Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-27

regard Of the experiences OF foreign universities
saying, ~ hold 1t sufficient for my present purpose
10 reply that we have to deal with America
ana not with Germany, France or Great Britain
rms IL certainly no better than the reply OF our
American politician who, in answer to arguments
lands declared "he did not care for ,abroad'-he
was leglslatiny for America"
Dut Prussia had Just made careful and
thorough test Of the two systcms,-the non
classical or modern, and The classical or Greek
The result was that all the professors-those In
natural sciences as wei as in languages. were
forced to say that students trained in the classical
COURSES outstrpped the others In all the university
studies. writer in the Popular Science Moathiy
had indecd reached the absurd conclusions first,
that the Prusslan experiment had nothing to do
with this question: and, secondly, that the ex-
by the cassiclsts; but II remained true that this
experiment the most conclusive test
yet made, and as conclusive US any experiment
could he.
Mr.. Adams declared that classical studies ex-
cluded studies in the modern languages. This
was an entire error. There Is full time and OPP
porunliy for both. American boys can to-day
learn French and German before the age OF four
Greek
AS for Latin, MIR. Adams declared it was matter
Of little moment. ON the contrary 1t unquestion-
ably stood next to Greek for all educational pur-
poses.
In concu ion, Mr.. Chamberlain said more at
tentlon orgnt to he given TO the modern
of Greek which must always remain the foremost
ana Invariably fundamental No college student
Is
g.. Adams asserted because no student could
,now TO what work life would call or direct
him.
lie concluded as follows: "lherefore there is
In my Judgment no study so valuable. so exactly
adapted as preparation for the work Of life,
whatever 1t may be, here and now as the study
of the Greek language aud literature; and have
the conviction that this study ls and will he.
whether 1t remains part of our prescribed
courses or not the real basis and test of culture,
Of that mental training and equipment which
llHllngnlsnes me educated from the uncGucated
or partly educated, as surely as gold and will
be, whether statutes ordain it or not the worlds
real measure of pecuniary value. No hustle of
business nor ain OF progress, no clamor Of
Will ever for long overbear the spfit in man to
which poetry, oratory, philosophy and literature
answer; and so finally, IT must result that this
study now described in few high places as a
fetish, VIII he more ardently pursued, more
wisely taught, more intelligently valued by all
those in AGA emica or practical lie, who believe
That the highest secular guaranty of the strength
and permanence of our civilization, is the
diffusion OF sound and thorough LIBERAL edu-
cation"
At the close of this very able and scholarly
presentation of the claims of classical cul-
ture, the speaker was greeted with prolong-
cd applause. President Buckham, in NOV
ing vote of thanks from the society, said
that us the original address of Mr.. Adams
came from man of affairs, from the stand
point of the world and not of the clOster, so
1t was matter of congratulation to him that
the reply also came not from dO3trinaire
not from one who was solely a scholar, but
from man of the world. AS the address of
Mr. Adams was brilliant, 50 the reply was
more than brilliant, lit was candid, compact,
logical convincing. AS the former address
had undoubtedly unsettled many of the con-
vlctions OF our young men, President Buck
ham said that it was his hope and conviction
that the reply, delivered, as it will be, in
I'M of iha inip AL 81 al,
try, shall rensate and rcintrench the sChol-
arly beliefs of our youth After vote of
thanks had been passed to the speaker, the
exercises Of the afternoon closed with music.
The members of the Phi Beta Kappa Soci.
ETY. remained after the audience had dispers-
ed, to listen to the report of their delegate
to the societY's convention at Saratoga.