The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-04

III iBkit'1
= Far lie IL from me 10 claim that all tbes'
subjects arc necessary TO a liberal education
but I would ask my brother masters. OF art
20 prove that chemistry strengthens the min.
more than astronomy. French more than ltal
ian. Schiller more than Shakespeare.
NOT ESSENTIAL TO EDUCATION.
80 who can say that a deep insight int
all of these (the subjects IN the present VI. A
course) il not essential TO a liberal education
Who would say that more is required"
|. for one, say both OF these things, and
say them empnatieally. | hold fast 10 tn
cardinal doctrine that the prime object Of ed
ucation IS not the acquisition OF facts. moi
the performance Of astounding feats OF cram
ming. but the strengthening Of the Unborn
faculties of the mind. Aristotle was, / ven.
ture 10 think. = man OF tolsrabls education,
He knew 10 Latin, no French. no German,
no chemistry. no acoustics. no electrical
science, no algebra. no analytical gcome-
try. no calculus. no theory OF eqHa-
tions. He knew little but tho i'm
mortal literature OF his own Hellenic tongue;
and vet, begearly ignoramus as hs was. he
created tho tcicnce Of logic. he created a
systcm of philosophy. he laid deeply andfrm-
ly the foundations Of biological and practical
science, lie was a king for two thousand years
in the reslmsofthousht. He took nodiplomas
in anything at all. bvthe knew the literature
Of Greece. and lie knew tho history Of the
| CNleT OttIef OF Dis tlDr. anu lcb VIC man VI
English blood.study history hndtho literature
Of lis own English tongue. Let him study
other subject, slso-such subjects as are
agreeable 10 his tsste-butlst him remem-
Der that without Epeli,h literature be cannot
be called IN the highest sense a literally
educated man.
oTnKK OBJECTIONS ANSWERED..
~ for tho prcsen, require
ments those would DO substituted a require
/ ,,oyt To- r,fe nr,Aoiapc fn~ aud four rraAue
tons"
When ! soy that this statement is not
characterized by the accuracy that we should
expect from mon who hold the highest de-
gree conferred In the United State. on under
graduate students" and bear tho title Of
master with pride" | ain far from intending
10 be sarcastic and sharp. But 10 10 perfectly
legitimate 10 demand accuracy from men who
openly express pride IN their high attain
ments in the fields OF literature and science"
Let us. then test their accuracy. Suppose that
n candidate for the new degree select Latin.
Greek. mathematics and moral philosophy as
the four schools III which TO graduate. To
obtain the degree then, he will need four
graduations and five prOfciencles- viz.
French. English. physics. chemistry (or alter
mates for the same) and history. In the case
when the school of modern languages is Sc
lected as one Of the four in which TO graduate
it is true that only four proiciencics are re-
quired: but inasmuch az graduation i'll
modern languages is really graduation in
two things zone ROnani and one Teutonic
language we might say that in this case Sye
graduations are required.
o. This provision that the schools elect
ed are TO bo approved by the faculty mult be
a dead letter since the discretion given to
them is an arbitrary discretion, without any
rule 10 guide them"
This statement is merely q guess. while the
reason given for the guess betrays looseness
81 thnrnht IL tta faculty. Orara .~
by rules their approval of the schools Sc
lected might well be O dead letter. but an ar
bitrary discretion is exactly the kind Of dis
creiiOn most likely TO make their approval q
reality.
co. 80 ' q well-prepared mar could with
ease accomplish the work required for the
NJ. A.. degree in two years"
In two years And with ease, Let me ask
these gentlemen who consider this so easy a
task whether they are aware that of all the
academic students of the session of 1899 80
only eighty-nins graduated even IN one sub
ject. only thirty-two in more than one and
only six in more than two. | believe that
the new degree, which does not require a man
10 plough through the senior classes of those
subjects which he loathes. will serve 10
make the students more hopeful, and
that larger tickets will be made
In future than hitherto. But. with the above
figures in view, be seems to me a most self
confident mar who thinks he could make
four graduations and five proiciencies in two
years, and, mind you. with ease. Suppose
he choose Latin, Greek. mathematics and
moral philosophy for hi. advanced work.
Then. even if he make tho dirsful green
ticket" the first yoar he will have to perform
tho work in seven classes Cunior French.
German. physics. chemistry. history.
philosophy, with twenty lectures a
week, the second year. in order 10 obtain the
% There are few undergraduate stud
80 we'll prepared that they cannot profit
ably devote their time TO the senior classes
Of the various schools; 10 such students the
A. opens no new course Of study. but
merely n review OF his high school work"
In t~everoly crlticisins this sentence. let me
say once moro that | speak. not sarcasticnllv.
earnestly. whon ! claim that men who
boast Of their high Attachments in tho folds
OF literature" and look down with contemut
upon mere hiEh-school graduates and bache-
OF arts should show themselves grenter
OF the ART OF expression than is shown
IN tho above sontences. The first clause ia.
indeed. utterly without meaning. while the
knowledge OF grammar displayed in the use
u the word his in the second clause Is hardly
what we should expect from masters OF that
,rt. If we substitute i'll for vol in the first
'lnuso the sentence acquires n meaning,
.hough a meaning much at variance with
IL 1t he truo that few students are
Unable TO do senior work. why is il that year
'efore lart only eichty-ninc men graduated
n even one senior class, only thirty-tWO in
moro than ono. and only SIX in more than
woy The truth Is that only q minority Of the
tudeDts are at all prepared upon entering
no Uniyerslty for senior work and the great
majority would % well to turn their stten-
ion TO that excellent Is. 4. degree. moon
Which tho masters look down with .ucl
corn.
o. 49, . Since the amount of preparation
or the b.. A. course is much less. students of
Attachments and very young years will
'resont themselves" etc. !
This expression, young years, is another
ample OF the deplorabls English employed
y tho masters all through their address to
board, and adds one more proof OF the
,tters wisdom In rs~volutionizing the NJ. A.
egrse. II Is high time that mon sloryinr In
he tito OF master should devote TO fnsish
some OF the time now spent upon ,
ne mlnutio Of less important subjects. ]
(9.) -" We fear : : : that IN the effort TO i
opularize aud populate their classes tho pro- c
sssors will bend from that high and rigid .
tandard which las made our University V
Torld-renowned. A student who has the '
hoicc OF many departments for his degree j
inevitably take those which can be at /
aimed with least difficulty" c
/ cannot agree with my brother masters of u
rus that IN the effort Ia "popularlze and "
their classes our professors will
ngage in an ignoble scramble for students.
cannot believe that those gentlemen whom "
have learned 10 respect as lay teachers. as
y colleagues, and as men will prove false TO