Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-07-29
LatIn ln she PubIIe sohoOIs.

Considerable has been said in our city papers
within q few weaks asoat Lain in orr pub %
schools; and We iIl cowrpp '2ption n Evsyy
EUSniMg, Of yes .-aay, on 5';s sUbir., that seems
not 30 much to discpss the quest on Of teuch'rg 9
Latin in the s.haols the cOmpe: 1cy of those to
whom tt;s duty nay be 7s' .n;5s, w ii'rt t',e
writer aows of WtaS he spes,s, and ! el'eve he
desires to give Fight a. N >,5e public sen.
timent, As to the cn1 -t,.sss of J s option of
the competency OF 'lcge to whom he refer, we are
not called on tor-'swe-, aud could not rpswer if
we were
But we labor un6 81 the comic on that Latir,
German and French should be t'ught in The pub
lie school. The schools fhor'd be made 20 good
that the rich world feel that it were necessary 70
send their children there to be properly educated.
That there vii be some who WI So want
"select" schools for tseir children upder al c.
cumstsnces, we have no doubt Fa- this is tse
case now. Wek,ow ps-soas, we think who are
fully able to pay for tier childrea's sc5oo'ing
!, where they VIII receive collegiate course, bat
who are led to pay evsa more for what is termed
select school," when n fse. they are reilly ~
ferior and do not come up to The most ordinary
seminary. This is often found out too late.
But to return to the subject Of "Latiu' in the
public schools. We make this point and we
think it strong one-one thAt cannot be salts
factoliIy answered by the opponents of those
who are opposed to teaching latin in the public
schools, yet we do not know that the author of
the communication alluded to above is among
such; Why is it that the most highly educated
as well as the most profound aud gifted, of oil
the professions; whether they become men of
state, diplomatists, men Of science, or remain
simply men Of letters, or occupy the most pro-
mlnent positions as writer's whether for the Press
or Of books, Of history or romance; do they inva-
riably endeavor to have their children educated
in the Latin language, almost elways in prefer
enee to any otherH But not satisfied with this
they add to it the Greek, the Hebrew and not
unfrequently afterward send them 70 France or
Germany in order that theymay be there perfected
in the dead languages as well ss to add to their
knowledge Of the languages Of those coun-
tries When the leaned men of the country
The learned successful men at the Bar and at the
other learned professions, turn their backs on the
teaching Of Latin and refuse it to their sons, Il
will be time enough to deny 1t to the sons Of the
masses, whose labor cannot be better bestowed
than in purchasing for their children the means
for cullVating and expanding oil the most valua-
bel gifts that nature beStoWs.
It is said that the mass of our most successful
mechanics have arisen from the poor. II Is true
colossal fortunes have gathered around them by
their success. But their success has resulted to
the great benefit of the locality where they have
arisen from their perseverance and patience.
From the same masses may arise possibly our
very sblest statesmen, OF men Of science, or
writer's of history or romance, whose literary eff
fOrtsmay resultIn cOnieFring lasting benefits upon
their city such as .would pay. back in hundred
fold all the expense which had beenincurred, not
alone In the satlsfactiOn II wOuld give through
pride Of place aud Of birth; but in substantial
dollars.