The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-01
UNIv1gi,sI,rY pBGI,EEs.
4 Rcply to nm Article on ''Tftc Acnd-
emile Degrees. ana the sUnivcrhlty

UNIVERSITY DI5GIEiss.
A ItcpIy to mn Article on eric Acnd :
emile Degrees ana the Univcrslty
/ Stanlnrtl.v F
Editor of Tho Times Dispatch:
the article , enttflsdl he
Standard" which appeared in the Oc-
tober issue OF the Alumni Bulletin.
there la Is a statement which is mis-
| leading and, In part at least, incor-
Harvard, Yale. Johns Hopkins, Lee
land Stanford and n very large number
Of State universities no longer require
g an ancient Language for the 81, A.
this statement the present writer wrote
to the first three of the institutions
named-he did not write to Leland
tion-and also to Columbia University
and the University OF Pennsylvania,
asking ID whether Latin Is there re-
1quired for the bachelor OF arts degree.
admission into the courses leading to
the bachelor OF arls degree. lie now
has In his possession a signed state
lnent from the dean Of the academic
giving the Information requested.
Dean Griffin, OF Johns Hopkins.
writes that Johns Hopkins requires
Latin for the bachelor Of arts degree,
and of course. requires II as q part
Of the naturalization examination in
the case OF all candidates for tho
bachelor of arts degree" The same
is true at Columbia University, while
Latin and Greek are both required
for the B. A. degree, both for admis-
sion and after admission" At Yale
Quoting from the deans statemenD
present Latin. and no one can receive
the degree Of b. A. who has not had
as much Latin as Yale REQUIRES for
admissions" while at Harvard the re
knowledge OF an ancient language,
which may be satisfied by either Latin
or Creek No information was
known known that that Latin is required for her
bachelor of arts degree
From the above we can SEQ upon
which side. is the testimony OF the
,educational experts" which d. the ne Bu.-
leading Eastern universities. four
Johns Hopkins. Princeton. Columbia
and Pennsylvnnia-requi college
while OF the remaining two, Yale re-
quires tho passing of the entrance ex-
animation in Latin, while Harvard re-
quires the entrance examination IN
examination, It should be understood,
presupposes the study Of the subject
for at least two or three years.
Now, at the University s Of Virginia
Is DTODOSCQ mol W lSquA q LAIN
either in the college course or in the
entrance examinations-and that. too,
In the face Of the expert testimony
to which the Bulletin article appealed!
risked by an institution larger in size
and stronger in resources, Tor the
safety OF the small school lies only in
conservatism
Is Latin of so little importance, that a.
not even an elementary knowledge OF
gree? There are many Of our alumni
who, even though they make no claim
to be educational experts" do not SO
believe. And they have reasons for
sons. The greatness OF tho Latin lit
eraturc is one, but not the only rca-
son; nor is it even the greatest, as
the Alumni Bulletin article seems to
The following additional reasons
why the Latin cannot with profit be
eliminated from the requirements Of
the college course may be mentioned .snal 1,ei
admit of their discussion: l. 1t gives
unsurpassed mental discipline. 2. 1t
gives unequaled training In language
study. 8. 1tSis the very best prepara,,
languages. 4. 1t is necessary to COM
plete and thorough knowledge OF our
own language, for CAD Latin literature
has left its imprint on every period OF
thirds of our English vocabulary Is
derived either directly or indirectly
from the, Latin. while (c) the only
knowledge which some students ever
get Of the more difficult principles of
| English syntaN Is obtained through
their study Of Latin. Certainly there
| is as much reason for eliminating from
the requirements for the 3. A. degree
Course I. in mathematics in the Uni
versity as there is In the total elm
| ination Of Latin; nor can 1t be rightly
! supposed that the students generally
resent less having this mathematics
"rammed down their throats."
The fact that most students will
| required" does not alter the question.
The standard of degree is it's mini
mum requirements, just as the measure
| Of the strength of chain is It's weak
est, and not It's strongest, link. II
the faculty recommendation with refer
| ence to Latin be adopted, then no B. A.
degree which the university may con-
| fer will be, In the public estimation,
| Of any higher standard than that con-
! ferred upon the man who does not know
| a single Latin form or the simplest
Latin construction. Is 1t surprising
| that our alumni do not favor the propo-
| sition?
| Newberry College, Newberry, S. c.
The Alumni Bulletin referred to
| in the foregoing article Is published at
the University of Virginia, and it was
at first intended to publish this reply
! in that magazine This was not done,
| however, and with the authors per-