New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-20
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE STUDY OF GREEK AND LATIN.
PLEA FOR THE CLASSICS.


To IN, Editor Of The Tribune
SIR: The fact that some professors of the
cIassio Isn0uaees "are no better informed in English
grammar than they ought to be- has nothing to do with
the question whatever Their ignorance OF their own
language "a not consequence but raern spite Of their
knowledge OF the classics so OF your correspondents
assertion that "knows graduates OF our best colleges
who cannot spell English words correctly" suppose
they cannot what does that provei Nothing. He might
as we'll argue against teaching eur boys now 70 swirl
AWKWARD gait In walking. Unless he can show, first
that swimming is useless acquisition; or, second, that
mastsTv Of the other impossible; or, third that the
exercise OF the limbs in the motion peculiar 10 the one
oase Is Injurious TO that I'm the other and either or these
/ fancy ne will find 10 difficult TO prove Any decent
scholar can acquire sufficient knowledge Of "pure Eng
lshD and all common English branches, by the time be
is is wears OF age, and then, IN the name Of little
common sense" let him grappe with what the best
rarest culture that any studies can give-the
mastery Of the languages the world has seen
No ore proposes thrust the sciences from the college
curriculum, or anything else Of real value;
The further assertion in Dir. w. Day's letter that
1.-THE present system OF college training makes no proys
ION for differences Of mental power taste &c r. simply
ridiculous 10 Is not true Nearly al our leading COZ
and no man OF look over the catalog~ 8 Of
Yale Harvard, Williams Amherst. &c, and not see nat
ample scope Is furnished for the best training of ry
sort OF mental taste and capacity. W. s. CoLTO1
Washington, Conn, July 10.
REPLY TO EX-PREsIDENT HILL.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Ex-President Hill, in reply to a letter
OF ne mentions Harvard proof Of the fact that the
"present system OF collegiate training does make pro.
vision for differences OF mental power taste. &c" No,
Doctor; respectfully differ with you This IL stray
sheep;" but there ninety and nine In the fold one
or six such institutions AS Harvard will only be so many
exceptions TO general rule. We have hundreds OF stu.
dents attending nearly every college ana hundred OF
colleges throughout the country. These many lnsttu
tons do not make tho aforementioned provision for az
ferences &c Some colleges have hung on the cata-
logue a kites tail. which they roguishly call
a
feel that no has equal rank with " CLASH
cal" whyi Because all the pyrotechnics are shot
of over the graduating class OF the Regular Course
The Regulars get parchment while the scentics get
certificate, sometimes digni1ed as a diploma" Ciass
houors such being called TO pour forth gushing
vaedctOry, or overwhelming oratiOn tangled ana
snarled with Latin and Greek, tho rewards OF the
Regulars and II Scientific" get any az all 1t Is suDOr-
dInate one Why not abolish parchments altogether
And OF what man Is the sheepish aerclap 70 his
name-B. A.. How ridiculous Horace Greeley, LII; ID.
would look to hs admirers IL this Is republic what
need Is there OF titles 10 distinguish ITS great menf
Washington. Grant. Beecher and others like them, are
greatest nobest. and titles only bettle them
Paterson, N. j., July Is, 1862 j. W. DAILY