The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-06-16
APPEAL FOR THE HUMANITIEs.
The Field Which the Smaller Colleges
Ought to Cultivate.

it was in the American system, OF lacl
Of system, Of education. 1t does no
bear in the same relation to the large
colleges that it used to hold; but, though
it is in condition of doubt and uncer
tainty, it has its opportunity, and i
should seize it.
Those of you who were present at ou'
annual dinner Of a year ago will recall
with pleasure the admirable address o.
one of our distinguished alumni. | re
fer, of course, to DR.. Stanley Hall, th'
head of Clark university who said
among other things, that there was
every reason why each American SINAI
college should have its speciality, ant
that through specialization the way was
clear for the return of the small college
to its old time usefulness and distinc.
ton.
! 1t seems to me that no small college
in the country is so well prepared as is
Williams to enter upon this work OF
specialization. Its history, its tradi-
lions, its character, and even its local
habitation, fit it to take the lead in a
movement-ba backward, if you will, to
the pagan philosophers, that 1T may
move with tirmer and swifter steps for
ward to the Christian idealism of the
| future. 1t can be the first of the small
colleges to cease to be the pale reflection
of our growing universities. 1T has be-
come the first and the leading school of
| the humanities-the first to recognize
and embody the rapidly developing re-
action against the monopoly which So
called scientific teaching has obtained
during the last 80 years at the expense
of literature, philosophy and of an
idealism the teaching of which In our
time has been of more benefit to the
practical men Of the world than have all
the chemistry, all the botany, and all
the geology of the college laboratories
and lecture-rooms, for generation
cannot become precious in the structure
of humanity if it's imagination has not
been fed by the great thoughts and
speculations and poetry and philosophy
of the ages that have gone before It,
l would like to see Williams college the
nursery of the humanities, nursery to
which our youth might go, not to elect
short cuts to degree, but to retire and
dwell for four years or more under wise
all ages and all great races whose in
tellectual and spiritual achievements
have wrought the civilization which we
now enjoy.
Even If the college now could shape
its course toward this goal, it would not
lead the way although 1t could easily
become a pioneer in this country, In
England the movement for a larger
share of literary education in the schools
and the universities has not only begun,
but Is growing rapidly, and probably
soon it will influence education in our
country.
1t ought to be said, perhaps, that this
is not, as some of its opponents like to
assert, a foolish and bigoted movement
against true scientific instruction, al
though it is decidedly hostile to certain
so-called scientific teaching. which, I'M
der fine name, conceals an effort to
transit )rm SEATS of Tearing into gymnasia
for preliminary exercises in the bread
and butter arts To educate minds in
clined to science, not only that their
powers of observation may be sharpened
and their reasoning faculty made sllrer-
footed, but so that their imaginations
shall be awakened and their attitude
shall be made more reverentiai toward
the universe-the universe as well as
that which is-the universe invisible as
well as that which is visible (for by
such education we have obtained the
poets and the discoveries of scienceO
this is one thing; and it is quite anoth-
er and a different kind of thing to teach
man to be practical electrical engi-
neer. To his day and generation, the
engineer is useful, but If his mind is
trained in the humanities. even he will
be wiser and better, and more useful to
the world. You cannot train great sci
entists by teaching youth merely the
elemental facts of material nature.
You cannot breed great minds at all
simply by bringing them into contact
with dead matter. You must broaden
and deepen their vision of truth by
bringing them into contact with the
thought and the deeds of great men.
The humanists are seeking recogni-
ton of the true value of literary educa-
ton, and recently there were delivered
in England three admirable addresses
which put the case for liturature most
STRONGLY.
Frof. Jebb, who delivered the Roman
es lectures at Oxford, took for his sub
jecet "Humanism in education and he
indicated "Humanism' as an efficient
and vital influence not only in forming
men Of letters and learning, but in trail
ing men who afterward gained distinc-
ton in public life and in various active
careers"
James Bryce also touched upon the
interesting subject in a speech to the
Teachers guild Of Great Britain and
Ireland" and he stated that, in his opin-
ion, the change from the literary teach
ing to the teaching of physical science
has gone very much too far" The
strong reaction in the universities of
oxford and Cambridge against the
scientific fad Is due to the belief enter
tanned by many educated men, and es-
pecially many teachers that the scien-
ttfic teaching, as it is pursued in the
English speaking countries, has degen-
Grated into q mere cram of facts, or into
an engrossment of the youthful mind in
occupations at time
when the neral and imaginative side |
ought to be stimulated and cultivated.
The third speaker on the subject was
Mr.. Balfour, who addressed the great
XEas1nyro11 T az ol,i, |