ALTHOUGH THE HUMANITIES ARE EXPERIENCING IN THIS COUNTRY AN UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION AND INCREASE IN NUMBER OF DEGREES GRANTED AND IN FINANCIAL SUPPORT, THEY HAVE SUFFERED A RELATIVE DECLINE IN STUDENT ENROLLMENT, FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND STUDENT QUALITY WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER AREAS OF STUDY. THIS PLIGHT OF THE HUMANITIES STEMS FROM A "METHODOLOGICAL GAP" BETWEEN THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE HUMANITIES AND THE GOALS OF THE HUMANITIES, I.E., THE GOALS ARE FREQUENTLY DISCUSSED, BUT THERE IS NO OBJECTIVE GUIDE TO ACHIEVING THEM. BECAUSE OF THIS GAP, RESEARCH IN THE HUMANITIES IS SELDOM CUMULATIVE AND OFTEN LACKS PURPOSE AND DIRECTION. A FINAL SERIOUS IMPLICATION IS THAT WITH THE GREAT INCREASE IN TECHNOLOGY, THE HUMANITIES TODAY TELL US LESS ABOUT MAN'S TOTAL CULTURE THAN THEY USED TO. THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE "AAUP BULLETIN," VOLUME 54, NUMBER 1, MARCH 1968, PAGES 78-84. (BN)