Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-04-09
Instruction In Latin and Greek.

the subject, under views other than such as
control in the exercises of the recitation
room, In the hope Of some practical improve
ment in the direction of Legitimate and use
full scholarship in classical learning. As
enforcing what have thus written, and in
furtherance of my object, think it proper
to offer for your columns this communica-
ton. On the 8th of March President Buck
ham, of the University of Vermont, wrote me
thus "Dsar Sir; have been very much
interested in your articles on Classical In
struction. Permit me to call your attention
to my own views on the subject, as indicated
in an article in the little volume sent here
with From that article | make the fol.
lowing extract, which think worthy of a
wider reading than it will get in that book.
The article is lecture before the American
Institute of instruction, July 18th, 1876,
and the book contains the proceedings of a
meeting held at Plymouth, n. H., on that
day. A boy may be trained in the classics
in such way as to become thereby an
adept in verbal pedantry, and a small critic
in other quiddities or he may be taught
accuracy, truth-telling, and magnanimity
Much will depend on the system of teach
ing and much on the individual teacher.
The publication of translations of all the
classical textbooks has driven teachers to
adopt new and inferior method of CLASH
cal discipline to put the main stress of
recitation work into an irritating minute
ness of criticism upon matters which are re-
mote from the main purpose of classical
studies, and thus to sacrifice the best parts
both of the intellectual and moral benefits
of such studies. The best results of CLASH
cal instruction are to be got by using only
text books without notes, good grammar,
and good lexicon, and after thorough
preliminary drill in the elementary prin.
ciples Of the languages, reading large guam
titles critically, but not so critically as to
prevent the reading of large quantities. If
it be said that the translations have spoiled
this plan let us take the ground that the
pupils, whose moral nature is beyond APP
peal as to the dishonesty of the course in
question, are unfit to pursue the study
further, and, at all events, that the excep-
tional students perverseness ought not to
rob all other pupils of the plan which is best
for them.
:" 1t is pleasant to witness some signs of a
reaction against the vermicuar styleof teach.
ing which is so prevalent, aud the narrow
ing and belittling effect of which has be-
come painfully apparent in the schools where
it is carried to greatest extremes. To count
the pebbles in the now dry bed of llissus is
barely worth the while of one who may
drink the Chan wine of Homer, or feast on
the dripping honey of Plato. Accuracy let
us have, by all means, especially that accu-
racy which is clearly allied to truth-telling,
the exact word for the idea, the correct dis
elimination of the syntactical place and
meaning, the true color added by the mag
ination, and the warmth supplied by the feel
ings. All these let us think no pains too
great to secure. But the conjectural Sans
crit root, the supposittious Aryan myth, the
microscopic analogy, the millionth dilution
of the shadow of meaning between this
aud that apodosis as related to this and that
protosis-these matters let us leave where
they belong-to advanced philology."
Before receiving the letter of President
Buckham, had written to Mr.. Goodrich
Professor of Greek and Latin in the Uni.
versity, in response to his letter to me of
March 18th, in which he expressed interest
in my Papers on Grammars and the Ian.
guages," saying it is ga topic which needs
ventilation" think best to print an ex.
tract from that letter to Professor Goodrich
thus
Having had two sons graduate at Dart
mouth College, third one there through
Freshman year, and in Middlebury College
through Sophomore year. and having fourth
one now Freshman in that college, and having
myself kept up some conversancy with the
Latin, and most of the grammars of it, and
less with the Greek, my interest and atten-
tion have been enlisted in the subject. For
many years have kept up association with
undergraduates, and with the recent gradu
ates of our colleges, and especially with the
students, graduates and faculty of Dart
mouth College. As the result, have come
to know good deal of how it fares with
the students in the matter of the instruction
they get, and the fruits of it, and of their
impressions and feelings while it is in pro-
gress, and of their views of it after it is
over with. What has gone into print is the
outcome of it all, comprehensive, but
very inadeouately. treated and EXPRESSED
OF course it is read by, and is of interest to.
very few, and MANY of those few (excuse
the Irish of the expression) regard il "a the
croaking of .auld lang svne.' One thing
however, is true, that the great majority of
college graduates regard their courses of
study and instruction in the languages.
since the modern grammars have come IN
rule and over-occupy all else that apper-
| taius TO classical studies, as fruitless of any,
thing but disrelishable drudgery in the
languaoes and ,ha;r l;,aratnra ,,ho,, ,ha;r
colleoe oo,ros ia ondod Nowand ,hon ,ho.o
I