The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-03-18


Doctor Case Draws Fire.
Editor 1ljdHcjury Register Sir -
| notice in your issue Of the | It'll inst
" Letter from DR.. Case, in which he
says, referring TO Prof IIiglcy's address
about one week later " But if, as your
correspondent intimates, he demolished
what was represented to him as my views,
his task could not have been difficult
one" luto this little bit of very special
pleading | must, in justice to myself, let
little light.
Having taken decided interest in
school matters in my town and district,
and knowing that Prof. lliglcy was to
succeed DR. Case in an address on the
subiect,and opposed to the Doctors views,
! took few notes Of the Doctors dis
course for the purpose Of giving the Pro-
fossor an opportunity to reply to any of
bis statements or arguments, if he saw
dt. As did so in full view Of the Doc
tor, and was the only person present who
did. naturally infer that the quoted
words were intended for me. Upon the
Professors arrival, however, | found that
he designed to give us an address already
prepared, and therefore simply read 10
him the notes had made. | might have
saved myself the trouble, for the Profess
sor's written addrcss-to which, | am
sure, he quite closely adhercd--was, in
my opinion, and, | am persuaded, Of a
large majority Of those who heard both,
a complete aud all-sufiicient demolition of
the Doctors arguments. His insnuation,
then, that he was falsely reported to Pro-
fcssor lligley, is as unworthy Of a candid
and fair con,rovcrsialst as it is untrue in
fact.
Those several shots from anonymous
"pop guns, which have appeared in your
paper from time to time, on the " local
affairs Of ouc place, seem to haye-for
that character Of woapon-Wounded the
Doctor pretty severely, and particularly,
as they, 50 lar as | have been able to in
torprct them, had reference entirely and
solely to the local affairs OF this place,
which he proic.,es to have 50 studiously
avoided
1t is quite iayorilc position with
newspaper correspondents, while availing
themsolyo# Of editorial gonerosity-and
particularly when the conditions involve
the wincing Of the CALLED jade to deprc-
cate newspaper controversies, as though
there was something Just "A little disgrace
full in that method Of giving his little
world an opportunity to Judge Of the mer-
its OF question which interests it, and
to submit to it As a disagrceable nee ssh
ty. There is nothing repugnant to me
in such a controversy, if conducted in the
right spirit any contest becomes intense
ly so whca it dGioilos to question of
vcracity. / can only say to Dr.. Case
that If H. believes mi,reprcsentcd him
t. Prof. lIigley,I have the original notes,
which | will read to him, as | did to the
Professor, at any time he may wish.
Ono word on the subject at issue. II
" the study OF Latin and Greek may with
prc2ricty form pant Of an extended
course Of study whore one has time and
money would it not be best, if possible
to Do SO, 30 give those who cannot spare
50 much time, or have not 50 much mo-
neg to cXpoud in that way, chance to
acquire some knowledge Of them cheaply?
That has bcea and i, M question, so iar
as our local affairs are concerned. But
ii heard correctly, and comprchcnded
the meaning OF the Doctors very favori;c
English on the occasion OF his address, he
not only tco, the ground that the study
Of the classics should be, as it has been
modified, to the advantage of the modern
scicuccs--a question | have heard no one
attempt % controyert-bu that it would
be well if the Latin aud Greek were
swept from among US with annihilation's
bosom, Cease the study Of the dead past
was his cry, ard investigate the living
present, which sounds loud and brave
and becoming SO radical reform, unit
We pause to harbor thought, suggested
by Prot. iIigIoy, that when We cease tC
study the past, VIC ccase Ia StH3y.
The Doctor cXloIei Thos. Jefferson
for proposing the establishment Of n pro
fessorship Of Anglo.Saxon-thau which
nothing pathological could be more en-
phaucally deIunct-because as he had
it, 4 larger part Of our language was de-
rived thcrcrom than from the Latin ant
Greek; bat whether he be correct or no
as to the proportion Of words in the Eng
fish derived from the three, the apparent
anlipaihy to the latter two cropping on
Of his entire address convinced me- and
am sure a great many more Of his hear
crs, that Latin and Greek possessed ioi
him some ialedna5ie terror, as though
the remembrance Of his carly experience
with them were Of very uncomfortable
nature. Respectfully yours,
LIN. Il Ii .,rt.LA..