New-York tribune., 1909-03-14
THE RHODES SCHOLARS
Il Special Greek Cram-M0derRis-
ing Processes.
London, March 6

/
despsed utilitarian standards, rallied TO the oe-
| fence of the classic humanities and insisted upon
| making the study of a dead language the COM
! pusorv condition for obtaining q degree
| picked body of students have been ADMITTED
| from the colonies, America and Germany but
| they have been required TO pass examination
| in Greek IN order to become eligible candidates
| for the Rhodes scholarships, Their presence has
| increased rather than diminished the ardor OF
the Hellenists. who have consecrated their ener-
| gies to the preservation Of the stronghold OF
| the old learning. There signs that the
policy OF the university will be changed or that
there will be a renewal Of battle between the
! triumphant Greeks and the shabby -genteel mod
| erns. Greek will remain the password Tor stu
| dents qualifying for study for any degree
! whether they come from the United Kingdom
or from the Anglo Saxon world. which Cech
Rhodes was anxious to bind together in closer
fellowship. The broadening influences OF the
modern spirit are not TO be allowed to extinguish
! the classical culture of the halls and quad
| rangles.
The managers of the Rhodes Scholarship Trust
| are convinced that the requirement of Greek as
| q subject for examination shuts out good many
| desirable American candidates. They cahhot
! induce the oxford dons TO relax the STANDARDS
but they hope TO attract the promising Anglo
| Saxon by giving him nine months or more Tor
1
! that any American candidate who has passed
! the qualifying examination IN Latin and mathe-
| matics shall be eligible for scholarship al
though he may not have been examined IN
| Greek They will allow the committees OF seiec-
| tlon in America to choose candidate VINO mas
not studied Greek, but they cannot release MIN
| from the obligation to face what OXFORD de-
/ nauds in this language after his appointment
| After qualifying IN Latin and mathematics he
1 tisF,y he nyFO- I'd raSDO
examiners in Greek before he can offer himself
/ as a candidate for any examination or degree
! which presupposes that requirement. As the
| preliminary examinations in America VIII begin
! in October and be completed by December OF
this year there will be interval of eight or
nine months before the candidates residence at
oxford opens. 1t Is assumed that this VIII De
! long enough enable him to pick up smatter-
ing OF Greek and to pass responsions. or the
] equivalent. The good Anglo-Saxon. according
TO the expectations Of the trustees will be WILL
ing to take special cram in Greek II the ap-
pointment be otherwise secured
/ This change Of method IS proof that while
/ the trust is obtaining good men from America
! many are excluded whom Cecil Rhodes mad IN
! mind when he left the money for founding the
| scholarships The privilege OF three years resi-
! dence at oxford appeals strongly TO American
| university students who preparing them
! for
/ or as college professors in history or other
| branches Of learning. As post graduate school
! in Latin and Greek literature or in history OK
! ford cannot be exceIIed. and American students
| looking forward to prolonged service as teachers
! in ira ming schools and colleges cannot do better
than to qualify themselves for scholarships and
! 70 obtain a liberal allowance for their expenses
/ abroad for three years Among the Americans
! at oxford are earnest. hard working students
| who are preparing themselves for superior work
| in schools and colleges. They may not be the
| Anglo-S -Saxons Of light and leading for whom the
! founder created the scholarships, but they are
! turning their residence at oxford to good ac-
! count There are others who have accepted
| their scholarships without having definite plans
| for the future and mainly because they have'
| wanted 10 look around in Europe before settling
| down in America. Some Of them are wasting
! their time over studies which do not interest
| them Others are entertained by the social life
! of the colleges and by the novelty OF their ex-
periences but not fitting themselves for
| practical work in their own country.
| 1t is not the smatter!ng OF Greek required FOR
! exemption from responsions that keeps away
| from oxford typical Anglo-Sa OF strenuous
| natures and noble ambitions. whom cecil Rhodes
wished to subject TO the Influence OF the stored
| town It IS the three years that stands
! I'm the wav American students with robusE
| qualities when they retire from their own uni
/ versities at twenty-five twenty five. do not
| feel that they can afford to remain at oxford
| for three years. even II their expenses are pro
| vided for. Life may be pleasant there but time
and youth are too valuable to be wasted on post
| graduate courses which do not supply practical
| equipment for professional success Teachers
j may find oxford training school OF the highest
efficiency, but foreign students Of law. divinity
| engineering, medicine and science do not have
superior advantages and facilities for post grad
| uate work at the famous university. What Lord
| Curzon has described as tho clientele" does
| not get what It needs. The most promising
American students do not stand for the scholar
ships. and the reason for refusing to accept res
idence with maintenance for three years is the
lack Of as good preparation for success in life
as they can obtain at home IN their univer-
| stiles While the Oxford colleges have chung
| tenaciousIy to the traditions OF Aristotle and
! Greek learning. the university itself has been
! forced to halt while the world has been moving
| on II may not be the home OF lost causes, but
! who will describe It the generating house of
| modern forces in a workaday world?
The trustees have evidently been warned that
! even the small amount of Greek required for the
qualifying examination dminishes American
competition for the scholarships and keeps some
| of the best men away from oxford. They can
! not suspend the Greek responsions. but they
| minimize the effect by showing how easily
| candidate who passes in Latin and mathematics
/ next October can cram up" and cover his de-
| fciency when the appointment has virtually
| been secured A student who has reached man
! hood and is eager to make a start in a profess
! sion ls not likely to be beguIled by the cuckoo
| song that three years at Oxford worth lit