The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-30
FITTING STUDENTS
FOR WORK OF LIFE
No Longer Does B. A. Degree
Mean Education Entirely
Classical.
NEW SCHEME OF STUDIES
Make Forest Attempts to Solve
Pressing Problem and Now
Awaits Results.
NEW SCHEME OF STUDIES

tBaccalaureate address by william
CollcgeD
Gentlemen of the class Of l9li.-The
ancestry OF the bachelor OF arts dc
gree may be traced UP through the
dominance of the Greek and Roman
literature OF tho Renaissance, the seven
so-called liberal arts Of CassiodoruH or
the sixth century. the nine liberal arts
OF the old Roman. Narro, 10 the ND
erar education OF Arlstotle and Plato.
The specific content OF this education
varied from period TO period. hut It's
controlling conception throughout It's
long history is directly descended from
the antithcsis which these Creek
philosophers set up between the life
Of elegant leisure and contemplation
appropriate TO a free man and the sor-
did and mental life Of the slave. Ger
tain useful" subjects. as reading and
writing. bodily culture. music. and
drawing. they admitted to the curri
culum because of their higher value
for tho formation of taste. character
and intellectual refinement: but me-
fessionai studies, whose value was
merely commercial. they held to be
iiltberAi. as the practice of them sets
stamp on tho body and restricts the
outlook OF the mind Liberal edu-
cation. on the other hand aa the name
It's recipient free man in body and
soul. and Mt him for the full citizenship
OF a state. The liberal arts culti-
waited by the free man and philosopher
were divorced from the practical ac-
tivtties OF the world and 30 IL came to
pass that the bachelor OF arts OF the
later time passed out of college into
life to discover that no had been oc-
cupied with intellectual pursuits more
or less remote from the interests TO
INST
self. The standard requirements OF
the bachelor of arts degree were es-
tablished before the scientific revolu-
tion OF the last century. That revolu-
ton was without precedent In It's
enormous multiplication OF human in
terests and activities. and IL distinctly,
widcned, OF course. tho hiatus between
college and life. The bachelor OF arts
tradition. consolidated by centuries OF
refined conservatism. held on it's way
with remarkable persistence, submit
ing but slowly to the forciblc trespass
OF the new subjects. which came. under
the Harvard leadership. to be known as
electives. But the widest range OF
electives has failed TO close the hiatus
and now hears the additional discredit
OF relaxing the severe and wholesome
discipline OF the old standards and
designating In numerous supcrhciali-
ties the solid attachments for which
the old degree was the universal!
symbol
NEW SCHEME Of STUDIES
TO SOLVE BIG PROBLEM
This Is the fourth session since the
Wake Forest faculty introduced a new
scheme or studies, organized in the
hope OF solving. at least In part this
pressing problem Subjects OF univer-
sal human interest, ms opposed 10 spe-
cial vocational interest, were REQUIRED
OF all students. They occupy the FIRST
two years Of the course. and are sup
fn
honorable Bachelor OF Arts tradition.
Among the other subjects. legitimate
and numerous AS they were choice was
allowed. but the choice was controlled
ana directed Into channels which bass
without interruption Into the students
NE career These subjects. occupying
the last two years of the course were
assembled In seven groups, each Of
which, without loss OF culture value. Is
characterized by Its relation TO some
leading vocation. II is among these
groups that the student makes his
choice, not Unfortunately among
many unrelated subjects
The class of 1914 Is the first whose
studies have been wholly ordered un-
DER this scheme. Permit me to raise
the question whether the new curricu-
ium. Judged by Its product. Is entitled
to be called liberal" Has the truth
90 known. while serving to connect
your training with your task, done for
you the supreme service of making
you free? For of what avail is any
amplitude of training. II your task is
q serVitude? What matters dexterity
OF hand or ninbieness OF mind IL either
wears a chain?
of those great gifts of life-Knowl-
edge. Beauty, Frcedom---the greatest Is
Freedom. knowledge may be wide AS
nature and deep as the soul OF man.
out IL II be not free, free to speak, free
ulnt I0t
Beauty which Is not free to run out
INTO line and tint and tone is q vain
abstraction. Even life Itself. whose
hrst demand is that it be FULFILLED
OUT to Its proper sphere on every ra-
dius OF capacity. life will fall Of full
Which is the enhancement of life, the
Noiding of life to all eXoellencies, is
no culture, III 1t be not liberal--that is
10 say. emanicipating.
blackstone will tell you that natural
LIBERTY consists in acting as one thinks
m'nout any restrainst or control
eAoePt by tho law OF nature, but that
every man. when he enters society,
gives UP part of his liberty. Civil
hoerty accordingly Is natural liberty
SO lar restrained by human laws, and
10 ia,'hcr' as Is cXpedient for the pub
~ auvah.hse' Where there is no law,
ne continues. there Is no freedom
famous annotator adds THE liberty of
Going everything which a mans mas.
s.ons urge him to attempt or his
strength enables him to effect. is saw
-se ferocity: it Is the liberty ~ q.
iiser. and not the liberty of a man"
For the present purpose we NAV apree
that freedom is sclf-deteI,nination i'm
harmony with the laws of life. the in
nor mind consenting to the outer ordi-
nance. And so free man is one WIN
In real sense. is master of his own
and lnfi
theless. is under the restraints of his
social and divine relationships; and he
Will be the last tn challenge the dictum
Of Burke. that liberty must be limited
in order to be possessed.
According to this standard do you
adjudge yourselves TO be free men to-
day? do not ask whether you count
your graduation day as emancIpation
day. am concerned, rather. with tho
results of your four years campaign
here In quest OF freedom. AS you can
vass the records to-day. do you ind
the memorials Of an enIarpinu saif