Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-06-25
The Value of Liberal Education.

We think there is a slight tendency in
certain quarters to deprecate what is COM
monty termed liberal education. The
vigor of the community inclines to practical
pursuits. Even scholarly men argue against
classical culture, as needless in the rough
and tumble of life. and as useful only to
ministers and certain grades of professional
men. Scholarship is not visibly productive
of material results. 1t perplexes common
people, has no value on Change" and
drives the majority of members of Congress
crazy with its gracefLi addresses, learned
quotations and knowlt ye Of history and
principles. In times Ol great and devour-
ing materialism, when SO many are mad for
gold, and some are over estimating merely
scientific culture, and scholarship of the
past, which disciplined the student in Ian
guages. history and philosophy, is very
naturally pronounced to be not up with
the times. " The self-made man" with his
exploits on the stump and in the caucus,
with his brilliant success in Congress, or
in the Presidential chair, or in the high
Offices Of the country with his railroad
chieftainship, and palatial mansion. and
victories in the gold room, iatters the pop
ular self-loye and fills the public eye. Even
the colleges recognize the splendid services
OF the hero of the stump. or the chamber of
commerce, or the caucus and convention,
with a mag glsterial decoration or doctorate
of civil laws. The universities cater to the
sentiment which depreciates high scholar
ship by giving their highest honor and de-
grees to those whose only distinction is
ability to manipulate an election or manage
political assembly.
1t is seems TO US vital to the welfare of our
country that high liberal culture should be
rescued from this cheapening process, and
from all that debases it in the popular mind,
and elevated to its legitimate position. A
higher culture Is the supreme need of our
country. And this is essential, not for the
profit OF the lew Tho receive 1t, but for the
benefit OF the many who are Indirectly af-
iected by 1t. The presence OF minds, strong
ly and vigorously developed, is the most
powerful aid to popular education, to pub
lie stability, to the preservation of our in
stitntlOns Ii is the necessary condition of
the best success of all our general growth.
In country where the ruling power is
public opinion, 1t Is above all things desira-
BILE that the ripest and most widely cultyat-
ed minds should have a fair share in form
ing it. A class of well-educated men, OF
strong and independent thinkers. is tho
palladium OF a republic. The ideas of such
a class cannot exist in any form in CON-
munity, without shaping it and determin-
ing its character and destiny. A few
thougAtiu and able men always give value
and power to a community. They help all
its interests. Even when their ideas do not
control. they modify, and in the end they
commend themselves TO the common sense
of the community, and are worked out into
practical life and Institutions. New Eng
land owes its superiority to-day to its colleges
and it, educated, trained men, far more
than TO it, climate or its natural adyan-
tages.-Dr. " H. Lord, IN the Montpelier
H.rtch...-,.