The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-29


"Did Cicero say an%ything?" asks Gas
sius in the play Of Julius Caesar. "Aye,
sneers Casca, she spoke Greek" Thu
wordy war that ragged in Casar's tim,
between the advocates of broad-guagt
culture and the hard-shell professors O
a narrowed patriotism is thickeninl
around us in these Nineteenth century
days. Where doctors disagree, it il
surely a dangerous matter for laymen tc
interfere. But the subject OF education
is one that always has had a warm place
in the hearts Of the American people.
The wisdom of our forefathers provided
for the youth of this commonwealth a
system Of public school education, whose
fruitage does their memory honor. But
with the general advance of material
prosperity all over the country, and the
struggle for bare existence a thing OF
the past, our educational tree is spreading
its branches and covering a wider area
of ground. A college education for our
youth of both sexes will soon be the
rule rather than the exception. Under
this changed condition of affairs, the
subject of higher grade education is one
that is forcing itself every day upon the
attention of the country at large, and
it's introduction needs, therefore, no
apology.
What, are we to believe, shall and
ought to constitute the liberal educa-
ton of the present and the immediate
future? The study of Greek is, in the
meantime, the centre OF the struggle be-
tween the opposing factions Of educators.
But it is very doubtful if Greek in itself
is the red rag that stlrs the indignation
and the opposition OF those who style
themselves educational reformers. Their
selection of Greek as the primary object
OF attack simply indicates their knowl-
edge of strategy and their perception of
the weakest point of the hostile line.
The question is one that cannot possibly
be narrowed down to the discussion of
the desirability of a single object of
study. If we are to reform or review
the traditional curricula of our colleges
and universities, we should set about
the task in an impartial spirit and hew
from the educational trunk every limb
that is an %achronistic or needless.
What say the doctors? The presi-
dent Of Bowdoin college, by virtue of
his educational position, should be an.
authority on such matters. His opinion
is that Latin, Greek and mathematics,
having been for generations the tradi-
tional requirements for entering college,
have become the objects of supersti-
tlous veneration. That is, if we under
stand him Alright, these subjects are
perfectly legitimate and desirable in
themselves, but the prestige of custom
has conferred upon them an undeserved
Importance that has dwarfed a great
many other subjects of study equally
valuable. In other words, the president
believes that there are many subjects
equally capable of comforting the de
sideratum of mental training and that
their introduction into courses of col
legiate and university training is a
Contamination devoutly to be wished
for"
The force of the opposing current is
best observed in a recent vote of the
senate Of Cambridge university, Eng
land. There was a proposition to in
quire whether an alternative for Greek
was desirable in the entrance examina-
ton. The advocates of change were de-
feated by a vote of 525 to 1875, and the
reformers are surprised Az the stun
ming defeat they have sustained.
Which is in the right? OF the pres
ent tendency in the United States there
Is no reason to doubt. Out of a total
increase of 3Gl students this year at
Harvard, there is a gain of III only in
the academic department. Yale tells
the Same story and tells it more
forcibly. OF an estimated increase Of 200
students, only sixty have joined the
classical department. We venture to
believe that this narrowing of the edu-
catlonal range is a mistake and a mis-
take of the gravest kind. For it's pres
ent existence it is not hard to account.
The advance in the science of electricity
and kindred subjects has created an alb
normal demand for experts in such
matters, and the supply is rushing in to
meet the demand. Nothing can more
materially defeat the idea of a liberal
education, al education in the truest
and broadcast sense Of the word.
than this voluntary confinement to
n narrow groove in life. More
than that, the thrush will defeat
its own aims. Tho time cannot