The sun., 1896-12-16


and persistency. This is acknowledged, we
repeat, to be an actual peril; but 1t is suR-
gested that the scope Of it is lesseninR with
the multiplication Of the relations and ele-
ments which constitute the life Of the
modern student. His various concerns,
athletic, social, dramatic, and musical, rep
resent so many fields outside OF the academi-
cal curriculum in which his energy, as we'll
as his Judgment, may be developed. That q
college training need not be fatal to energy
Is proved by the fact that some Of the great
est constructive works OF modern times,
requiring the most intrepid confidence in
ones self and in mankind, such as great
bridges, railroads, and telegraph lines, have
been among the triumphs OF college men.
Another ground of objection about which we
hear good deal is the lateness OF the date at
which college graduate enters commercial
life The four years between the ages of
eighteen or nineteen, and twenty-five or
twenty-three are undoubtedly those in
which the valuable habits Of commercial
life are usually learned. But the demon
strated power and success of the college
man in business indicate that although n
graduate begins ut twenty-three, at the
very point where he might have begun at
eighteen, he stays at this point only about
one-tenth as long. The rate at which he
attains skill and power in business is many
times greater. BY the time he has reached
the age Of twenty-seven he has frequently
overtaken and passed the boy who has been
in business since the age of eighteen.
There is still another drawback to COL
lege education, which DR.. THwNa would
describe as academicity." BY this he
means tendency to develop individuality,
but not social efficiency; to remove the
graduate from the ordinary concerns of
ordinary men. Academicity creates men of
the type represented by an American
scholar, who, being told that Fort Sumter
had been fired ON, replied: What do I
care ? must finish my Greek Grammar"
In national and local politics, academicty
evolves the Mugwump-that is to say, the
man who is dissatisfied with things as they
are, but is powerless to make them better.
DR.. THwING does not undervalue this OBJ
lection to a college education; he admits
that academicity has been common in some
Of our States, but he thinks that it Is be-
coming less common in proportion as Amer
ican colleges are learning to adjust them
selves more thoroughly to American life.
The further criticism that a college fills
the mind with useless knowledge, and
trains it in antiquated methods Of thought
and action, when sifted, is found to mean that
college expends much time upon linguistic
training. But, ss DIR. THwIEG points out, II
to think is important, linguistic training is
important. We think in words; conse-
quently, thinking becomes clear, orderly,
and profound in proportion as language is
adequate. To be able to think in English,
one should know that language, but this he
can only do IL he knows the languages
which have made the richest contribution
to its vocabulary. Hence, a training in Latin
and Greek is Of the greatest value to one
who would think or write in English. A
college, therefore, is not filling the mind
with useless knowledge when it requires
students to learn certain languages, which,
in reality, are not dead but living.