The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-12

Inc second essay is on Academic
leadership" and copes with the ma
ture OF the education which fits men
for the governing class. Mr.. More
points out that thinking people the
country over are disturbed at the in
stability of life. The essay was writ
ten before the declaration Of war In
Europe and is the more important as
showing That even then alarm was
widespread owing to the unsettlement
OF property. the harassment of bust
ness, the breaking up of all the old
laws of decorum and the decay of re-
1igion. Nor in our disturbance over
conditions must We forget that such
an attitude OF mind In az old Is his
tory; that civilization is. so far. a mere
tour de force, IA little hard won area
Of order and Decentralization amidst
a vast wilderness OF anarchy and bar
barism." The comparison Of civillza-
ton to a ship, more complex In our
own day than when 1t was a sailing
ship. with its recent command of
greater forces, Is admirable. and the
description following 1t. OF passing on q
calm moonlit night over the place
where the Titanic sank. is an instance
of that heightened emotion which adds
to prose a quality inherent usually in
fine poetry which we spoke Of, as a
new element in Mr.. Mcre's style. Not
that il initiates the cadence OF verse
but that it its emotion. AS n
rule Mr.. More is a close. logical thinker.
There have been moments when his
subject seemed to warrant lyric emo
ton. and he seemed self-restrained to
the point of being dry. But that sup
preston has m its work and given
nov a very special seal to the moments
when he allows himself enthusiasm.
The text of the essay on Academic
Leadership" is drawn from an utter
ance of William y. McCombs, chair
man of the National Democratic Com
mittee: THE college man must for
get-or never let it creep into his head
that he's a highbrow. If IT does
creep i'm he's out of politics" II is a
protest, against such a state of at
fairs that Is the subject of this ESSAY.
We must get back To n common under-
standing Of the office Of education If
the college is to he. as it should be. tho
breeding place for social leadership
and a natural a~ristocracy.
Mr.. More's plea is for the human
istic studies and he gives examples
| and even statistics of the superiority
OF these for fitting II man To grappie
! ably with life. The example of Eng
lish craftsmanship founded almost en-
;irely upon humanistic studies he docs
! not use. hut 1t occurs inevitably 10
every reader. lie tells us that n letter
/ f,a,, NA".,lax.ap IL, iuIt ,i.-nS stDfiefi pG
to prove that the classical students
cutstrip the others in obtaining all
sorts of honors, even honors in the
sciences. Another letter shows that
AT the University Of Nebraska The per
centage of those dellnauents who en-
tered with four years of Latin was be-
low !. among those VINO had three
years Latin. Is. two Years of Latin
and two of modern languages. 30. and
one year Of Latin ana two Ia fou or
modern languages, 80. In the Nation.
April %. 1874. Professor Arthur COR
don Webster. the famous physicist of
, Clark University. writes of classical
| studies: MANY Of us still believe that
! such a training makes the best pos
sible foundation Tor Il scientist"
FsIltltItN III iIlsalll ~ Y h'i' 10
organizing, upon which - mueh stress
is placed nowadays. is not properly
an academic product at all and should
Mr.. More thinks. be developed IN the
school OF the world rather than in col
lege athletics and societies, II is ~
true in education as in other matters,
that union is strength and division
weakness. and If educated men are 10
work together for II common pIrpose
they must acquire "A common range ot
ideas, a certain solidarity of outlooH,
And to this purpose the humauiStic
studies. Latin aud Greek, viii their
specific power of correction for the
more Misunderstanding tendencies of the
age" are instruments of education out
Weighing the more Immediately SCR
viceable studies.
OF course here one feels that n
more careful outlining of purpose is
necessary, For statescraft doubtless
the classics serve; but If a young
mans destiny is To n II factory,
travel for a hardware firm or become
"A cashier. and all these careers are
possible to n college graduate, the
Greek poets serve as solace rather
than active aids. And with all The
reverence and respect with which W.
listen to Mr.. More's plea for q higher
culture we have reluctantly to admit
that he Is writing for a class.
IL We are of divided mine between
the claims Of the fiji to lead and con-
trol and the right of the lower classe-
TO rise where and when they may
there is no division in our assent
when we read a passage like the clos
ing of this essay:
hN, limited myself In these pages t.
4 discussion Of what may he called the
puul!, side Of eiuca,Ion, considering the
classics la their power 8" mould character
'ani to foster sound leadership "a a sociriS
much given to drifting. ~ the iueN.
hausjIole joy and consolation they affor"
To the Individual only he can have ful
knowledge who has made the writer's OF
Greece and Rome his friends and coun.
sellors through many Nioissitudes Of life
1t IL related OF Sainte-Beuve. who. ac'
cordlng TO Renau. read everything and re-
membered everything, that one could
observe a peculiar serenity ON his face
whenever he came down from his study
after reading a book o: Homet. The cos
Of learning the language Of Homer Is no
small, but so are all fair things difficult
as the Greek proverb runs, and the reward
IA this case Is precious beyond estimation
Since these first two essays give
with fair clarity the drift of Mr.. More's
: I,,t,t., Y.n ,au. tho ,.NI fh.,. anG