Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-27
THE STUDY OF TIE CLASSICS.

The perennial question Of the study of the
classics comes up for renewed DEBATE at this
Commencement season, when the colleges
and their work are brought so prominently
before the public; and local interest in the
matter will be heightened by cx-Gov. Cham
berlain's able and brilliant defence of the
study of Greek, in his Phi Beta Kappa
address, yesterday. In this connection a
notable indication of the drift of the
times is furnished by the action
of the governing board of Harvard
college in rearranging the studies of the
Freshman year at that institution, and the
change in the studies requisite for the de-
gree of Bachelor of Arts. The change is
that Creek Latin, Greek and Latin litera-
ture and mathematics are no longer required
studies for the degree of Bachelor of Arts
after the students admission to college,
though it should be noted that neither
Greek, Latin, nor mathematics, is thus en-
tirely stricken from the requirements. The
admission examinations remain unchanged
and these coverthose subjects. The amount,
however, of Greek and Latin and mathemat-
les which still remains prescribed is much
reduced. In respect to the studies of the
Freshmen, elective courses are for the first
time introduced Heretofore the Freshmen
have been obliged to follow fixed course of
study, and it was not until they became
Sophomores that they were allowed
any optional courses. According to
the plan just adopted, the programme
for the Freshman year is as follows Rhe-
toric and English composition three times q
week German or French (the one not pre-
sented by the student for admission) three
times aweek physics Qectures).once week
for the first half year chemistry lectures
once week for the second half year. The
rhetoric and English composition are the
present prescribed work of the Sophomore
year moved one year back, thus leaving the
sophomore year, except for the few written
exercises, entirely elective. The physics
suffer reduction in number of hours to one.
fourth of the present prescribed physics of
the Freshman year. In addition to the pre-
scribed work, every Freshman will be re.
quirod to pursue three full elective courses
or their equivalent, chosen from listinclud
ing Greek, Latin, mathematics, physics
German, French, history, chemistry ans
natural history.
The changes in the Freshman course cal
hardly be called experimental, for they are
tine logical result of policy which has Ions
been pursued at Harvard-a policy Of which
President Hill said nearly twent,
years ago that the corporation an,
and faculty had ''endeavored to conform i
some respects to the public demand for
more free election OF studies," and of whic
President Eliot said few years since
The average student, with the help of hi
instructors, friends and natural adviser,
makes more judicious selection of studio
for himself than the faculty could make fc
him, with any knowledge which they al
likely TO have of his tastes, capacities an
purposes,-a much better selection, NOR,
over, thon the old prescribed curriculum
this college, or the present prescribed Gu
rlcu9r- Of ANY other college would be-
But the striking OF the dead language
from the list Of Studios srequrcd for Ii
a. u. degree and the lowering OF Tie l,a,i
ard of admission in respect to them O.
significant indications of the drift Of Il
times.