New-York tribune., 1912-03-31
COMES TO RESCUE GREEK
Prof. Gilbert Murray, of Oxford,
Here at AmherSt's Call,
TO LECTURE AT COLUMBIA
Will Also Make Three Addresses
at Lowell Institute, Besides
Work at Amherst.

Gilbert Murrav, regus professor Of Greek
az oxford University AMI translator of
Greek plays that have actually outshone
eorne of George Bernard Shaw's productions
az the Court Theatre. london, has come 70
America 70 do what he can 70 save the
study Of Greek from an unnatural death IN
American colleges. For hvo weeks he will
do classroom work at Amhsrs. College, the
stronghold Of the compulsory Greek cur
r,culur1, and before he goes back TO Eng
land he will lecture three times on Greek
religions at Columbia University and three
times AZ Lowell Institute on the Creek
drama
Professo~ Murray, with his wife Lady
Mary Murray, daughter Of the late Earl
OF Carlisle, landed IN New York on Friday
and went to the home Of George 4 Pnmp-
ton, No 81 Park avenue Mr. Fl'mpton,
who IS chairman Of tho board OF trustees
OF Amherst, sent the Macedonian call 70
Professor Murray, who after studying the
address of the class OF 1855. Amherst, saw
that this college was making Z desperate
effort 70 constitute itself q hulwark in the
cause 50 dear 70 his heart so he decided 10
give IN his official duties Al oxford for h"e
weeks az least TO come over and help.
Between England and America Professor
Murray discerns a remarkable contrast as
regards education England today, he
SAYS, IS manifesting an extraordinary
awakening In the classics, especially in
Greek, and il all comes about because Eng
land IS so immensely interested in her
"socialistic movement The adult work
ing classes. he saws. are taking up political
economy in earnest and Plato is their mas
ter At least. they want their children 10
learn 10 read him through the Greek, and
large numbers of the adults are learning
Greek at oxford and Cambridge in the
long vacation.
In the board schools, which correspond
10 the American public schools, the work
ing classes are demanding the Greek cur
riculum. he says. Their spirit is mani
tested through the Workers Educational
Association. which began with the study
of political economy The secretary of
the association asked Professor Murray
last year to wait on the Minister Of EIu-
cation and point out the necessity for pro-
vidng the working classes with opportuni-
ties Tor learning Greek.
Professor Murray says that he Is I'm favor
of remitting Greek to a moderate extent
and admitting as an alternate a certain
number of courses I'm science and mathe-
matics lie doesn't favor making Greek
compulsory at Cambridge or oxford, be
cause the ngureS show tnat with the
weaker students 1t works badly.
Professor Murray first came 10 America
in 1915 to lecture at Harvard. tie VIII come
back again next summer 10 lecture at Yale.
lie was born I'm Sydney, New South Wales,
i'm 1866 the third son Of the late Sir Terence
Aubrey Murray lie left Australia at the
age OF eleven, and was educated In st
Johns College I'm lSSS he was made
fellow OF the new College Of oxford. From
1859 TO 1899 he was professor Of Greek In
Glasgow University lie has been regiuS
professor at oxford since 1908. His publiCa-
lions include History of Ancient Greek
literature" "Carlyon sSahib' and "Andro-
mache," both plays that were staged: Lib
eraism and the Empire" "Euripids Fab
ulP." "Hippoytus, Trojan Women"
Court Theatre under the management OF
Charles Frohman, and Rise of the Greek
Epic" published In 1901 Ills address Is
Christ Church. oxford