The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-09
a Reply.

Editor OF Tha Times d ispatch:
Sir,-Reading the Alumni Bulletin OF
the University OF Virginia, Issued in
5Anril could not fail to observe the
article "Changea In tho Requirements
for tho B. A, and n. A. Degrees, py
that scholarly gentleman and interest
ing instructor, Professor X. II. sDapney:
shiver OF surprise that l noted the real
uurport OF the proposed "changcs---'s
Viz. ~making It possible to take the 3:
A. degree without kno Wedge OF
either Latin or Greek" 20 Temporal
Ynores," Shall the profound scholar.
ship OF our Alma Mater DO replaced
bv modern American sciolism7 Shall
ne classic depth and thoroughness OF
a University OF Virginia education be-
come, thing OF the past and q super
ficial. skin deep veneer OF science ana
literature and modern languages take
tho place OF the old, hard earned
classic degree?
Tho terms OF all the sciences are
derived from the classic tongues
Imagine student OF chem'stry. looR.
| inp AIN "allo-tropic" in the dictionary;
a student OF geology not knowing that
.,strata" Is a plural; graduate IN as
| tronon,y not knowing tho connection
between "gravis" and gravitation!
we 70 fast in america. An Ameri-
can pullman is better than an Eng,
| fish or continental train. IN materlal
progress we nre IN the van, n.y.
actually leading. In books that give
mental and spiritual apllte' Ens ~
! is still our teacher.
When oxford anu Cambridge give
aecraes without requiring elasslca
culture the University Of Nirslnia
might consider the stop. Grand old
i Colonel Peters. who 50 nearly Kli1ed SO
r.. Fort rfNS n
i many OF us. who was IN iact b STOW, =
i inp,a Gram,narian" incarnnte, who pc
ii.aysd with General Robert p. Lee that
4 =, man did not Kill himself by coll
iera work che ought to come as near
20 nossible" said to me shortly Pc
Il tora he dicd: I'm only afraid that IN
getting in SO many OF these new
4 tcourscs hero we may lack the
mess Of the old ones"
This, {am sure, no one Of the board
I of visitors nor that eloquent spea he'.
DR.. Alderman, desire.
I / cannot conceive of an NJ. a. OF the
} University Of Virginia walking thro
; Westminster Abbey and bescechlnR
some one to declpher for him the Latin
) inscriptions, nor yet Of 3. a. Graautte
plying his English dictionary ior ia'Y
terms. or for medical terms. ~. ~ ~.
even to know that all OF these are
{, Greek or Latin derivatives.
It is hard to think Of his being cai 49,.
, cd a scientist without his knowing 8: the tn,
> meaning OF "scio. OF peins ,cui,ed
t "literary" without having ever decllhea q
) "Iittera," or "cultured," without being :
J, acquainted with the supine' "cnltum,.
We have already descended .tsnat roa ~ gan.
!, ing tho 3. A. degree without to wv +,,o
n any nnGW's Of Virginia Degenerate INTO
8 a factory OF wooden nutmegs. !, lnst .,,sa
Of being the nursery Of tn sturdy ~ 'r nes
: Latin be removed from her require.
,nents for tho degree OF bachelor OF
NJ arts. -, =. ,,,aoa
. S 1,row th s@u shalt eat bread" it Us
realize that true nourlsnmsn , 70 for the
highest life is not easy to optash: .hat.
!, to mortals except for great labor" Let
, our graduates work for their honors.
2 - 1VYTIID LEIGH k1NsoLVIN' g.
E Z 4 u + i LII L .