The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-08-26

| Teachers ARE too few who, thfoueh "o
solute mastery OF their departments, arc
| able 20 utilize for inspiration tine tuu'es
| upon which they are called TO bolu Iorth.
| The various disciplines lnculchteu IN
| schools All offor abundant suggestions
nutritious ca the higher lie OF man. puo :
N master artist is required 10 uraW ouc
and utilize these. There As not enough
| Of drill in the class room, especihiiy IN
| the upper classes; not euough Oh ci3se
resolute grapple between the feacher :
| and the learners mind; not endugh Oh
| the Socratic method Of give ana taks
| The crib is laid with food, but llttle short
| is had 70 impart 60 the eater Voracity or
assimilatinS power. lie may eat or ho
may starve as be pleases.
ERRORS OF CLASSICAL TRAINING.
These III features Of college education
are closely connected with those classical
studies which, ia most OF our colleges
still remain the centre and pivot OF the
curriculum. IL Is not proposed here 10 enter
upon the general question of the merits
ana dement's, absolutely or relative, OF
classical education. The writer Il, now
over, bound 10 say that, although he be-
gan teaching as an enthusiastic olassiclst,
considering Greek and Latin the educa-
tion Uar excellence, and all other attain
ments of litte or no worth, long OK
perience and observation IN college nave
persuaded him of certain grave intellect
ical training which debaters ON this sub
iect mostly overlook.
Large parts of classical literature reek
with filth. How many classical authors
would one like TO have road out in run IN
unPxpurgated editions before class OF
Young personsy Much of Virgil and
Horace that is used in class rooms editors
and teachers violently misinterpret TO
make 10 decent Ideas OF the social ana
class relationship In classical times were
vicious in the extreme Ancient patriot
ism itself was a sentiment which no one
could now commend without large
qualifications. The individual was the
slave of the state.
Classical theories Of ethics present much
that is noble and right yet certain ten
denotes of classical ethical doctrine are
quite unwholesome. Not single one oi
the ancient moral teachers got more than
glimUse of that thought which forms
tho center of modern ethics of every
school-the thought of altruistic obliEa-
| tion.
In connection with all the above should
| be remarked that fault of classical culture
| which has Gcon so emphasized ny one set
! of writers and 80 earnestly denied 10y All
other, namely. its impractical character,
! its lack of direct helpfuness 20 men NV
| ing today. This drawback ailiicts nearly
| every college graduate. Many TO be sure
! master 10 and come 10 be Accomplished IN
/ practical business. The address displayed
| by such is often asoribed 20 their classical
/ schooling. 1t exists. rather. in spite OF
| this, rs the result OF natural versatility,
! or as knack acquired outside of college.
SICKENING PEDANTRY.
The inevitable gaucheric of youth who
| have dwclJ too long on what Is old and
| far away Is wont 20 be accompanied by
siokening pendantry. Able to scan
Homer and to work out pages of Titus
! Livy with the aid of lexicon, the young
| man thinks himself wise. He expects
| oheisance from ALL sarv iccablc informa-
! tion or manual deXteritv of any sort, as
| well ms persons iGterosted in either, no
! scorns. He deems none educated who have
not travelled over bis highway. fhe
! original aristocratic idea of a liberal edu-
! cation, viz, one suited 20 n gentleman of
| leisure and denied TO him who must
work for living, still cliDgs to the
classical bred prig, and he looks down
! with disdain upon such as are Ignorant o'
| the ancient tongues, though they may
| infinitely excel him both in ability and In
wealth of mental stores.
THE DESIRABLE SUBSTITUTE.
If the standard curriculum is not good,
| what shall we put in its place?
The substitute must not be school of
technology, but seminary for liberal
| training The aim is not to change
]
| too comnos. What we need Is scholars
well-roundod thinkers men of broad and
| generous montal sympathies. Precisely
wherein lies the diifaronce. between the
! technical and the liberal In educatony
| Jt is mainly one OF purpose. Technical
| study primarily regards the objects OF
! knowledge, the mastery OF certain facts,
| processes and methods, with the purpose
| of utilizing the same In sOno art or craft :,
! whereas liberal learning bas ever IN Wow
the subject OF knowledge, the choice
roundabout furnishing for human
! mind Mental gymnastic development Is
! the great thing for which we are plan
ming. though tho mnstorful grasp Of some
special department Of fact il an inGis'
| pensable instrumsntaiity thereto.
Among those matters which are suit
able 10 be- taught there arc some which
should of right receive the pupils Mt
tontion earlier than others. First ought
to come the discipline calculated 60 build
up the power for steady, methodical and
long-sustained mental eXrrti1n. Next.
fling In the middle half or two-thirds OF
tho course you may well CrOwo in for
election, ny different pupils, according to
their preferences. I'll the natural sciences,
mathematics. phases of history, sociology,
philosouhy aud literature for which
teachers are at hand. And last. crown
ing, unifyiug and vivifying all should
come good deal Of sreciallY hard drill
In the science Il mind Some such ar
rangem6nt ot studies as this, GrtCulato
without rigidity, compelling effort ana
Tcpelling gross idiosyncrasy. while nurs-
ing Individuality, Will he found oduca-
two far beyond either metallic curricu-
lum on the one hand or mere laissoz faire
intellectual browsing on tho other.
THE MAIN INNOVATIONS.
10 work out In detail such reform
curriculum would 30 too technical husi-
ness for this place. The main innovations
In 10 would be as follows
l. Unurecedcnted emphasis upon
thoroughness, logic and system in all the
studies pursued.
IL. Unprecedented emphasis upon
moral character and conduct. There
should be a continuous trimming i'm ethical
matters. not confined 90 a single miser
| able term, which is only batter than moth
/ ing, but running through the entire
/ course Ethical teaching should be moro
| scientific. based at every point on theory,
/ and carefully ana pungontly applied 60
/ all the capital moral problems ut life.
| III. Biology in the largest sOuso in
| piaee of Latin and Crack BiOlorv il an