New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-14
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
ENGLISH IN SCHOOL AND COLLEGE.
HOW IT SHOULD BE STUDIED ~ "iNh '''''
ELEMENTS OF LITERARY CULTURE.


HOW IT SHOULD BE STUDIED TO GIVE THE
ELEMENTS OF LITERARY CULTURE
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
c,r In YOUR leader English In Colege ana
Co., the case is well stated in the words with
-, avcont,ons freshmen entering college
sae ,,.,.r,v irconpe,ent to write English fuenty
and accurately
Wi ,ho cure is near at hand and trust peda-
pogues will attend 10 this, their lesson as wen d.
,hev would wish their scholars 10 attend 10 those
,h.v have given out for them AS college gradu-
ate 7 am believer In the study OF the CidssiCS'
and that IN the present state OF our literature tne'e
!. Ios cIaastore puts 10 "a need CT the tonic IN
auence OF the frosty air Of the early morn OF H'er
AZURE" vet ! am a st more earnest oele'eF III
the study Of the great English masterpieces as
,ruer guides not only in literary. but ethical anu
mora. sense.
~ al our schools. the study OF modern litera-
,rn a,d sociology in its primary lessons-physica!
and biologica-and history SHOULD De kept ever
10 the front These with the ala OF the microscope
and stereopt!con. we'll adapted TO interest," IN
,ruct ana inspire the boys and girls of this sen-
GRAFTON to make Of themselves not only successfui
col eye students but all-around useful members OF
society. ,,,
The humani,ies. such as we ind IN the EnghsA
masterpieces should he cultivated from the very
beginning OF school life TO the last year OF the
unIverslty course and those ethics taught which
the elements OF literary culture may be nstilled
al a very early age and this fact must be taken
advantage Of As more than IS per cent OF all our
pupils never come under the influence OF any
scholastic institution other than the elementary
school, this question OF culture Al an cary age Is
most important ore.
II il not true that boys and girls from six to
fourteen years OF age have neither the taste nor
capacity for such literature as the masterpieces OF
our great English poets. statesmen and noveiists.
The years from ten 10 fourteen with our boys and
girls are often characterized by great intellectual
awakening: and any school curriculum which does
not emphasize the study OF literature, OF aesthetics
and OF natural beauty Is direct wrong 10 ooyhood
and grlhood. - - A.,, ,,h s,,,atos
IN literature such an acquaintance with the oest
that has been written. including c.asslcal myths
fellow and Wordsworth shall not only awake
the SOU and fire the imaginatlon out VIII I'a IKE
Classroom In preference to Plato. Horace and
other heather moralists. would put as STUDIES
OF altruistic obligation the humanities as We are
taught them to-day; and for one. hol' WIN !he
president OF Brown University that me s'udy OF me
classics is positive obstacle In the way OF acauir
ing an easy idiomatc and forcble Engilsn style.
Therefore. why not once ana for ail' IN ms our
IA All that Is true. beautiful ana inspiring III our
own we-loved English tongue? -,.,.. r,.,,,,s, 40,
on'v an objective study by Itself. but a necessary
incident in any Of the other branches OF sch 90
work. Decidedly So ana Te SURE aG b T to form
Correct images Of the subjects with when ne comes
in contact Pedagogy should be the ssehce OF rs
10 organize his contact with the real world about
him TO make him. In fact: not an egois'' Du' d"
Rnt his opens up another theme much too VIDE
10 be discussed here. trust ne in.oune VI So =,
this su i3lnrt \ Nov i g. 1897 J. c. PUMPELLY.