Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-02
URGES STUDY OF
IRISH LANGUAGE
Member of Senate of National
University Speaks on New
Requirement
NOT A BID FOR POPULARITY
Or. Cox Tells of Reasons for Its
Adoption Into the Cur
ricuIum

DUBLIN, Aug. /. - DR.. Michael F.
Cox of this city, one of the vice pres
idents of the Society for the" Preserva-
ton of the Irish Language, a vice pres
ident Of the National Literary society
and aso vice president of the Ameri-
CO Irish Historical society and men,
Der of the senate of the National uni
q, s.. of Ireland who, during a long
number of years has done much to
advance the cause of the Irish lam
guage revival and to stimulate Irish
torical studies, has given his views
the resolution adopted by the ma
jorty of the senate at its recent meet
inng in favor of making Irish an es-
sential subject at the matriculation
examinations from 1918 onward. DR.,
Cox, being reported to have been
among the majority of those who voted
for the inclusion of Irish at the ma
circulation, is stated to have spoken
strongly in favor of the resolution.
At a previous meeting of the senate
a resolution was arrived at requiring
students of the university who should
I. take Irish at matriculation to at
tend lectures on Irish history and lam
guage in 1911 and 1912. The resolu-
tion now arrived at is the proper and
indeed the only logical outcome of the
resolution previously adopted.
ACTION NECESSARY
Dr. Cox stated that he regarded the
passing of this resolution in favor of
essential Irish as an act of appease-
ment which, in his opinion, was pol
itiC, prudent and necessary. 1t puts,
he said, the university in complete
sympathy with the almost universal
fec of the court"y. 1t justifies
the title of the university to be re-
garded as national and warrants it in
appealing for generous support in the
great work of education when mas
been entrusted TO 1t.
There can no longer be- added DR..
Cox. land there is not any justitica-
tion for the country refusing to rally
to it's support in a whole-hearted man
ner. The country is now bound in
honor to make good the resolutions
and promises so universally made by
various public bodies, to the effect that
if Irish were made an essential sub
ject at matriculation, ample funds
would be forth 1ming TO place the uni
versity on a sound financial basis.
1T is matter of common knowl-
edge that the endowment provided by
the government for the university is
totally Inadequate to enable ii to full
fill efficiently its great mission. With
the coul.trv at its back there would
be- he thought, no danger but that this
omission will be made good and that
the university will start on its ca
reer with every guarantee of suffl-
cient endowment Various county coun-
els have pledged themselves to levy
rate in aid of the university and
the Ceput n from the general coun-
ell OF county councils has formally
pledged itself to this effect. The coun-
try and the councils may rest assured
that any funds entrusted to the uni
versity will BE- expended in the best
possible manner to advance higher ed
ucation in Ireland and to enable the
talented youth of the country to fit
themselves. first of ALL for the eff
cient service and advancement of
their country and their own better
ment.
NOT BID FOR POPULARITY
1T is the business of the senate of
tie university to see that the educa-
tional standard of the university shall
be of the very highest in every de-
partnent of human knowledge in all
the arts and sciences. In recognizing
Irish as essential for the curriculum
of the univer-ity the senate cannot
be accused OF bidding for popularity
at the sacrifice of education. 1t should
be remembered that of old, when Ire
all Europe, Irish was the language of
her schools and of her scholars Irish
is a language rich in grammar, rich in
idiom, ri-h in vocabulary, rich in lit
erature and history Now that Greek
has unfortunately been thrust out of
university education to a large ex-
tent, Irish may for Irish students at
least to some extent supply the loss.
The Greek renaissance has flowered
and faded; the Irish renaissance is
com1- if it has not already come.
AS Greece led Rome lptive, may not
herself-capture the
English-speaking people by the fresh
charm of her rich and varied litera-
ture?'
Despite numerous difficulties the first
year of the new university has been
year not merely of magnificent prom
: of absolutely splendid achieve
ment. The country has learned with
delighted surprise that over 1000 stu
dents attended the lectures in the var
ious colleges of the .,ational univer-
sity last year, and that no fewer than
half of them were students in the
new college in Dublin which began
under uch difficulties shortl. before
Christmas.