The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-04-27

But, says the gentleman from the first ward
~ will neither vote Latin and Greek in or out.
81 dseire to leave it to the Taxpayers of the
city," This comes with bad grace from ono
who promptly seconded the motion of DR.. Paul
to adopt, eiMom debate, his curriculum excludins
tie languages. and is precisely the course Of rea'
soning, that might be expected from one who
had so little courtesy as to only grant US two
weeks to consider 10 weighty matter when
only one month was asked, and when, if adopt.
ed ii could only take effect next September.
1t is not the business of the members OF this
Board to 90 around circulating petitions, and
for one l do not propose 10 do it. We should
have the independence and manliness to do some
thing towards elsvating public opinion in so i'm.
pOrtant q matter.
The curriculum proposed by DR.. Paul, to my
mind. makes the study of at least the Latin Ian.
gusRe absolutely necessary.
In the first term OF the first year he intro.
duces rhetoric, which understand to be the art
OF elegant and accurate composition in prose.
He, therefore, who desires to become . rhetori.
clan, must have u perfect knowledge of the ori.
gin and use of the English language.
The English is a composite language, and de.
rives its origin largely from the Celtic, Latin,
Anglo Saxon, Danish and Norman French.
The Roman law and magistrates were every.
where established in Britain by Caesar at the
time OF the Roman conquest, and the Christian
religion was then introduced by those who
spoke the Latin language, and to this day words
of Latin origin constitute a very important part
Of our Language.
It 10 impossible to become thorough rhetori.
clan without . perefect knowledge of the Eng.
lish, and this can only be had through soma
knowledge of the Latin.
In the frat term Of the 4tb year he introduces
logic, the science Of the laws of thought. The
first known author and writer on logic was
Aristotle, the greatest philosopher of ancient
times. and the father and founder Of the scien.
tific modes OF thought. Logic" he says, is
the fundamental science. We cannot even with.
out the test OF logic observe facts in their proper
light, discriminate between the essential and ac-
cidental features of thin gs or escape selfdecep-
ton and false views" " We must study the mean.
tn9s Of language and its ways of expressing rela.
lions, and in this way establish the laws of cor.
rect reasoning"
Here the speaker apologzed for taking up so
much time, to which the President replied
Take your time; nobody will recollect what
you are talking about"-to which the speaker
lntimated that such an interruption was more
Characteristic than gentlemanly.I
Is not this respectable authority IN faror of the
study of the langusgesP
Next in the course comes geology 1t is a
science which includes all knowledge and all
learning. aud its scientific nomenclature, by
common consent, is confEed to either the Greek
or Latin languages
The more one looks into your scientific coarse,
the more necessity there appears for the use Of
languages; and no young graduate of the course
can attain high position or gain admission 10
the scientific department of any college or uni.
ver'ity in this country or Earope without some
Ino'eledge Of Latm.
oupposing you or some of your young gradu.
ates should discover some new fossil remains,
and should desire 20 communicate a knowled ge
OF your discoveries TO some one Of the scientific
societies OF Europe, would you describe them in
The English language: think not.
But enough. I take it for granted that among
educated gentlemen at least. the use of the
Greek and Latin is considered necessary for =
thoroughly educated, scientific scholar; and fur.
Their, that language is worth studying that en-.
sbled Cicero in a 30 minutes Grafton TO estab.
Iish reputation as an orator that will last TO
the remotest ages.
Mr.. Nash having concluded, Rev Mr.. Sturre.
want was requested to give his views on the sab.
Ject, which he did in a five minutes speech, ar.
guing in favor Of the Latin and Greek languages
III the schools from Z practical standpoint, hav.
ing himself been a teacher for number Of
years.
Mr.. Hit could see no warrant for Latin and
Greek in our school law.
Mr. Cullen spoke in favor of the amendment.
Latin and Greek had been taught in the High
School for the last sixteen years and no objection
had ever been raised from any quarter.
Mr. Markle wss neither in favor or opposei IA
the amendment until he knew the wish Of the
Taxpayers.
The vote was then taken on the amendment
and it WAS lost, Nash, Kellogg and Cullen voting
for it, and Markle. Paul. Hit and Maierhsfer
against it.
On motion, T. 2. Grow was unanimously
appointed Superintendent of the Schools of
Ottawa.
eat