The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-11
RABB|A|cAl ideas
OF CULTURE

VI UUlIUll
code for determining the man of
culture. This code is to be found in
their volume. "Dicta of the Fathers.
compiled toward the beginning of the
Christian Era. The Dicta comprises.
in all. six chapters and is devoted to
a discussion of human relations, edu-
| cation. society. and culture.
The code on culture Is interesting
! 1t gives a DEFINITE standard by which
to gauge refinement. even today
In the rabbinical standard. man Is
not cultured only by reason OF his
religion. money politics. or ancestry.
Refinment may be acquired. and man
Is cultured only because by his own
efforts he has made himself SO.
The first rule of culture--measured
by the rabbinical standards the
proper courtesy of seniors. a man
OK refinement does mot speak before
HIS seniors in rank. age. learning. or
station. unless asked to do SO; tho
young child is not cultured If he con-
tradicts his parents. The child must
; learn that obedience consists of more
than paying proper respect to seniors.
Properly respecting seniors" means
| that the private in ranks must learn
| to be obedient, and must do gladly
every task imposed upon him by the
captain. The attorney pays due and
proper respect to the judge on the
| bench. He may have personal grew
aLce against the Judge. and may even
have good reason to doubt the judges
sagacity and legal knowledge; but the
attorney recognizes that the judge is
his compeer, at least while on the bench.
ri. ats,t.
that the Instructor is his senior in age
and in learning.
Courtesy ms First Essential.
The man of culture Ia courteous to
his seniors. as well as to his equals.
He never Interrupts the speech of his
companion" The refined person rec
ognizes that each has freedom of ex-
rression--within the bounds of cour-
tesy and respect.
The cultured man is not "hasty in an
swer." His response to question is
carefully and deliberately planned with
regard to exactituda in expression. de-
cision and subject matter. The man
OF refinement plans his speech care
fully. He speaks accurately and pre-
cisely. His words are well chosen and
used correctly.
The cultured man is not 'hasty in
answer "or in speech: he makes no
promises unless he intends to keep
them. That an excitahle person re-
strains himself from answering hastily
may save him considerable regret and
embarrassment. Let your wrath pass
before you speak"
From the habit Of being deliberate
in answer and in speech. the man Of re-
finement learns to question accord
ing TO the subject matter" His ques-
tons are direct, concise. and relevant;
his answers contain no extraneous. ir-
relevant statements The man Of Gull
ture questions and answers ITO the
point" His entire speech is unified.
His speech contains only one thought
and his entire speech is aimed toward
the development of that one thought,
The Single Idea.
Conference. like unity. is important
tn the cultured man. He speaks on
the first matter first and on the last
matter last His words are linked
together closely. and every sentence
grows out of the sentence before The
refined mans speech is coherent and
logical
The rabbits. il will be noted empha-
size mot without reason> the matter
! of correct usage in the cultured man.
Good breeding demands absolute pre-
cision and skill in speech and writ
! ing. The cultured man must speak
with decisive exactitude. His lam
EuGEH must upk DC iOISlS n "
The man Of refinement must be pos
I sossed OF exactitude In manner and
/ knowledge as well; he must learn
I things exactly and accurately. The
/ gentleman does not speak on subjects
OF which he is ignorant. Instead, he
admits frankly and simply and with
out excuse or apology. that he does
not understand" When his knowledge
on certain subject is limited. the
man of culture does not speak about
that subject. He admits his ignorance,
and seeks to learn, BY this method.
the gentleman becomes an able in
vestigator. with tremendous powers
of discrimination. The cultured man
insists that his information be reliable
and accurate.
Further. II he is defeated in argu-
nsent or is convinced of the truth of
an ideal which he had doubted pre-
viously, he Will acknowledge his error
or defeat The cultured man always
acknowledges the truth" without hes
itation or fear-even when it comes
from 81 bitter opponent. He is, there
fcre, good loser. but. even more SO,
good student He learns from all
men.
This. then, is the rabbinical stand
ard OF culture Summarized in one
word. the code acclaims exactitude in
all as the basis of culture Manners
must be correct. speech must be &C
curate, information. everything must
be precise. He who would be cultured
must know the truth of the rabhinical
standard, which says. in a few words:
To be cultured. be exact"
This Is the standard II emphasizes
the qualities that man can attain only
by his own efforts 1t does not rec
ognize wealth or ancestry as the basis
of culture. ITO be cultured. be exact"