The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-01
liberal Education.

misrepresentcd i'm certain quarters regard
ing his position towards the Humanities'
The public have been led to believe that ne
simply tolerated Latin and Greek as neces-
sary evils, and was plotting their final apo-
btion AZ a pant Of the college curriculum.
sucb an inference has certainly been i'isti-
fed as we'll by eulogies. of his pretended
champions as by the aniriadversions OF MS
critics. BY accepting garbled statements
OF his uttcrances, both these classes have
been led to represent his views
as radical. and place him alongside
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS and his par
ticular coterie. However, President Ell
lots article, originally read at Johns
Hopkins University, and which has
subjected him TO so much adverse criti-
cism from the ultra "straIght-iackets."
and so much questionable commentator
from the liberals, is printed in the current
No. of the Century, and puts him in a
much better light than he has been made
TO appear by the majority OF the newspapers
10 say the least. We hail its appearance in
this form with delight, and would recon-
mend il to the perusal Of every college pro-
lessor; for while we have not, we think,
misunderstood his position, we have been
forced to recognize that his name and in
duence have been used by opposite parties
10 aggravate differences on o very i'm
portant educational question. We have
thought it pity that one whose office,
scholarship, and experience entitlc him to
respectful hearing on all matters pertain
Ing to higher or liberal education, should
be credited with being an extremist,
when in reality he is only "conservatiyely
progressive"
Although we cannot read the article in
the Century without approaching that
President ELIOT is an enthusiast on the
subject OF English literature, and that he
may sometimes 20 too far in words il not
in actual sentiment in pressing his views,
we must also appreciate that he is any,
thing but an iconoclaSt Thoro Is vast
difference between an enthusiast and an
extremist, and nowhere have we found
this fact more clearly eXemplified than in
the article under consideration. President
ELIOT writes for the purpose Of putting a
suffix to the educational method, and
not for the purpose OF taking from
it a necessary afiiX. Nearly every argu-
ment he uses in support OF progressive ed
ucation carries with it an admission OF, II
it does not point as a logical sequence, the
importance Of the classics. He does not
propose to DO away with Latin and Greek,
but simply makes demand for The TecOg-
milton OF new and important studies.
With much that he says OF the value Of
these new studies we can agree without do
ing the slightest violence to love for the
classics. His platform is that education
should keep abreast with the thought OF
the day; that it should not be burdened
with conventional and dead forms that
salutary way the talents OF individuals, and
not to turn out all from one mould,
and that En- :lSh literature, History, po-
litical economy, and physical science
should have an equal chance with the dead
languages. And upon this platform all
advanced educators should stand, and we
believe do stand. Already IN some OF our
southern colleges, where the straight
jacket" is recognized as the foundation
of all culture, special direction is being
given to degrees with the most satisfactory
results. This policy has not involved
ignoring the mental training that can
only be acquired in the Latin and Greek
course, but has simply placed these insti-
tutions in accord with President ELIOT's
dominant principle.
The truth is, there is AriStOn metrOn in
this, as there is in most every other thing,
and the institutions OF learning that centre
upon it must go 10 the front. While we
would be the last TO consent 10 the abOli-
tion Of the classics in our colleges, holding
as we do that the specialist in any direc-
ton will be a better specialist IL he has
taken the classical course also, we are fully
alive TO the demands Of the day for prof.
cheney in the departments OF knowledge
indicated by President ELIOT. We have
before US letter, not intended for
publication, from an enthusiast on the sub
iect OF English literature and modern
languages, from which we take the follow
ing: "Haye you seen the pretty edition OF
Marcus Aureius Greek and English
Just out At MACMILLAN's? | have il. and
am slipping it, paragraph by paragraph, as
il it were precious Aqueur. 1t il still
wine, though, after the sparkling vintage
OF Ilerodotus, whom | have Just finished
in the original" Were we TO mention
the name Of the writer, it would be
recognized in this country and abroad
a that of one OF the most emil
nent authorities of the period on his spe-
clalties, yet we are satisfied he would admit
that he would never have attained to his
present scholarship and reputation had not
his scholarship been built on thorough
classical foundation. And as with Presi-
dent ELIOT and this gentleman, so must it
be with all who give the question proper
study. Both the classical and the progress
sive are essential to Liberal Educa-
tiOn." Stripped OF natural enthusiasm,
and brought down to practical basis,
President ELIOT asks no more than he is
willing to cOncede, or we should ask him
to concede.
The Popular Science Monthly for June
opens with part second Of HERBERT SPEN.
GERS essay upon the "Sins OF Legislators"
Mr.. SPENCER is hostile to "paternal gov
ef,f -