New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-01
THE OLD AND THE NEW.

THE OLD and THE NEW.
The attack of Charles Francis Adams, jr.,
upon the old classical college course naturally
attracts wide attention and discussion The
prominence of the speaker, the place in which
he made the attack and the straightforward
vigor of the attack itself, all combine to make
the address the most noteworthy event OF the
commencement season. Many commentators
are so eager to agree with Mr. Adams that they
obviously do not take the trouble to read his
address, but hasten to include him with them
selves rs the opponents of all learning for lts
own sake. This is the inevitable first conse-
uuenc of such an attack from such q source.
All the men who flatter themselves that they
are first and always practical" and who be-
leve that the chief effect of learning is to make
people visionary and " theoretical" hasten
to express their concurrence with Mr.. Adams.
So also will the statesmen who think that mod
ern nations should have q modern system OF
finance to meet modern emergencies, VINO care
nothing for abroad and who think that
amusty books are the worst possible guides
for either men or nations to follow. All these
hasten to claim Mr.. Adams rs 4 roCIuit-when
he ia nothing of the sort-and hail his arraign-
ment of tie old way of teaching as the begin
ming of Il new era.
II does not occur TO these persons that this is
no new battle. 1t has been fought many times
before, and always with the same result al
ultimate triumph for the old ways. Ihe;e is
nothing new in Mr.. Adamss attack, and there
is much which has been refuted over and ever
again. The subject Is too great one to be dls-
cussed satisfactorily within the limits of
newspaper article, but there are some phases OF
il brought out by Mr.. Adams which may be
considered His objection 10 the elias steal
course is based mainly upon his own experience.
He complains that the knowledge which he ac-
qmired of Latin and Greek was superficial
and has been of no use to him in
active life; that the mental discipline which he
was supposed to acquire in the study of Greek
especially, was OF no value. His remedy is not
the abolition of the classics and the substitution
of modern languages in their stead, but the
placing of the two side by side. We want, he
says, no more classical veneer. Either impart
To our children the dead languages thoroughly
or the living languages thoroughly; or, better
"yet, let them take their choice of either" He
would ave the applicant for admission to col
lege say whether he would be examined in Greek
and Latin, or in German, French and Spanish,
and have knowledge in the latter ms good
tender at the college door as a knowledge OF
the classics He maintains that the mental dis
cipline of studying living language Is as great
as that of dead language.
His add ress il valuable chiefly az the ex-
| preston of his personal opinion. What the
mental discipline of n college COURSE founded
upon the study Of modern languages would he
| is a matter of conjecture, fer the experiment is
vet To he tried. The classical course is no ex-
| pertinent and rests upon something more
tangible than superstition. 1t has been the
| foundation of the worlds scholarship for CEN
turtles In England it is certainly III our day
training men adequately for the duties of active
| life. Mr.. Adams cites Mr.. Gladstone as an ex-
ample of the 4" Undesirable fineness Of thought
and dic.Ion which thorough classical educa-
| ton gives to a Scholar He might have cited
| him also as an example of the kind of statesman
which thorough classical education can make
| out of first-cass material. Mr.. Gladstone
| stands pre eminent in a long line of statesmen
who have governed England to her honor, and
who received their training from Englands
| great universities They were not great states
men when they were graduated, but they had
laid the foundations for future greatness.
No college course can do more than that.
The thing Is to lay the foundation right, and
Law it thoroughly. The boy who enters college
| is the poorest authority on the sort of training
which he needs Left to himself, his choice is
more likely to be wrong than right Mr..
Adams thinks the classical course did him no
good There are undoubtedly many graduates
who agree with him. and there are many others
| VINO do not. There are many who think the
| time devoted to mathematics sheer waste, and
Others who think the mathematics most impOr-
tant of all. The point to keep in mind is that
our colleges arc intended primarily for the
| training of orr educated class for those who
| enter the so-called learned professions. For
| training in scientific pursuits, and in modern
| languages, there are excellent institutions and
j schools which meet all demands. We believe
| it to be fact that most college graduates who
are connected with intellectual and literary
pursuits, are not only in favor of the old clas-
steal course but in favor Of making it more
| thorough and even more severe. On the point
of thoroughncss all friends of education will
| heartily concur with Mr.. Adams, but there will
be many who cannot agree with him in believ
| ing that because the classics are sometimes
taught specifically they should not be taught
at all.
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ARE INFLUENCES INFLUEN1lALf
We suppose it will be generally admitted that the