Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-07-21
War ON the Classics.
Arkansaw Traveller.


Some of the leading men in the
country are sharply criticising the
present collegiate system OF classical
training to the detrimental exclusion
OF matters more be6tting young men
for the great battle of life. In some
of our great institutions of learning,
Latin and Greek, it is declared, are
held up to the student as the most
important branches of learning, and
that without a complete knowledge OF
these languages, the student must not
expect victory; but with that complete
knowledge, he can seize the business
world by the sCruff of the neck and
shake the gold dollars from its pock
cts. To the student, the President
OF the college is the greatest
man in the world. His intimate &C.
quaintance with Plato and Andronicus
and AnOxagoras and Jimjamicus and
Neleus and Scepsis and Epebiliousness
marks him as one OF the worlds greats
est heroes of learning. The student
does not dream that the professor
could not successfully run country
newspaper, or artistically hack of
bacon at plantation supply store.
He thinks that by his own imitation
OF the professor, he will one day be a
great man. He will one day, but not
the day following. The day he
graduates he will be a great man.
While he stands in the presence OF
bright faces and smiles, with billowy
rows OF flowers everywhere, he thinks
that the world has its eyes riv>
eted on him. He reads his labored
essay on the Politics of Greece" and
the merchant and lawyer and young
ladies' and the hack driver applaud,
The president of the college compli>
melts him, and oondescends to shake
his hand, All, this is a happy mo.
ment. This is a great victory. The
world is at his feet now. He goes
home and spends few weeks prepar-
atory to seizing the country by the
shank. He has finished his educa
ton, kaows all about the ancients, and
he longs to pour out his knowledge in
the columns of great daily neWspa
per. The great paper, be at once dis
covers, is edited by unlettered men
and he wonders why the pen of
classic smoothness has not been EN-
ployed. He writes to the editor of
the paper and offers his services. He
is surprised that the letter is not an
swered. Finally be goes to the city
and applies in person. Probably the
paper is in need Of a reporter, and he
is employed. He sees lot of unedu-
Gated fellows, who write very rapidly,
and he looks on their work with dis
dain. When his own matter is SUB
mitted, he is Mortified to find that it
does not create sensation, and is al
most ohoked with resentment when he
finds that it has been thrown aside
He leaves the Office. applies at many
places for employment, and finally
settles down as a clerk in some obscure
restaurant.
This does not befall every college
graduate, but 1t is very often the fate
OF the young man who, possessed OF no
real ability, stands in the great shadow
OF his college President and worships
the anoients.
TO a man Of ability, a man who re-
Allies that the world to-day is buster,
better and greater than at any proceed
ing time, "a classical education is a
great help. 1t is a diamond set 10 the
ring Of literature-it is bright light
ip the hall Of knoplsage; but the
classics alone are comparatively help
less.