New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-29
A PLEAFOR THE PRACTICAL.
oHARLEsFRANc1s ADAMS, JR., AT HARVARD

TIVE MEAN LANGUAGES A COLLEGE PETICH-AN
oRATIoN BEFORE THE PHI BETA KAPPA SOCIETY,"
| TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE
| CAMBRIDGE. Mass. June 2S-The annual meet
ing of the Harvard Alpha of the Phi Beta Kappa
was held this forenoon in Boylston Hall. In the
absence of the president, the Vice President Iheo-
| dore Lyman, presided. The following officers Oh
| the society were elected for the ensuing year
President Joseph H. Choats. of New-York; vice.
| president. Theodore Lyman, of Brookllne corrs-
spending secretary, James G. Crosswell. of Cam
bridge treasurer II. G.. Denny. of Boston; literary
committee, G. NJ. Lane, f. l.. Godkin, Alexander
| Mckenzie. c. L. Smith, A. B. HILL
and James @. Crosswell committee on
nominations James G. Crosswell, DR.. A. F. Peabody
| n. G. Denny. j. b. Thayer Alexander Mckenzie,
| C.. p. Bowditch, and c. l.. Smith. Robert Grant OIL
| Boston, was elected an honorary member OF inc So
ciety. The constitution of the united chapters OF
| the Phi Beta Kappa Society," which was adopted
by the convention at Saratoga last fall, was rati-
fed by the Harvard Chapter. The society members
of the class of 's4 were charged with the duty OF
preparing catalogue of the Harvard Chapter.
After the business meeting procession
| of the members was formed and,
| headed by the Gernania Band, marched to
| Sanders Theatre where the GRAFTON was delivered
| by Charles Francis Adams. jr., OF Quincy an
honorary member of the society. The poem was
by Robert Grant
Following the exercises IN the theatre came the
annual dinner of the society in Massachusetts, Hail
which was as usual. strictly private
The subject of Mr.. Adams's grafton in the theatre
was "A College Fetich,"-that is the belief that
the dead languages form an indispensable part Oh
liberal education His attacks upon Greek and
Latin and his plea for German and French-tooiS,
he said which every man needs IN his hie-work-
1;ata 70 oln
audience present and the speakers points were fire.
ouently applauded Mr.. Adams spoke in part as
follows;
cannot deny that the Cambridge of the sixth decen-
mum OF the century, Thackeray would have phrased
It. was in many respects pleasant place There were
good things about It, BY the student who UNDERSTOOD
himself and knew what he wanted much might here be
learned while for most Of us the requirements were not
excessive We OF the majority did not under
stand ourselves. know what we wanted the average
man Of majority rarely does And so for us the col
lege course instead OF being time OF preparation Tor the
hard work of life pleasant sort OF vacation rather
which preceded 1t. We so regarded It, should lie
very sorry for myself not TO have enjoyed that vacation
/ am glad that took my degree. But as training
place for youth enable them 10 engage to advantage
in the actual struggle OF fetO fit them to hold their
own in it. and TO carry of the prizes must In all hon
esty say that looking back through the years and re-
calling the requirements and methods OF the ancient In
stituton unable to speak OF ii with respect such
training as got useful the struggle got after in
stead of before graduation, and 1t came hard; while
never have been able and now, no matter now long
may live shal be able to overcome some great
disadvantages which the supersttions and wrong the
cries and worse practices OF my Alma Mater inflicted
| upon me- And not on alone. The same may be said
of my contemporaries have observed them In sue
cess and failure. What true in this respect OF the
college OF thirty years ago Is apprehend at least par
italy true of the college Of to-day and II Ia true not
only OF Cambridge, but Of other colleges. ana OF them
quite as much of Cambridge They fail properly to
their graduates for the work they have got 10 DO IN
| the life that awaits them.
| PROGRESS OF TIE WORLD IN Thirty YEARS.
This Is harsh language apply 90 ones uursing moth
err aud calls for explanation That explanation
shall nov try give. have said that the college OF
thirty years did not fit its graduates for the Work
they had to do in tue actual life which awaited them
Let US consider for nent what that life has BEEN and
then we will pass TO the preparation received for IT,
When the men OF my time graduated Franklin Pierce
MAS President the the Crimea Just over and
three years were yet pass before boerino would be
fought No united Germany and no united Italy ex-
isted The railroad and the telegraph were IN their III
fancy neither nro-giycei1ne noT the telephone hsd
been discovered The years since then have been fairy
cram med 8ith new world has come into eA-
is.epee and world wholly unlike tbas OF orr father-
unlike IL in peace and unlike 1t In IL IL world OF
great quicKening which has extended uHt
4 now touches vastly larger number OF men, IN many
tore countries than 1t ever touched before Not Ouy
nave fine nations rudelY shaken but they have
| been drawn together. IntcrdcpeudtBt thought has
been carried on nteacting agencies nave Deeh AT "oik
In widely separated countries and in different languages
the solidarity OF the peoples has been developed Old
have arisen Science has extended its domains and
supersedng authority with rapidny which l. bsWder-
Ing The artificial barricrs-naOnal, political, social
economical religious intelectual-sre giving way III
every direction. and the civilized races OF the world are
becoming one people, even II hshly dl'cordhhl ana
ouarrelsne people. We all OF us I'VE mere III TIE present
and less IN tae ps ad .sn more in m n ts to,e
who preceded did nlty pears ago The Nofid a.
dnI99ocratie disrespec,fr dangerous and altogether
hopeless / do not think 1t s, but With that somewhat
DO However bad aud hopeless, 1t Is nevertheless the
world in which our lot was cast and In which We have
had to livea busDg active, nervous world, and one
very hard 10 Keep M viii ms Iancb al VIII admit
while think may iurher ada that IT. most married
| activity which, working simultaneously IN many
| tongues, has attempted much ana questioned every
Now as respects the college preparation we received to
fit us 10 takt part in tine wOrlds debate As one goes
on in life especially In modern life, think II SAFE 10
say that few conclusions arr hammered INTO Us ~ tne
hard logic OF facts And TINS regard as tIe greatest
an practical precepts-thAi every man should IN lie
master thing, be II great or be II small 20 that
as respects that thing he tie highest living authority
| that one thug he shOald know thoroughly
| GREEK AND LATIN AT THE EXPENSE or ENGLISH
| How did Harvard College prepare ne and my ninety
two classmates of the year 1885, for our work in life
in which we have had these homely prec pts brought
close to usi In answering the question it il not alto
gether easy preserve ones gravity The college fitted
us for this active, busting hitting, many tonued
nothing Tor authority ana ulLc lOf tbc
mast but u It's living thought and living issues III
dealing with which there man who dd not stand
In pressing and constant need OF every possible pepora
ton as respects knowledge ande1aetitude and thorough
nessthe poor old college prepared us 10 play our parts
in this world by compelling us, directly and indirectly.
10 devote the part of school lives 10 acquiring
coniessedly superficial knOwedgeOI Two dead ahgusses
In regard 10 The theory 81 what call liberal educa
ton there Is much for difference OF opinion.
There certain fundamental requirements without
| thorough mastery OF which, no one can pursue n
specially TO advantage. Upon these common lunda-
neutals are grated the specialtes-the students elect
ives as VIC call them Thirty as for three cen
tuI1es before. Greek aud Latin Ee fundamentals
The grammatical study of two dead languages the
basis OF liberal education IL Is stl the basis OF H.
But following theory out, think all wall admit tat
as respects fundamentals the Caege training should
be compulsory and severe NO one ought to become a
Bachelor until upon those fun ianeDtas he had
passed AN examination the zee and tBorOughuess OF
which should set nj defiance at IL perfectly well de-
| fined science OF examining But 10 FOR