Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-11-29
A Classical Conference.

A very successful meeting of the ver-
mont Section of the Classical Association
of New England was held in the Latin
room of Middlebury College, Saturday
morning, Nov. IS, from ten o'clock Till
one, President Isaac Thomas, of the Ed
munds High School, Burlington, in the
chair. The following topics were pre-
sented and discussed:
/. What should we aim to cultivate in
our pupils = appreciation, reading
power, or thinking power?
M. r. SANFORD, Middlebury;
B. G. RODGERS, Vergennes.
2. Should the schools try to impart any
thing beyond the power to read?
NJ. B. OGLE, Burlington;
d. p. PAGE, Bakersfield.
8. Are the current textbooks too fully
or too sparsely annotated
A. S. HARTMAN, Middlebury.
4. Which is the best method of cultivat-
ing the power to read-sight transla-
tons, or repeated reviews?
M. d. CHITTENDEN, Fairfax;
D. L. ROBINSON, Middlebury.
b. In our teaching of composition, could
much of the written work be profit
AMY TepldCeu Dy oral WOTk
II. E. BoYCE, Middlebury.
Before the programme was begun,
President Brainerd welcomed the men,
bers of the conference. Professor San
ford Of Middlebury then opened the first
discussion, arguing that appreciation is
the goal of all teaching and study of the
classics, but a goal to be reached only
through the avenue of syntactical gym
reading power. Mr. Rodgers of Vergen-
mes, following, was of opinion that the
definite gains in logical power resulting
from classical study should be more of.
ten insisted on. He considered the rea-
sons why appreciation should be regarded
as the goal, and declared, from observa-
ton, that this appreciation, grounded as
Professor Sanford had held necessary,
could be admirably developed in the pre-
paratory schools, with teacher of the
right spirit. In the general discussion
of the topic, Professor Ogle of the Uni
versity of Vermont argued for maxi
mum of forms with a minimum of syn
tax, and Miss Banning of Proctor for &C
curate syntactical training in the Caesar
period SO that the "indefinable somewhat"
may have freer play in Cicero and Vergil.
Professor Burrage of Middlebury advo-
Gated two years for drill and two for APP
probation in the case of pupils who were
not going to college, but suggested that
for college-goers it would be well to give
more time to drill and less to efforts at
appreciation. In reply, Mr.. Rodgers
pointed out the difficulty of differentiat-
sYo~r hntxr &c n,
they being taught in the same classes.
Mr.. Chittenden of Fairfax advocated the
placing of chief stress on the develop
rlent of thinking power. Mr.. Hartman
of Middlebury asked how much form can
be taught in one year The first year
should undoubtedly be given to the study
of form, but the teaching of grammar
should be carried through all four years,
and perhaps, in view of this fact, the col
leges are demanding too much quantity.
Mrs. Deyett of Shelburne declared her
belief in the value of the study of Latin,
even if the student went no farther than
an understanding of form, because of the
new and better mental power resulting
Mr.. Robinson of Middlebury felt that
Mr.. Harriman's suggestion as to the
quantity required went very near to. the
root of the matter, and that a compro-
mise must sooner or later come. In con-
clusion Mr.. Chittenden suggested close
syntactical training on single book of
Caesar and a more general treatment of
the rest.
Professor Ogle introduced the second
topic, insisting that if "the power to
read" be interpreted in all its fullness
there will be no occasion for trying to
impart anything beyond it. Mr.. Page of
bakersfield followed. asking whether the
appreciation" of the previous topic can
really be taught. He declared himself
believer in continuous drill, for forms
are tools and the use of them must be
taught. Perhaps, he suggested, his