Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-07-17

i some would change the original idea OF col
lege education at this point, and that in TIVE
ways, either by combining the purely men
tal discipline and the practical application, o.
else beginning in the college already at lcas
the preliminary studies of whatever profes
sion the student may have in view. That is
some advocate such studies in the way o
discipline as may at the same time furnish
L knowledge OF q practical pursuit. For IN
l stance, they would say, why not let the stu
| dent make blackstone n textbook at the
same time he is studying English or take
| up practical engineering problems while he
| Is at the same time studying mathematics
/ or instead of poring over Latin and Greek
study language which he expects to use as
German or French ?
| We oppose this first notion because it is tbs
entering wedge for process ot lettering Tho
| proper work of mental culture 10y introduc
ing questions of practical application. such
| process will naturally carry with it n bia,
orleaning toward the future pursuit, and the
| danger Is that 1t will gradually iujure aud
| defeat the freedom of the true aim of college
| education. Besides 1t is surrounded 10y
many practical difficulties No course of
study could be arranged in that way that
| would be equal to ALL What might suit one
| student would not suit another The one
| looking forward TO medicine would not care
| for the mental discipline to be gained in an
| alyzlng blackstone. lie would claulur Tor
the discipline of special studies IN chemistry,
| and the prospective theolOgue would call for
| the study of the Greek Testament or the
| Hebrew Bible In short it is plain that this
would be mixing two different aud distinct
| courses of study and the probability is that
! both would suffer great injury.
This matter, then, ought To Ice decided
purely on its own merits, that is the only point
to be considered is whether the usual college
curriculum is the best that eau be used for
the purpose OF giving young man general
culture, or intellectual discipline, aside from
its direct relation TO any one practical pursuit
y considerable portion of the opposition to
the study of Greek aud Latin would tall to
the ground II the question were thus proper
ly stated. The question would not then be
asked, as it so often is, what use can bo made
i'll after life of a knowledge of Greek Its
direct use pertains to the acquisition OF gen
eral culture, and when the question is put
in that way, there are few who have any
qualification to judge in the matter but would
acknowledge that the study of Greek Is emf
nently suited TO such purpose. We say not
tnat the college course generally adopted
may not be improved, but in considering
that question all consideration oi its direct
practical application to special pursuits must
be entirely lett out OF the case. This n all.
As TO ELECTIVE STUDIES.
The other notion that the studies of the
later years in college should be made elec
tive, in order to allow the student to select
such As may have a more direct bearing on
his future calling, simply means that the col
lege should change its character and become
in part professional school. This should be
opposed, We think, because the age requires
not that the amount OF study preparatory to
professional study should be lessened, but
rather increased. We need not enlarge on "A
point so plain rs this, except to add that the
experiment of introducing variety OF courses
Is calculated to break down the true character
OF liberal culture, and really spoil all by reu-
dering each imperfect and weak. There is a
somewhat different phase of this notion OF
elective studies, which calls for them on the
ground of a diversity of mental capacity
But as this has only recently been discovered
1t seems probable that it is brought in rather
to bolster up the other phase of the notion.
young mAnNhp has n9t the capacity to
study one department of college study il
most likely not qualified to graduate at all,
aad he should seek some other line of work
rather than change the college curriculum to
suit his want of mental capacity. 1t is rather
singular, besides, that this notion of elective
courses is generally made to serve the pur-
pose of shielding the student from hard study.
II Greek or Calculus were a- easy as some
other studies, they would notlikely be elected
out Cf the regular course.
LIBERIA l. CULTURE FOR SPECIAL CALI-
INGS.
Not only is liberal ed ucation necessary as
a prepar alton tor professional study, but it
constitutes permanent necessity for all who
pursue special callings. What we mean is
that general culture should go along with
particular culture, il this latter is even to
answer its proper end. Every one is a man,
a citizen, besides being lawyer, physician,
a statesman, etc. To fulfill properly all his
relations in life, besides that which is special,
he must have that which should be common
to all educated men, ''liberal culture"
mind developed and cultivated to the greatest
extent possible for him. WeCaDnot enlarge
on this point, but merely state It. \ mere
specialist is narrow man, and he il as help
less in the general relations of life, as is a
man OF general culture without any special
pursuit.
Now there are those who value such gen
eral culture, or liberal education, because it
pertains TO man rs man, and rot merely 10
him as In pursuit OF special calling. They
believe that education has an end in itself,
besides the special uses to which il may be
applied, that a cultured mind Is source of
happiness beyond all merely worldly good.
Shall the order OF stddy in colleges he chang
Ell so that such would be deprived of gaining
such general culture? We say no. Let
techuic and industrial schools be esiablisl ed
to meet the wants OF those who prefer them.
but let our colleges remain for those who de.
sire TO attain liberal culture. Aud in our
view it will be far better not to attempt to
unite the two. BY doing so both are likely
To be impaired.
THE ORIGINAL QUESTION.
After presenting these general remarks we
have but little room 10 refer to the particular
question III reference 10 retaining the study
of the ancient Languages in the college curri.
culum, particularly the Greek, against which
opposition seems now TO be mainly directed.
We can only summarize few points on the
subject, leaving their expansion to some
future time.
| We agree that more attention should loo
paid 10 the study of modern languages IN our
American colleges, especially German and
French. Ii their study were begun at an
earlier age, most of our students could ac-
quire moderate knowledge OF them with
out interfering at all with their other stud les.
In Europe more attention is paid to them,
aud as travel from America 10 Europe con
tnues, the necessity for their study will be
more aud moro felt here.
In Frank lin aud Marshall college the study
OF German is required during the whole four
years of the course. The study of French
should, in our judgment, be provided for
also.
.. But the study of modern Languages can-
not supply the place OF Latin and Greek for
the puIpos OF liberal culture. Greek and
Roman civilization is the door OF entrance To
modern civilization, and that by the opera
ton of the laws of history. III we were writ
ing from "A Christian or theological standpoint
we should refer to tho fact that the ciyiIi2a-
tion Of Greece aud Rome formed "A prepara
tion for Christianity, and that by proVidential
ordainment, and therefore this civilization
and culture form necessary link in the whole
history of divine revelation. But it is
equally true from secular stand point, or
considering history in general, that GrecIan