Teaching

The New York Public Library has an impressive collection of documents belonging to Ira Reid. In particular, there are saved course syllabi that indicate the scope of courses that Reid taught at Haverford. They range in topic from “The Social Protest” to “The Individual in Society” to “Race and Ethnic Groups in the Modern World” to “Peoples of the United States.” Some of the syllabi were probably drafts, as they were typed on looseleaf paper, while others were clearly used by Reid during the semester he taught the course -- marked with arrows indicating possible schedule and syllabi changes during the semester. In one document describing a group project, Reid discusses meeting with students to discuss their plans -- indicating, in true Haverford fashion, the desire for professors to get to know their students and help them succeed academically. It is also clear from these syllabi that Reid was able to teach courses that both gave students an overview of sociological ideas and related to his fields of expertise - specifically, race relations in the United States.

Reid had a profound impact on Haverford students. Yearbooks describe him as of an "impressive stature both physically and intellectually," and say he "makes sociology not only a vocabulary exercise but a vital experience." An impressive 6'4'', Reid's imposing height was probably intimidating, but it was his academic talents that were most revered by his students. Reid and his wife became members of the Society of Friends in 1950, which probably indicates the influence that Haverford, as a Quaker institution, had on him.