The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-07-08
WHAT TO DO ABOUT LATIN.
Two Proposed Methods Which Might
Solve Entrance Problem.

The increasing public demand for a
business preparation in college will best
be met by the policy of considering it
an essential of sound Yale education
to give every student as broad a gen
cral foundation for all professions and
careers MS is possible in the four wears
to be allotted for the purpose This
theory directly asserts that there should
be no early specialization in any sub
iect under the new Yale plan, accord
ing TO a letter in the Yale Alumni
Weekly. It asserts that, except for en-
ginecrs, until junior year and in the
majority of cases senior year, no stud
cnt should be permitted to begin inten-
sive work on the subject matter which
he is later to make his speciality for
life. 1t proposes, on the other hand,
that in senior year there should be such
specialization for every student who has
a definite end in view. That is. ''busi-
ness would be treated under this plan
as a scmior-year specialization across
all courses and both schools, topped by
a graduate year If 4 man desired to do
intensive work in any branch that in
tercsted him
The corollary TO this plan is the de-
] cidcdly necessary one of opening the
college TO the non-Latn students for
some years hocking to the Shelf So
lcct course. And here again the pro-
lposal is to be studied on its merits and
mot rs compromise.
| Latin, as 4 four year entrance re-
/ quircmcnt is 10 longer demanded by
any but nine men and women 5 colleges
in the East, has long been dropped by
the western state institutions, and has
/ become elective ut the other progressive
Ifom-ycars school preparation in Latin,
colleges Of the country. Yale demands
partly because its supporters sincerely
believe that ii gives the best mental
i discipline and cultural values. largely
because it has always been q Yale re
quircment and because today If Is the
strongest bridge between the eastern
preparatory schools and Yale college
Latin IS taught generally in the best
high schools of the country, East an,
West
The approach to The decision as t
Latin would seem to be better made
from the b. \. degree viewpoint thar
from the entrance examination require
mont. If Yale desires to retain Latin
! or u u. ~ NltH.Et ana III IHt same TIM
be more hospitablc in her entrance ex
aminations to the western high schools
the four wears Of Latin now require,
may possibly be placed somewhere els
in the eight than in the first four, sa'
the second \ better dec,Sion woul
[ be reached, however, if Yale courage
ously cut away from tradit ;ons and OF
fcrcd elective Latin for entrance an
thau TrpG9pihnI 7 nfip nnllntra n
G such courses as the faculty decided
was necessary preliminary study Il
If Yale college did this. the probe1
$ of how to meet the needs Of the il
f creasing number Of bows vino wtntc
= q Yale education. but did not wish t
o take Latin in school or college 10 sc
t it, would at once be solved. That i
c this alternative plan proposes 4 Latl
and a nonLatin B. A. or the pre-
emf Latin b. A. and another degre
equal to it without Latin. To do tn
would show that Yale college propose
e to enter the new era with an ope
: mind to the demands Of the America
public upon her.
Given general science four-ye;
L course in Shelf ca perfectly defensib
- proposition on its merits) where Won
be centralized all future scientific d
. velopment at Yale,-with upper yea
= specializing for those who wanted the
in business courses that were wcightI
with science, then Yale college won
be taking a forward step if it in tul
centralized its work in the non-scienc
economic, business courses in semi
tie year as q complement to the Shelf sp
calization. In addition, it would th'
be the opportunity Of the college
p broaden out its present business cours
es to cover 4 greater range of intere
a minis, ration such a. railroading, tinan'
ed governmental public service, civics, ci
IN administrations, Together, the Y
~ schools would combine III what won
of virtually be a common senior year bu
in ness course, which would not need
II. have American business as its exclusi
field.
The serious problems up for discl
sion today at Yale, as regards Lat
RI and a business course for Shelf, m
m be approached by one or the other
: the two methods above outlined.