Telegram-herald., 1890-03-03
COMP AIRING IDEAS
The Schools Of the State ana They
Who Run Them.
The SCHOOLAlSIERS NET SATURDAY
A Most Successful aeeting-The caitars
of Michigan Beams Oa the valley
City-Eioq1ent Speeches, Edifyiag
Papers and u Good Social Time

The twelfth meeting Of the Michigan
Schoolmasters' Club convened at the
High school bu.lding Saturday morning
at s:20 O'CLOCK. The attendance was
good, especially from this city, and the
western part of the State. Prof. Z. A.
Strong. president, occupied the chair.
The interest in the subjects presented
rose 10 enthusiasm, and the time was
not sufficient for the 1890 subject, The
Future Work of the Club" Even as il
was. many speeches had TO be cut short,
and some who desired to speak failed Of
opportunities. The first subject was
entitled, Business Education in the
Public Schools: A Commercial Depart
ment, A Business Course, or Business
Methods in all Courses" The subject
was discussed. in formal way, by su-
perintendent f. l.. Briggs, Of Grand
Haven; Prof. ". y. Ferris, of Big Rap
ids; superintendent H. VI. Slauson, of
Coldwater. and Superintendent O. c.
Seelye, of Marshall. Other speakers
followed in more informal way.
This discussion was followed by an
address by Prof. F. A. Barbour, State
Normal school. on the subject "Anglo-
Saxon in the High School," Superin-
tendent w. II. Honey. of Monroe,
| opened the informal discussion OF this
subject.
The afternoon exercises opened with
| choosing of the place for May meeting,
which was fixed at Ann Arbor. Then
! followed a mastery address by Prof.
/ Francis W. Kelsey, of the Michigan
! University, on the subject, University
| Latin" In the treatment of the sub
| iect. the professor included the Greek
| classics. from which he drew most of
| his illustrations. The address was
| wholly extemporaneous. and consisted
! of two distinct parts. The first part
was treatment of the general subject
| of classical study as compared with
other lines of mental culture, and the
| second part was a discussion Of the
| technical methods of classical study IN
the University. A synopsis of the first
part only is here gwen.
He began by noting the great change
that had come upon the classical
world. as to methodsand results, during
the past fifty years. This change he at
tributed to the rise of the modern
scientific method in all investigation
whatsoever. Like all other methods in
pedagogy, the classics have felt the in
fiuence of the scientific method. The
history of the work of classical phil
ology was traced from the Renaissance
TO the present, and from that wide sur
vey he showed that classical study had
tended, like all branches of science. 20
become differentiated into spt. j
branches. The division. as it exists al
present is two-fold: FIrst-Philology
and Archaeology; and Second-Hlstory.
The two branches which now exist as
one under the first head, are gradually
differentiating until they will become
two.
Philogy, alone, applies merely to the
Greek and Roman text. But this is a
mere skeleton. 1t does not touch the
influence which these tongues have had
on modern times. The true aim of &
classical philosophy Is 10 give broad
view of the Greek and Roman civiliza-
ton. This includes six divisions. lam
guage, religion, public affairs of the
Greeks and Romans, private affairs,
fine arts and history. Looking at II
thus, it is seen that classical science
has been elevated into one which gives
view of Greek or Roman civilization
as civilization. And in treating ii
thus. better elementary work is per-
formed, and is like the examination of
shells and pebbles, than could have
been done under older methods. When
Charles Francis Adams. some years
ago, spoke so disparagingly Of classical
pursuits, he was speakingof the classics
of fifty years ago. Since then, the
science has been revolutionized. 1t is
a Western notion that Latin is an end
in itself, but this is not so.
II brings out what is IN
man. It's true result is odrccrc
not ;pdgcere. The latin student of the
modern schools passes three stages.
First, discipline. The hard. rigid con-
struCtiOn of the Latin, lacking the
smooth flexibiIity of the Greek, is a
drill necessary to all elementary work.
Second, there comes time when cul-
ture takes toe place OF discipline; not
the formal, stilted thing which has
passed as culture IN Boston. for IN
stance, but a true. inward unfOldmcnt
of the life of tho mind. Classical
study. then must have for Its aim a
true and generous culture, in which q
living mind Of one age IS able to feel
the pulse beatings of all the ages.
Thirdly. there comes time when the
aim i the scientific method, and the
scientific method al Says involves
knowledge OF sources. In the second
year. one must be n student Of the ian
guare. There Is not a single anclent
manuscrip that has come down % Us
from the hand of lts author; but those
re have copied again and again
because there u thOuynt and soul in
them that would not bc destroyed.
The literature of ancient Greece was as
vouminous a. that Of today. because
the people who made % felt and
thought. and hence It must he studied
As a literature, in the widest sense.
Prof. ". 4. tTreeson. Of this city, FOL
lowed ths address with 2 paper on
Preparatory High School Latin"
AfteF making a copious quotation
from Walter Bagehot. on the general
subject Of educational training. as a
sort cf text for MS 4 iseourse. the
speaker sad. There = no study that
combines 80 many elements Of = sound
education as Latin. IS the courses Of
study are now planned. The most seTi-
ous defect In our present courses - the
want of loglcal consecutiveuess I'D the
studies pursued. He gave his proofs of
his statement by citations from t1e cur
rlcu.um in Grand Rap5s. p pending %
show tnst from sny true. IDEAL stand
point. there : not much arrangement
unity and losicaI sequence. After
guard ng azsIrst certain dangers -