbyterian Church before enrolling
at Southern California. Since then he joined the Baptist
Church and later returned to the Presbyterian Church.
78
I think a young person doesn’t think seriously
about why he does or doesn’t change church pref
erence within a major division. For my part, I
would and do accept noticeable changes in ritual
or form in order to hear a preacher who gives me
uplifting messages, and I quickly drop out of at
tendance on a "scolder” a "harranguer" a "phoney."
As to others, I believe organizational and social
influence is probably a stronger determinant than
conceptual differences.
Case number 5 was a former Presbyterian who became
a Methodist.
I feel that religion is a heritage just as a
family name, etc.
Case number 6 was a graduate student in the School
of Education.
Some students change due to graphic location
and, proximity to home.
Case number 7 was a Lutheran who was a member of
the Church of the Brethern.
For non-doctrinal reasons such as social or
economical. In my case, the change from one church
body to another was motivated by the desire to have
a community of religious interest in my marriage.
In any case, the primary consideration on any change
should be based on one’s basic doctrinal belief.
No cause or reason which may make desirable a change
of one church body should be made where there is
acquired a compromise in one’s beliefs.
Case number 8 was a young man who was a Catholic
and became a Baptist.
I don’t know why others change, but this is to
inform you of the real reason (not good reasons)
why I changed my religious preference. My parents
fulfilled their obligations and insured my religious
education and Catholic church attendance until the
79
age of 17 years. I then entered the Naval
service where religious services were not
available aboard the ship I was assigned.to.
However, I managed to attend services on other
ships occassionally. It was during this time
that I attended denominational services. I
became interested in them. I met my wife while
in the Naval service. She had no religious
preference except for the fact that she objected
to the Catholic religion and Pentecostal religion.
We attended a First Baptist Church before we were
married (intermittently). We were married by a
Methodist minister in a wedding chapel (not a
church). We attended the First Baptist, church
for two years after our marriage. When our baby
was to be born, we both decided that our children
should have a religious affiliation. It was then
we decided to join the First Baptist church and
did so at that time. I don’t know how much of the
real reason I have mentioned stems from my con
nection with.the university, however, I am sure
that the education that both my wife and myself
obtained from college has been a marked con
tributing factor towards the solution of our re
ligious problem. I mention all of the above facts,
because I realize the importance they may have on
the results of this survey.
Other replies that would likely be considered
sociological factors went like this.
1. Their friend’s influence and also their
present religion doesn’t offer what they want.
2. I can’t speak for others— but in my own case
it was partly because of my husband’s faith, partly
because of my own increased interest in understanding
religions and "church" as you have used it.
3. I changed because of friends and later,
influence of my wife.
4« Change ideas through influence of friends
and study. Find better companionship in the new
church.
80
5# Search for social satisfaction of
religious needs.
6. Social pressure— pressure of friendships.
7. I am planning to change my religion when
I marry to the faith that the girl believes.
8. Social acceptance for most. A few changes
because they gain a broadened outlook at S. C.
9. The age group attending S. C. is that which
is changing preference in all fields. Many stu
dents are getting married or have steady girl friends
which introduce to them a new religion. Many have
not had any real religion until this introduction or
have not practiced their family religion except for
conveniences sake.
10. I am not particularly happy with my church
(Nazarene), but realize the importances of Christi
anity and attend mainly because of my wife and
children. In my opinion, most church programs and
activities are not designed to appeal to university
people. There is too much dogmatism, stress of
non-essentials at the sacrifice of the real funda
mental elements. . . Discussion groups are too often
just recitations of trite phrases and critical dis
cussion is often viewed with scorn by so many of
that group that I feel that I can’t politely express
my true views at times. I continue to attend the
church in which I was raised mainly because of my
wife and parents.who are quite happy there.
The eighteen cases just cited are representative of
the majority of answers given by students who felt that
sociological factors were the most determining influence
in change of religious preference. For the most part, it
may be observed that these answers were amplifications of
those given under question 8-a, b, c, and d. They do,
however, furnish an interesting insight into the thinking
of these students.
81
Ecclesiological factors. Those students who felt
that ecclesiological factors were most influential in
causing a shift in religious preference, gave some of the
following representative answers.
Case number 1. was a young man who belonged to the
following churches: Baptist, Methodist, and Church of
Christ. He then gave up all religion.
Experience, personal philosophy and personal
feeling towara a minister and congregation—
possibly marriage. I have 20 or more definitions
of religions. I have had a Protestant background
and have had 2 formal courses of religious study.
I am married to a "non-participating" Jewess. My
comments are based,on this background.. Personal
feelings: I fear the ultimate unknown. I do not
feel omnipotent. I accept a "power" greater than
both myself and society. I majored in zoology
and am prejudiced. I have a strong feeling for
the moral concepts of the religions of which I am
aware— those functional concepts not bound by dogma
or denominational "necessities." I once read of a
"jus naturale" (a natural law). I.somehow feel
that there must be a pragmatic, functional, univer
sal law of morals that supercedes any "individual
salvation." I have no recommendations as to a
"cure-all" .of-mankind’s moral, spiritual and physi
cal ills.- The 12 I’s.used to this point do not
denote egotism, but (I) feel an objective realism
of man’s inability to cope with his evolutionary
achievements or retrogressions. I do not feel,
however, that a supreme being of Christian Magni
tude, should or could create a being capable of
perpetuating as gross a sin as now plagues mankind.
There is something more. I would still classify
myself as a religious (not.necessarily Christian)
objective, sinful, free-thinker.
The text of this message lacks continuity— it
still has substance. It is also late according to
your specifications. Regardless, I would appreciate
an acknowledge of this correspondence. The
82
statistical outcome or summation of your study
would likewise be interesting. . . I pray that
you gain success, if not peace of mind in your
endeavor.
Case number 2 in this category was a Lutheran who
married a Roman Catholic.
Probably due to increased learning or study of
other churches. . . I have used the Lutheran church
not as an idea or particular religious following,
but as a means or reference to fulfilling my own
religious needs or desires. I feel that I would
change churches if an idea or.concept could be
presented which would enable me to more closely
follow the religious concepts that I have built
in my idea of religion. I have not.done so
mainly due to lack of enthusiasm and "will to
study” for any other religious group or church.
Case number 3 was a young lady formerly a Baptist
and now an Episcopalian.
I do not consider.that I changed my religion—
only the denomination. I still hold all the con
cepts of theology from my earliest training. My
beliefs remain the same, I merely sought a dif
ferent way to express them. I became, over a
period of years, dissatisfied.with the form of
worship in the Baptist church, feeling that it was
too informal, too "fbiksy" and too much like a
social gathering with religious talks included.
I sought a service where I could reach out to God
and find Him. . . I respect the motives of the
Baptist church, and appreciate that through it I
gained a thorough working knowledge of the Bible.
I in no way doubt their sincerity, but I cannot
accept their form of worship, and this was my
motivation for changing.
Case number 4 was a young man who was an Episco
palian.
During the latter part of my college career I
acquired the habit of attending different churches
83
to compare and observe. By this time I had
taken quite a lot of Philosophy and Psych
ology so I suppose that I might have, become
somewhat doubtful of religion. This seems to
be a common feeling or stage. In any event,
whenever I took a step away from religion to
analyze it, I could not see why a person had
to be exposed to all the petty feelings,
arguing, dogmas, differences, etc. just live
a good life and believe in the Ten Command
ments and an all perfect being. I hope this
helps you.
Case number 5 was a student who also pastors a
Congregational Church.
I am a minister. I became a Congregationalist
because a Congregational church opened to me.
Previously I was a Baptist— trained in a Baptist
seminary and served two Baptist pastorates. Am
glad to be a Congregationalist.
Case number 6, a former Methodist, gave this reply.
The dumb things they try to convince you of
as Freshmen! I was quite a serious Atheist for
a year or more. Today’s churches need more in
telligent, thinking people in their parishes and
these should include young collegians. The uni
versity should cooperate more in making this a
reality and I mean all branches, not just the
School of Religion. My needs are being fully met
now since I understand what they are and how to
meet them.. S.C. didn’t help me here.
Case number 7 was a student who changed from
Assembly of God to the Baptist Church.
I have been raised in an Assembly of God church
(Pentecostal) all of my life. I began to think
for myself when I was about 17 years old. I
realized that what I believed at that time was not
the perfect will of.God. After a few months of
intensive study of the Bible, which I believe in
wholeheartedly, and much prayer, I finally decided
that the Baptist church seemed to come closest to
' 84
what I wanted in a church. . . Since my change,
I have found a more perfect peace and assurance
of salvation than I before thought possible.
I hope that I have.helped you in your study.
»
Case number 8 was a young lady who changed from the
Catholic to the Unitarian faith.
1. As result of personal study of religious
concepts and preachers.
2. A "form of organized religion” no longer
meets personal requirements in adaption to current
life or needs.
Various other replies from students who felt the
ecclesiological factors most important are listed here.
1. Education about churches other than one’s own.
2. They get away from home ties and begin to
do their religious thinking on their own.
3. More thought with an open mind is apparent.
4* Yes, some can learn the truth— God is not dead.
5. They come .in contact with influences which
tend to lead them to investigate other churches.
6. Possibly because intelligent investigation
of their former and other faiths leads them to find
more satisfaction in a change. , '
7. I feel a change of religious preference would
be made.after an understanding of all religions is
acquired. A person can be brought up in a church
and never know what the principles of other churches
are.
8. I would be inclined to think that a change
would be caused not by any "mass movement" but
rather by the student’s own.reflections on his
"religious motivations."
9. I think they look for a church that is more
tolerant— one that is more philosophical and less
dogmatic.
10. Find better companionship in the
new church.
11. I changed because of the type and the
realization of what it is to be saved and
sanctified. (Nazarene)
12. Religion like anything else should be
logical and students in their advanced training
try to find this logicalness as well as faith.
13. By coming in contact with others that
have a different church, or in contact with
other churches.
14. Churches are going too modern— do not
satisfy the truth seeking student. (Free Methodist)
15. Find old religion does not serve their
needs. Find it in conflict with new concepts—
reality of values etc. Decide that religion is
important enough to sacrifice the old and to
look for the new. (Vedanta)
85
These statements are representative of the many
received, relative to the ecclesiological forces which
cause a shift in the denominational preference of students.
For the most part, it may be observed that these students
felt that investigation of some new or different church,
together with the ability to think freely, creatively, and
without restriction in matters of religion caused students
to go to another church.
Pedagogical factors. The replies concerning the
pedagogical factors were many and varied, but they fell
into the following general themes.
86
Case number 1 in this category was an agnostic
whose parents were Gongregationalists.
Many lose identification with any church due .
to mature integration with a physical universe,
that relegates all religious adjectives ff^ic 1
to the class of unverifiable assumptions. Take
"ad verecundiam” and ”ad ignoranturn” arguments
of proof of basic tenets in any religion which
sanctions any non-material or supernatural en
tities, or the "petitio principle” of even the
most refined religions: give those familiar with
elementary logic, history, and basic physiological
psychology, no assurance whatever that religion by
any name is more than a projection of the human
ego . . . I regret that you must choose such a
field as religion to which to devote your research,
and possibly your life. . . I am a positivistically
grounded agnostic, have spent much time in all
sorts of churches and studying the most basic re
ligious documents. . . examine the writing of
Bertrand Russel, Darwin, Gibbon, Schoponhauer,etc.
before plunging into this superstitious retreat
from man and reality.
Case number 2 was a young man with no church
preference.
Because of education and the realization
that religion is a farce, and (in my opinion)
religion is a farce. Students learn to get
along without the "crutch” that religion affords
them in their yOunger years.
Case number 3 was a young lady from an Episcopal
home. She had attended the following churches: Episcopal,
Catholic, Mormon, Jewish, Buddist, Taoist, and Baptist.
The chance in college of a wider scope of
investigation into religions through education.
I am neither an Atheist or an Agnostic— I sincerely
believe in the existence of a God, but I can find
no religion that adequately allows me to express
that belief. Organized religion, in most cases
87
Catholicism, Orthodox Judaism etc., is so full
of non-cognitive assertions, mysticism, super-
naturalism, the sense of hell, sin, damnation
and pessimism that it hardly seems fitting for
an adequately intelligent person to bare CTiic
these antedelievian attitudes as banners of
infallible truth. Therefore, also, because of
religious prejudice on the part of Christians
toward Jews, Catholic toward Protestants etc.
I have taken it upon myself to assume an attitude
of personal belief, interpretation and ethical
meaning with regard to what you may call "spiritual
opinion." This attitude on my part has been assumed
through observation of religions, intensified
reading and long consideration. Give us an intel
ligent God, rather than the image of a medieval
peasant such in the prejudices of black mysticism
and illiteracy.
Case number 4 was a Unitarian who had no religious
preference.
Despite the fact that some people may change -
religions to conform with their friends beliefs,
etc. many are away from parents and childhood
environment for the first time. This fact prompts
a réévaluation of fundamental concepts in the
light of new-found knowledge, if one has found
knowledge, that is. For those of us in the phil
osophies and natural sciences, the réévaluation of
concepts plays an important part in our early
career. I don’t believe any one can study culture,
philosophy or science without some thinking along
these lines and I suspect this accounts for many
religion changes.
Case number 5 was a young lady with no church
preference.
Studying sciences, history, comparative religion
and psychology and philosophy will all tend to
broaden and liberalize religious attitudes so that
a liberal Christian and a liberal Jew are very
similar in basic beliefs. I believe this is good.
Catholics, however, are often very little affected
by education, but tend to keep religion in a
88
separate compartment of their mind from everything
else they may learn. I think education holds the
key { in .general) for religious tolerance and a
gradual understanding and agreement on religious
beliefs and practices.
Case number 6 was a young lady who tried being an
Episcopalian, Christian Scientist and Roman Catholic.. She
was then a Lutheran.
I believe that all college students are growing
rapidly mentally. Their concepts, outlooks and
philosophy changes in four years and correspondently
(Sic) does so in religion.
Case number 7 was an engineering student who be
longed to Unity Church.
Religion like anything else should be logical
and students in their advanced training try to find
this logicalness as well as faith.
Case number 8 was an Agnostic who gave the following
\
reason for leaving the Roman Catholic Church.
Education, common sense, reason and facts,
finally makes a significant impression.
Other replies from students included under the
pedagogical classification are listed below.
1. I think that for many it is a rebellion
against.tradition, and serves as a means for express
ing independent thought.
2. Those who do change are probably undecided
before they enroll. I have a strong personal religion,
unaffiliated with any.formal organization.
3. Because they learn to recognize absurdities.
4. Education tears away the veil of ignorance,
superstition and guilt upon which Catholicism
89
thrives. The stand taken by my former church
on key issues of life turned me away from it.
(From a former Roman Catholic of 32 years.)
5. They have entered a world of new ideas,
associations and a period of life in which it is
natural to question activities they have hereto
fore accepted without question.
6. Just picked one at random other than Roman
Catholic. Influence of other students also good
promotion by Roamn Catholic supporters.
7. Because of the age of college students—
self-realization at 18-21.
8. Changes induced by stimulation of intellec
tual curiosity concerning religions.
9. Influence of courses taken, professors,
other students. Perhaps even thinking about
world, life and religion.
10. Most students feel freedom of preference
for the first time, also begin to formulate a
philosophy and think and evaluate their moral
standard. Many seem to drift to new interest
or studies.
Analysis of student reactions. It is quite evident
that the majority of these students answered the question
naire only after careful deliberation. This thought, of
course, made the study more accurate and significant. Most
of their replies were an amplification of previously
checked reasons under question 8.
These data seemed to corroborate the fact previously
stated, that society takes its clues in religion from the
three basic institutions: the home, the church, and the
school. All play an important part.
90
After making an analysis of these subjective
judgments, it may be observed that the majority of them
felt: (1) students are becoming more mature in their blink
ing and intellectual curiosity; (2) they are learning how
to express themselves; and (3) they have in many instances,
through an exploration of the educational world, found a
religion they feel is adequate for their needs.
CHAPTER VIT
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
I. SUMMARY
Statement of the problem. It is a matter of record
at the University of Southern California that many of the
students make a change in their religious affiliation
during the time that they are pursuing their college
studies. It was the purpose of this study to determine:
(1) the extent of denominational change for the en
tire student body and for certain smaller groups;
(2) the direction of denominational change— more
liberal or more conservative;
(3) the causes of denominational change: ecclesio
logical, pedagogical, and sociological; and
(4) the meaning of denominational affiliation for
these students.
Method of procedure. Much of the material for the
basis of this study was found in the files of the chap
lain’s office, particularly the Religious Activities Cards,
which all students are required to fill out. The cards of
the students who had reported making a change in their de
nominational affiliation prior to the spring of 1953 were
92
separated and carefully scrutinized to discover whether
these changes might be considered significant. Finally, a
questionnaire was mailed to six hundred students,whose
cards indicated they had made a major change in their re
ligious affiliations during a three-year period. On the
average, this group had changed their religious affilia
tion 2.85 times. Then the replies made on the 123 ques
tionnaires returned were tabulated and analyzed for sig
nificant trends.
Findings. The group studied represented a response
from 20.5 per cent of the questionnaires sent out. It was
made up of one or more students from seventeen different
schools or departments of the university, in addition to
those enrolled in the College of Letters, Arts and
Sciences. Three major categories of academic classifica
tion were represented as follows: Science, thirty students;
Letters, Arts and Sciences, thirty-nine students; Humani
ties, fifty-four students. The classes represented were:
Sophomore, 10.6 per cent; Junior, 10.6 per cent; Senior,
26.8 per cent; Graduate, per cent; and others, 4*0
per cent. Of the group replying, men comprised 18.7 per
cent and women 18.7 per cent.
The greatest response came from the students who
formerly had some church connection, but presently listed
93
“no preference." In this group there were 18.8 per
cent of the students who answered the questionnaire. In
the case of both the Presbyterians and the Methodists, 12.2
per cent of their entire enrollment in the university re
sponded to the questionnaire. Also, 5.7 per cent of all
Roman Catholic students enrolled cooperated in the study.
The church attendance habits of the students re
sponding revealed that 27-7 per cent of them neither be
longed to nor attended church services. Twenty-six per
cent were members and did not attend church; 24^6 per cent
were not members but attended church; while another 15.4
per cent were members but did not attend church.
The parents of these students showed a wide range of
denominational affiliation. It was found that 17.9 per
cent of the fathers and 5.7 per cent of the mothers had no
church affiliation. A total of eighty-eight students
changed to a religious affiliation which differed from that
of their parents.
Forty-three of the students changed their religious
affiliation to agree with that of their best friend or
spouse. However, another fifty-four changed to a religion
that differed from the one accepted by either their best
friend or spouse. Mo denominational affiliation was re
ported by 18.8 per cent of the students in the study.
Further, 29.2 per cent of them were either married to or
94
had as their best friend one of the opposite sex with
no religious connection*
Questionnaire replies were received from 40*7 ,per
cent of the fraternity-sorority students and from 59-3 per
cent of the non-fraternity and non-sorority students. The
fraternity-sorority students had a higher church membership
record than the students with no such connection. Both
groups attended church with approximately the same fre
quency, when computed on a weekly attendance record; but
the bi-weekly attendance was almost twice as often for the
fraternity-sorority students as it was for the non-sorority
and non-fraternity students.
Only 4-9 per cent of these students were affiliated
with some religious or church-sponsored organization on the
campus of the University of Southern California. Yet there
were enough organizations sponsored by the churches to
which they belonged to accomodate at least 70 per cent of
them.
The causes of denominational change ranked in the
following importance, according to the opinions of these
students:
1. Family background
2. A personal study of the fundamental concepts embodied
in their religion.
95
3. Books read, not directly related to the course of
study at U. S. C.
4* The minister or some church leader.
5. “Other" causes written in by the student.
6. The spouse of the student.
7. Close personal friends.
8. The course of study at U. S. C.
9. School associates.
10. Teachers
11. Affiliation with some fraternity, sorority, or social
club.
12. Campus religious organizations.
It was difficult to determine the direction of the
studentchange in religious preference, since there is
such a wide variation in local congregations in their lib
eral and conservative status. Of the students in this sur
vey, the Roman Catholics sustained the largest net loss
from their church, while the Unitarian and Mazarene
Churches gained the largest number of students. The larg
est group of students in the survey indicated that they had
changed from a previous church relationship to “none."
These students were most generous in their written
responses explaining why they thought fellow students had
changed their religious preferences; and many volunteered
extensive information as to the reason for their own changs.
96
In general, their replies were an amplification of the
reasons stated in the questionnaires*
II. CONCLUSIONS
1. Some change in their denominational affiliation
was shown by 20.5 per cent of the students at the Univer
sity of Southern California.
2. Students who were church members attended church
more frequently than those who were not church members.
3. These college students tended to move away from
the religion of their parents.
4. There was a tendency for these students to move
toward the religious preference of their spouse, boy or
girl friend.
5. Fraternity-sorority students appeared to have a
higher church membership than non-fraternity or non
sorority students. There was no appreciable difference be
tween the church weekly-attendance habits of these two
groups.
6. According to the subjective judgments of the
participants in this survey, sociological, pedagogical and
ecclesiological factors, in the order named, accounted for
the changes in church preferences made by these students.
97
7. Of the students who changed their religious
affiliation, the Roman Catholic Church experienced the
greatest loss, while the Unitarian and Mazarene Churches
received the greatest gain.
8. The largest group of students in the survey re
ported that they changed from some church relationship to
"none•"
9. According to their own admission, approximately
one half of these students will likely change their reli
gious preference again.
Ill. RECOMMENDATIONS
As a consequence of this study, several possibilities
for future research might be suggested.
1. A follow-up interview with these students at the
University of Southern California, using the same question
naire, would make an interesting study.
2. A survey could be made to determine why college
students who do not attend church are not interested in
doing so.
3. Interviews could be conducted with church leaders
and students to determine if the Church might be failing
the youth on the college campus.
4. A comprehensive study could be made to correlate
church membership and the religious attitudes of youth.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
99
A. BOOKS
Crooker, Joseph Henry, Religious Freedom in American
Education. Boston: American Unitarian Association,
Ï903. 216 pp.
A bookmcovering the report ,of the committee of The
American Unitarian Association upon the condition and'
progress of unsectarian education in American schools,
academies, and colleges.
Edwards, R. H., J. M. Artman,and Galen M. Fisher, Under-
f
raduates. New York: Doubleday, Doran and Company,
928. 366 pp.
A study prepared by the Institute of Social and Reli
gious Research, upon the suggestion of the Association
of American Colleges. This is a report of first-hand
expressions of opinion regarding the conditions and
. influences affecting the character of undergraduates
in twenty-three leading colleges and universities.
Havinghurst, R. J., and Hilda Taba, Adolescent Character
and Personality. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1949.
338 pp.
A complete study of youth in a small mid-western city,
with particular emphasis on adolescent character and
personality traits. It shows the influence of the
home, school, and church in the lives of these young
people.
Hollingshead, August B.. Elmtown's Youth. New York: John
Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1949. 480 pp.
A study of a typical small American city and its vari
ous classes of citizens. This shows the influence of
socio-economic status on the religious attitudes and
church affiliation of young people.
Katz, Daniel and Floyd Henry Allport, Students* Attitudes.
Syracuse, New York: The Craftsman Press, 1931% 408 pp.
A study of the students at Syracuse University and the
relationship of the curriculum and its administration
to the needs, the limitations and interest of the stu
dent body. Also, it is a study of attitudes, with
100
particular reference to their quantitative descrip
tion, distribution, and inter-relationships within
the personalities of individuals.
Rankin, Fay Swogger, The Religious Attitudes of College
Students: A Comparative Study. Nashville, Tennessee:
George Peabody College, 1938. 81 pp.
A study and comparison of the religious attitudes of
certain groups of college students. This study seeks
only to ascertain as accurately as possible whether or
not certain specified student groups actually are more
liberal in their religious attitudes than other speci
fied student groups, and, if so, the extent to khich
it is true.
Ross, Murray G., Religious Beliefs of Youths. New York:
Association Press, 1950. 251 pp.
A study and analysis of the structure-and function of
the religious beliefs of young adults, based on a
questionnaire sample of 1,935 youth and intensive inter
views with one hundred young people.
Shedd, Clarence, Two Centuries of Student Christian Move
ments. New York: Association Press, 1934. 466 pp.
A report of the growth and development of the Student
Christian Movements in Universities and Colleges, and
the influence they have had on the religious attitudes
of students.
Symington, Thomas A., Religious Liberals and Conservatives.
New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, 1935.
164 pp.
A Study of personality differences that exist between
those people who are liberal in their religious think
ing and those who are conservative. A comparison of
students who adhere to the religious beliefs commonly
held before the advent of the historical criticism of
the Bible and those who have adapted their religious
beliefs to suit the changing times, and have attempted
to integrate their religious thinking with the more
recent discoveries of history and science.
101
B. PERIODICAL ARTICLES
Allport, G. ¥., J. M. Gillespie,'and J. Young, “The Reli
gion of the Post-War Student," The Journal of Psych
ology. 25:3-33 . January, 1948. ,
A study of religious attitudes and practices of 414
undergraduates of Harvard College and 86 undergraduates
of Radcliffe College in 1946.
C. UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS
Goldsmith, Alfred Gerald, “How College Students Spend Their
Time.” Unpublished Master * s thesis. The University of
Southern California, Los Angeles, 1927. 72 pp.
A study and investigation of the types of activities
and occupations which fill the college student’s time.
It is a comparison with the results of a similar study
at Mt. Holyoke and Vassar Colleges.
Stratford, Leiand Morris, “What Causes Students at the
University of Southern California to Change Their-Re
ligious Preference?” Unpublished Master’s thesis. The
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1953.
35 pp.
A study of thirty-five students to determine whether
or not the school was a major influence in causing
students to change their religious beliefs.
APPENDIX
103
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES CARD
III Religious Activities
Printed
Capitals
Semester 19
Last Name
S.C. College
or School _______
University
Address
First Middle Mr.,Mrs
Class
, Miss
Married
Single
Phone
Complete
Home Address ________________________ _____
Street, City and State
Check religious faith Member
Roman Catholic
Jewish
Name and Address
of Home Church
Protestant :
Baptist
Christian
Christian
Science
Congregational
Preference
Episcopal
Latter Day
Saints
Lutheran
Methodist
Presbyterian
104
SAMPLE LETTER WITH QUESTIONNAIRE
942 West 34th'Street
Los Angeles 7, California
December 5, 1953
Dear Fellow Student:
Did you know that twenty per cent of the students
enrolled at the University of Southern California change
their religious preference during their period of enroll
ment at this institution?'
As a graduate student in the School of Religion,
and in cooperation with your school chaplain, I am making
an intensive study of the religious activities of the
students on our campus. The reasons why students change
their religious preference is focal to this study.
Therefore, I need your help.
Enclosed is a one-page questionnaire that will pro
vide the answer to some of the questions modern religious
leaders are asking. Would you be so kind as to answer
these twelve questions with deliberation, and return the
questionnaire to me in this self-addressed, stamped
envelope not later than December 15, 1953.
Since a person’s religion is a highly personal mattei;
please do not sign yiur name, unless, of course, you care
to do so.
not answer it today? I’ll sincerely appreciate
it. The results of this survey will be published later.
Yours truly
William Landon Allison
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES QUESTIONNAIRE
1. S.C. College or School ^ ______ -
Class __________ Sex M. F.
2. What is your present church preference?...... .... .
How long?
3. Please check the status that applies to you:
1. Member and attend _____________
2. Member, but do not attend __________
3. Not a member, but attend
4. Not a member; do not attend
4. What denominational preference do your parents have?
1. Father _____________ __
2. Mother
5. What denominational preference does your best friend
have?
1. Girl friend _________ _____
2. Boy friend _______________
6. Do you belong to a social fraternity or sorority?
Yes _______ No _____
?• Do you belong to a campus organization of your church?
Yes _____ No ______
8. Which of the following factors do you consider most
likely to have influenced you toward the church you now
prefer? (Please indicate by 1, 2, 3; etc., as nearly
as possible, the order of importance, leaving blank
that do not apply to you.)
Your family background (including parents).
fraternity, or social club.
cepts embodied in your religion.
Your school associates.
Books read, not directly related to course of
study here.
The content of college courses you have taken
,here.
those
(
a.
b*
{)
c.
{)
d.
()
e.
f.
0
g-
0
h.
0
i.
0
j.
() k.
1.
ChurcE
%
Approximate : Member : Attended
; length of time : :
1. Before enrolling
*-
at S.C.
2. Since enrolling ;
106
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES QUESTIONNAIRE (concluded)
9. Please list in chronological order all of the church=^
relationships that you have had during your life, and
indicate whether you were a member or just an attend
ant, (e.g.. Baptist, Roman Catholic, Jewish).
at S.C.
10. Would you be willing to change your present status if
you found a church that you liked better?
11. On the average, do you attend church;
1. 4 or more times a month _____
2. 2 or 3 times a month _____
3. 1 or less times a month _____
4. Not at all _____
12. Why do you think S.C. students change their religious
preference?
(Please use the reverse side of this sheet if you wish
to comment further on this study.)
For this study, the word "church" means any formal,
organized religious body,.and includes synagogue,
temple, etc. If you are an atheist, or have no religior^
please so indicate.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
3518 University Avenue,
Los Angeles 7, Calif.
107
Office of the Chaplain 29 October 1952
ENROLLMENT AND RELIGIOUS DATA
Fail Semester, 1952
Day
Divisions
Civic Center and
University College
Men 8,506.......... 6,062
Women 2.065 • . . . . 1;095
10,571 7,157
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF D ^ STUDENTS
Los Angeles ..•••. ......... 6,707
Other California............... 2,638
Balance of the U . S.............. 825
Foreign Countries • ............. 256
Not reported by the Registrar • • 145
10,571
RELIGIOUS DATA FOR STUDENTS IN S^. DAY DIVISIONS
(Note: To) indicates organized groups) . "
Totals
14^568
3-.160
17,728
Church
Regis
trar’s
Figures
(0) Roman
Catholic 1,550
(0) Methodist 1^439
(p) Presbyterian 1,205
(0) Jewish 900
(0) Protestant
Episcopal 765
Protestant . • . . .
Baptist 538
No indication • . ,
(0) Lutheran 406
(0) Christian
Science 318
Regis Religious Religious
trar’s Activities Activities
' % .
Cards Cards f o
14.7 1,449 16.5
13.6 1,209 13.7
11.4 991
11.2
8.5 744 8.4
7.2 643 7.3
7.2
5.1 450 5.1
5.0
3.8 319
3.6
3.1 287 3.3
108
RELIGIOUS DATA FOR STUDENTS IN S.C. DAY DIVISIONS (cont’d)
(Note: (O) indicates organized groups.) .
Regis Regis Religious Religious
Church trar’s trar’s Activities Activities
Figures
1 o -
Cards Cards $
(0) Christian
(Disciples of 228 2.2
285 3.2
Christ & Churches
of Christ)
(0) Congregational
Christian
353 3.4
280 3.2
N o n e .........
214 2.4
(0) Latter-Day
Saints.. . . .
. .243. . 2.3 195
2.2
Blank cards . . 1.2
Eastern
Orthodox 70 . 66 100 1.1
Seventh Day
Adventists 72 . 68
49 .56
Unitarian 80 .76
Unitarian &
Universalist .
49 .56
Moslem
43 .49
Buddhist 32 .36
Church of the
Nazarene
29
0.26
25 .28
Agnostics
23 .26
Brethren
33 .31 22
.25
Friends
33 .31 20
.23
Community and
Union Churches
. 19
.22
No Preference .18
Religious Science . . .
13 .14
Jokers:flippant
markings
. 13 114
Other(written in). . . .
.14
Others 446 4.2
Not Stated
1,845
17.6
Hindus
.12
Non-denominational &
Non-Sectarian
.11
Unity. ....
.11
Unidentified
.10
109
RELIGIOUS DATA FOR STUDENTS IN S.C. DAY DIVISIONS (cont’d)
Church
Regis
trar’ s
Figures
Regis
trar’s
1 o .
Religious
Activities
Cards
' 8
8
Church of G o d .......................... .
Reformed ..................... ..
Evangelical &
Reformed ..... ................. 7
Evangelical
United Brethren 17 .15 7
Decline to state .......................... 6
Evangelical Mission
Covenant . 5
Mennonite 5
Assemblies of G o d ....................... 4
Four-Square Gospel . . ............... 4
Three each:
Atheist; Church of the Open Door: Free
Methodist; Salvation Army 12
Two each:
Free Thinker; Reorganized Church of the
Latter-Day Saints; Science,of Mind;
Theosophy; Vedanta Society 10
One each:
Baha’i; Christadelphian; Christian &
Missionary Alliance; Divine Science;
Church of God in Christ; Swedenborgian;
Confucianist; Humanist; Jehovah’s Witnesses;
Konkokyo Church; Rosicrucian; Self Realization
Church of All Religions; Sikh; Tenriko Church;
Triangular Church of Truth; United Brethren in
Christ; United Church.of Canada; Waldensians;
Zoroastrian ............. 19
Totals
Cards not received
10,571
10,571
8,^18
16.6 . 1.733
10,571
RELIGIOUS DATA FOR STUDENTS IN S.C. DAY DIVISION (eont»dP
The tabulation furnished above is compiled from two
sources: (a) the figures furnished by the Registrar, derived
from cards on which students may indicate their religious
affiliation as well as other personal facts; and (b) the
Religious Activities Cards, part of the registration book
of cards. These Religious Activities Cards are sent to the
office of the University Chaplain.
Religious Activities Cards received'for the Fall
Semester, 1952, numbered 8,8l8. This is 1,753 fewer cards
than students registered in Day Divisions, or 16.6$ of the
total 10,571 registered students. Obviously, religious in
formation about all of these 1,753 students could not be
obtained from the Registrar’s records since his tabulation
indicates that 1,845 students (17.6$) did not state re
ligious affiliation on the cards retained in his office.
The 1,753 students who did not turn in Religious
Activities Cards should be augmented by other classifica
tions in the third column below; namelyj Protestant, 635; -
No indication on card, 438; blank cards, 108; and “Other"
or “Not Stated," 12 - a total of at least 2,946 (about 28$).
For eleven of the religious groups listed below
there is church-supported, organized work for students on
SC campus. These organizations have, for the most part,
either full-time or part-time professional leadership
recognized by the University; and six of them have houses
or churches adjacent to the campus in which to carry on the
major portion of their work. By the Registrar’s figures,
7,487 of this Semester’s students come (by membership or
preference) within the field of the work of these eleven
religious groups. This is 71$ of the total student body in
day divisions of the University. Only 6,451 students in
these eleven categories have filled out Religious Activities
Cards. These 6,451 students comprise 61$ of the student
Naturally, certain questions present themselves to
those who are interested in the religion of SC’s students
and in the extra-curricular work conducted on their behalf.
Ill
RELIGIOUS DATA FOR STUDENTS IN SC DAY DIVISION (concluded)
1. Why did 14$ of the students reported by the
Registrar as being in the above-mentioned eleven categor
ies fail to fill out Religious Activities cards?
(a) Did they think that indicating religious
affiliation on one card was sufficient?
(b) If so, is it important ^and feasible to try
to collate the data on both sets of cards?
(c) Or did they avoid filling out the Religious
Activities card for some specific reason; such as, not
wishing to receive club invitations and notices, or being
weary of all the writing connected with registration, or
what?
2. Is the knowledge of the numbers (and percentages)
of students in various religious categories of any real
value as such?
3. Is the information on the Religious Activities
cards - names and addresses, etc., a truly valuable factor
in the work of the church-related organizations?
4* How many of the students in these eleven reli
gious categories are really reached in an effective manner
during a school year by the church-related organizations?
5. What about the other students - at least 30$?
C. A. Neyman
University Chaplain
^ S m lv e r s i^ tv ot Southern California LIBm##

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Asset Metadata

Creator Allison, William Landon (author)

Core Title The variability of denominational affiliation among students of the University of Southern California

School School of Religion

Degree Master of Religious Education

Degree Program Religious Education

Degree Conferral Date 1955-06

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag OAI-PMH Harvest,philosophy, religion and theology

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c39-366590

Unique identifier UC11313325

Identifier EP65236.pdf (filename),usctheses-c39-366590 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier EP65236.pdf

Dmrecord 366590

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Allison, William Landon

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA