Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-07-08
NATION IDEALS
Continues from Page ore)

teach them how to use science. This
is best done through liberal culture.
We do not wish to be Greek We
do not wish TO be Roman. We have
great desire to be supremacy Ameri-
can. That purpose We know we can
accomplish by continuing the process
which has made us Americans
The vice president returned to
Washington tonight
Education is primarily a means of
establishing ideals, the vice president
said, its first duty being the forma-
ton of character which is the result
of hereditary and training 1t is the
ancient classics. he declared. that in
spire the ideals toward which all men
and nations are striving today.
The most pressing requirement of
the present hour" the speaker assert
ed, zig not how we are to solve. our
we to find the sustaining influence for
the realities of life? How are We to
justify the existing form of govern
ment in our republic? Where can we
rely for a continuation of that service
Of sacrifice which has made modern
civilization possible?
The progress of the present era
gives no new answers to these prob
lens. There are no examples of hero
ism which outrival IAonidas al Their
mopylae, or Horatius at the bridge.
Theliteraturc of Greece and Rome is.
from beginning TO end, an inspiring
plea for patriotism.
The world has recently awakened
to the value and therighteousness of
democracy. This ideal is not new. 1t
has been the vision which the people
or many nations have followed
centuries. Because men knew
that that ideal had been partially re-
allied in Greece and Rome, they had
faith that i, would be fully realized in
Europe and America.
Il is impossible for society to
break with it's past II is the pro-
quot OF all that has gone before. We
could not CUT ourselves off from, all
influences which existed prio 10 the
declaration of independence and ex-
pect any success by undertaking to
ignore all that happened before that
date
The principles and ideals on
which we must depend not only for
continuance OF modern culture but.
believe, for a continuance Of the de.
velopmert of science itself come to
US from the classics. All this is the
reason that the sciences and the
professions reach their highest de-
velopment as the supplement of a
classical education"
There has been a theory. Vice
President Coolidge continued. that
all learning ought to be at once
translated into scientific and com
mercial activities. Advancement
however. can not be insured without
a culture. he declared. Unless Amerj-
rams shall continue TO live in some
thine more than the present. to- he
moved by something more than ma
terial gains, they will 60 down az
other peoples have gone down befo-.
some nation possessed of greater
moral force. The will 10 endure is
not the creation of moment /, ;s
the result of long training.
ION University. president OF the
league. in his annual report tod1v
sald there is more criticism Of our
teaching methods than OF the intr;r
sic value OF classical education,
Much OF the criticism" he com ,
unued is ignorant and unfair but
mucn OF II is just. Complaint is
MADE OF many things, but mainly of
ohe-that our teaching Is too often
dry. mechanical and pedantic."
virtually the whole session wa,
devoted ia projected investigators
OF methods of teaching Latin ava
Greek in the schools of the Tinted
States.
The following officers were elected.
PRESIDENT. Andrew F. West, dean
or Princeton University; vice presi-
dent, Alexander Dondurant of tia
University of Missouri; secretsry-
trea surer Professor Shirley Weber
Of Princeton.