The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-22
Recent Changes ut OK ford.

Recent Changes ut Oxford.
The admission Of women to tho class lists
Is by no means the only innovation which
has taken place in the University OF Oxford
during tho last dozen years. As for the pass
men, indeed who constitute the majority OF
those sent forth with the degree OF
Bachelor OF Arts, their scholastic ac-
Quirements remain insignificant, and
very little attention is paid by
academlcal reformers to this division
Of tho undergraduates On the other hand,
inccssant efforts have been made tn improve
the tests applied to those "class or honor"
men who reflect credit on their alma mater,
and who alone can be said to justify her ex-
istence. Tho scope and character OF the
changes directed to this end have lately boon
defined by Mr.. W. L. COURTNEY, who has
long been prominently connected with the
Oxford educational system as q university
examiner, and as a "coach" or private
tutor Of candidates for honors.
Tho principle on which work was laid out
at Oxford ten or fifteen years ago for those
who looked forward to place upon the
class lists was sufficiently simple. 1t was, as
Mr.. COURTNEY reminds us, that after some
Two ycuTS Vi llle AL uuuti
! ate should be examined at ModeratiOns
with view Of ascertaining his Latin and
Greek scholarship, tho medium or vehicle OF
expression being made the subject OF scru-
tiny to the almost total exclusion OF tho
thought or fact conveyed by the
classical authors offered. Then, after
two more years. he was expected to prove at
the second public examination. or "Greats,"
his appreciation OF the matter, as well as the
form, OF certain Latin and Greek philosophi-
cal and historical writer's. Under this
scheme of study q candidate who obtained a
first elns3 at Mods" was considered quali-'
fed to undertake the functions OF teacher in
the large public schools, while those who
gained analogous distinction at Greats"
were supposed to be well fitted for any Of
the liberal professions.
OF late years. however. the conception OF
| scholarship Oh tho one hand and OF histori
cal knowledge on the other has been 80 pro-
| foundly altered that the university authori-
| ties have felt it incumbent on them to read
just the critcria of proficiency. scholar.
according to tho impression formerly cur
rent was above all things grammarian,
and Mt best no was u man able to write,
speak, and think in Latin and Greek, and
keenly alive to the more delicate shades of
meaning in the thought and speech of the
Romans and IIcllencs. Nowadays II scholars
q man Of far wider outlook. and who follows
| quite different processes OF inquiry. He must
recognize in philology science capable of
| being studied by tho same methods as are
physics and biology; he must know Sanskrt,
and he must have travelled in Italy, Greece,
and Asia Minor, IL not also in Egypt and
Babylonia. So. too, the historical student
can no longer content himself with the
| knowledge to be gained from books. which
are by no means tho only magazines Of infor-
nation concerning the classical civiliza-
cations. Ho must be an archeolgist.
conversant with the ancient inscrlp-
| tons. and skilled in Interpreting ar
chitectural remains and the art prod
ucts revealed by excavation. Tho dis
tnct points OF view from which an ancient
author Is examined by students Of the pres
ent and the last generation are strikingly ex-
emplifed In the new edition OF HEHODOrUs,
by Prof. A. II. SAYcE. the archDologist, and
the bitter arraignment Of that work (appar-
emily by Mr.. JEBB, the well-knowD authority
Oh Greek GRAMMAR, In the Edinburgh Reuieu.
Although the respect for form is strongly
intrenchcd at Oxford, the partisans Of the
| now learning have succeeded In making
Moderatlons" something more than Il mere
schoolboy test. Some acquaintance with
scientific philology is now exacted and more
| stress Is laid on sight translations from
Latin and Crock authors not included In the
school and college curricula. Obviously tho
power of reading passage on which you
have been previously drilled proves little
beyond tho possession Of parrOt-like
memory, and nobody would dream OF
determining a students knowledge of
French or German by such q performance.
But. even with the advance thus far effected
in the range and rlgor Of the requirements at
the first public examination. Mr.. COURTNEY
admits that "flrst" in "Moderations" is
still no very arduous feat, and that no I'M
dergrHluntc who has won college scholar
ship ought to fail al attaining so nconsd-
cradle SUCCESS. The changes carried out
In tho final honor examination, or Greats, -
are more decisive, though here. too. the re-
formers have as yet only secured modi-
cum OF their demands. A few years
ago tho candidate for honors had To
answer the questions set forth In
n series of papers dealing with tho history
Of philosophy. moral philosophy. political
philosophy, logic, PLAro's Republic. AIRS.
TOTLEs Ethics, and the historians, THUCY-
DIDEs and HERoDoTUs, Ivy. and TAoITUs
Now tho separate papers On the history OF
philosophy, on political philosophy, ON the
Ethics" and the Republic" have beer
abolished, but in return tho history rcquisi'
tions call for some knowledge OF archaeology
besides much wider sweep OF reading, and
the philosophical tests imply familiarity
with the German metaph yscans.
Clearly, tho tendency at Oxford Ii tOwarC
that specialization which has long beeI
favored at tho German universities. ant
which would permit candidate for honor,
ct the final examination to offer himsel
. either In history or In philosophy. each o