University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1909-04-21
RHODES SCHOLARS
AND GREER

/
site for the ordinary degree OF B. A. bas
had its effects hitherto upon the Rhodes
scholars from this country, inasmucb
as even the small amount OF Greek ra
quired for the qualifying entrance ey.
animation at the university has pre-.
vented proportion of candidates in
this country, in other respects desirable.
from competing for the scholarships.
1t has also been observed that some
| American students who were reluctant
to prepare in Greek on the mere chance
of getting a scholarship would gladly
do SO provided the scholarships had been
definitely awarded to them on other
grounds. Here was practical difficulty
in articulating the present educational
ideals of America to those OF Oxford.
For Il generation, in this country. the
drift has been away from Greek as a
required study in college entrance condi.
tiOns: and i'm England also the same
movement has been strongly felt. al.
though Oxford has remained to this dav
the fortress of the classici>ts anon.
the universities of the United Kingdom.
\ recently announced modification of
the requirements for eligibility TO the
Rhodes scholarships, with reference to
Greek. illustrates the influence that the
Rhodes foundation is having upon OK
ford, and particularly may it be inferred
that educational conditions in America
are having their effect upon oxford
classicism. The trustees of the founda-
tiOn are anxious that the scholarship,
should be attainable by all American
students of ability, ard they are now
able to announce an arrangement where
by any candidate from the United
States who has passed the qualifying
examination in mathematics and Latin
shall be eligible even though he may
not have passed in Greek. Oxford.
however. has apparently made no con-
cessiOn. Its requirements are unchanc-
ed. Rcsponsions, which are the first
examinations that every candidate for
the Oxford degree of B. A.. must pass.
must still be successfully met by all
who wish to follow the ordinary curl
culum. In the future, as i'm the past.
American students who pass the Rhodes
qualifying examination in Greek. Latin
and mathematics will be exempt from
responsions, but those who are pro-
nounced eligible after qualifyin" only
in Latin and mathematics. will be
obliged to satisfy the Oxford re-pon-
sions examiners in Greek also before
they can offer themselves for anv exam
ination which presupposes re>ponsions.
Where, then. is the concession and in
what does it consist?
The point is that bright American
student who has become eligible for
Rhodes scholarship in Latin and mathe-
matlcs may thereupon work up enough
Greek in about nine months to enable
him to pass the Greek requirement of
responsions on going into residence at
Oxford. 1t is expected that hereafter
the election of Rhodes scholars in the
United States will be completed bv the
end Of December in each year. while
the responsiOns examination at Oxford
takes place at the end of September
1t Is stated by competent authority
that experience ha, shown that this
interval OF less than year allows am
PIE time for student OF ability. such
as any selected Rhodes scholar would be.
to prepare himself in Greek. vet one is
scarcely prepared to believe i; until the
Oxford requirements in creek for adj
mission are understood. Compared with
the amount Of Greek that used 10 be
required for admission to a New Enc- :.
land college. twenty-five or thirty
years ago. they seem amazingly slight
knowledgc of Greek grammar and one
Greek book only. is now the oxford
minimum, and the candidate. i'm pre-
parin@ the book. has choice anon.
d wide range OF Greek authors. tine
may take the Grafton of Demn.;bpnps
on the Crown or anv two of the
plays OF Euripides. or five book, of IIo-
iier lilad. or parts of Nrnophon'-
Ahaba>lS, for example. Nine month,
Tor working up this much Greek nav
seem a very brief time. but of course
the Rhodes candidate nad,. elioiblc
could devote his time exclusively To the
subject and make rapid progress. There
Is no authority whatever for >avinr 10.
Dut as one considers this arrau"rm,ns
he can hardly avoid the inference that
tie Oxford examiners would not be- M
duly severe in their test, of the nine
months Greek learning which such
candidate had brought from over the
sea
lhe trustees of the Rhodes founda-
'lon make this concession. they -av. 10
meet exceptional cases and they hope
'hat the great majority OF candidates