The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-27
EDUCATORS IN COUNCIL.
The College Association and State
Teachers Meet in Annual Session.
DIR. Gobin's Estimate of the Value of the
Classics in a Modern EducatiOn-PrO-
ceedings of Both Conventions.
THE COLLEGE ASSOCIATION.

1ue slAbu annual beeSlOn Ol lDO lnulduu So4
lege Association, DR.. W. T. stott. of Franklin
College, president, and DIR. III. A. Goblin of AS
bury tDePauw) University, secretary, began
yesterday afternoon ia the parlOrs of the Grand
Hotel The first hour was taken up in the pre-
liminary business meeting. The following per-
sons, in addition to number Of visitors, were
present: Indiana University-Prof AmzI At
water, Miss Kate Graydon; Franklin College
President W. T. Stott, Prof. A Is. Chatfee Wa
bash College-Prof H. r. Thompson Asbury
University-Dr. ]. c. Ridpath, DR.. II. A. Goblin,
Prof. Alma Holman, Prof. Myra Goodwin; But
Ter Universlty-Dr. H. W. Everest DIR. A. R.
Benton, Prof. Scott Butler; State Normal School
President George p. Brown; Iurdue Universi-
ty-Presdent James H. smart, Prof l.. s.
Thompson, Prof. NJ. c. Stevens, Richard W.
Swan, librarian; Indiana Medical College-Prof.
A. W. BraytOn.
In consequence of Illness in President Stotts
family, which would call him away, it was
nounced that his address would not be delivered
at the evening session, but would be postponed
until tomorrow (this morning. at a. NJ.
DR.. H. A. GobIn delivered an address 1.-The
place of the classics in a modern education" He
said that in seeking to vIndicate the place of the
classics we need not assal other branches of
learning, and would rather appear to be neg
lectful OF some popular objection than to seem
to antagOnize fellowstudent or teacher
by placing disparaging estimate upon his ia
vorlte field of study. By the term modern edu-
cation is meant that education demanded by
the present age, i'll its enlarged activities and
eager competitions; that education which the
present age from IT'S vast resources OF knOwl-
edge and its improved facilities of instruction is
best able to give. While the period of tutelage
remains about the same, the fund of knowledge
to be acquired is incr easing i'll a wonderful
ratio and 1t is not surprising that some educa-
tors believe the time has for radical
changes in the courses of study. The supreme
factor in all education, ancient or modern, is
the training of the mind for rapid and accurate
thinking Fac is are valuable only as they are
utilized in reasoning. Unless the student is able
to classify facts and recognize their relations he
is like dyspeptic at a banquet, afflicted by the
excess of luxury. Better the solitary crust
well digested than the richest Yiands unassim
lated Never before in the history of education
did the teacher need to be more anxious % use
the best methods of mental discipline. The
classics should have an important place in a
modern education, because their value
in training the reasoning faculties
has been attested by most con-
vincing experiments. In the history of educa-
ton various substitutes for the classics have been
tried and the result has been a return to Latin
and Greek the speediest and surest course in
developing the reasoning power. l need hardly
mention the statements recently made by Pres
dent Seelye, of Amherst. The attempt TO d
miuiSh the classical requirements in thabinstitu
ton were attended with such results that they
were restored TO their place, not TO crafty a
conservative sentiment or conventionalsm, tut
solely because the best interests of the students
demanded It. The experiment OF admitting
students to the university without Greek, was
tried for years in the foremost university of
Germany, and in 1880 the philosophical faculty
unanimously declared that the experiment was
unsatisfactory. Dr. Hoffman, professor of chem
istry and rector of the University of Berlin,
stated emphateallY, "All efforts to lind subst
tute for the classical languages, whether in
mathematics, in the modern Ian guages, or in
the natural sciences, have been hitherto
unsuccessful. After long and vain search
we must always come back finally to the result
of centuries of experience that the sureSt i'll
strumept that can be used IN traiaiu q the mind
OF youth is given us in the study of the Ian
guages, the literature and the works of art, of
classical antiquity"
The classics deserve place in InoderR edu.
cation. by reason of the large place they have in
the worlds literature, art and philosophy. Rus
kin says "te first element of an educ alton is for
one TO know where he is, that is to say, what
sort of world he has got into; how large IL is;
what kind of creatures live in IL and hew; what
it is made of, and what may be made of it," He
soon learns that there is something worthy Of
his attention in the past. II is well 10 know by
what conflicts ana efforts the past has given TO
the present such treas ures of art, literature an
invention. The classics are to the world intel
Iectually what the carboniferous systems TO
the world ply sieaiy. They not like the
forgotten foundations of buried cities, but they
depository oil strong thought and noble
sentiment. Matthew Arnold has said
of the classics: ''Fhey can help TO
cure us of what seems to me the great vice of our
literature, namely, that il is fantastic and wants
sanity Sanity-that is the great virtue of an
eien5 hteratare-the want of that is the great
defect OF the modern, III spite of all its variety
and power 1t is impossible to read carefully the
great ancients without losing sOae portion of
our caprice and eccentricity." 1t is remarkable
how fully we are indebted to the Greeks for our
best models in the great varieties of literature
poetry. oratory; history and philosophy. Our
poetry is dependent upon the Greek for all It's
terms of prusOdy, and oar rhetoric for nearly all
it's varieties of figures. Greek has given US
many terms belonging to daily life. 1t is q mis-
take TO suppose that the classics have given us
only laundering terms From the Greek we
have received such familiar monnsylabIes as
arm, air, art ball. base, bark "a boat) bean, box,
boat, BRAIN break, bulb. cord cat, card, crab,
chord, ehasm, cheer and choir. These selections
have been hastily gathered from the FIST three
letters of the alphabet, but their number and
their quality illustrate what large
contributions have come to our language from
the elder of the classics. An observation of
the etymolOgy, change ana growth of words
give to every printed page new interest. xne
vocabulary contains rare curiOsites and unique
variations. What romantic yicssitudes have oe
CURED in the long travels of such words as
church Arom the Greek for master, electricity
QrOm anbsr) and sycophant from fig shuWerD
TIE habit of observing the origin and history Of
words is not merely "a pleasant pastime, but it
teaches the growth of ideas.
We heartily agree that in modern education
more attention should be given to the physical
sciences, Dut III Is u mistake TO supplanG the
classics with the sciences. Some have urged the
substitution of the modern for the ancient Ian
guages in the college curriculum. One of those
ii Charles Francis Adams, jr. An examination OF
his address shows that it is
rather protest against improper
methods IN teaching the classics and
a lamentatiOn over unfortunate experience
in studying them than an argument against
their educational value. The classics are much
better taught now than they were l.. the student
life of Mr.. Adams, Let criticism be fair, just
and appreciative; let the student be honest and
eaFnest let the teacher be accurate ard en-
thusiastie and the place of the classics ia
modern education Will be readily conceded and
gratefully acknowledged by every friend Of
sound and thorough scholarship
PROF. BUFFERS PAPER.
Prof Scott Buffers address came next. 1t