New-York tribune., 1922-07-02
Worlds English
Scholars Plan
Meeting g Here
Hundreds From Both Sides
of Atlantic Will Confer
on Teaching at Columbia
June l3, Ia and Is, 1923
Marks New Solidarity
Gathering Will Consider
Many Important Aspects
of Modern Literature

Hundreds of scholars from both
sides Of the Atlantic VIII assemble at
Columbia University June 13, IA and
10, 1923, it was announced yesterday, to
attend a conference Of British and
American professors of English. Invi-
tatlons have been sent to distinguis shed
scholars and men of letters, whether
within or without the universities. in
order to constitute representative
gathering which would be prepared to
consider many important aspects of the
study and teaching of the English lam
guage and literature
A similar conference was held in
London under the auspices Of the Uni
versity of London in July, 1920. This
proved one Of the most important cdu-
cational meetings since the war and
marked the beginning of a new soidar-
lty between American AMI English
scholars and teachers.
The government gave the Americ
delegates dinner at which the Minis
ter of Education, Herbert Fisher. pre-
sided, and the Lord Mayor entertained
them at luncheon at the Guild Hall. Ok
ford, Cambridge and other universities.
as well as many private individuals,
JoAileu III tHe nOSpllalltleS.
Joint Committee Named
AT that conference joint committee
of American and British scholars was
appointed to continue inter-relations
between the scholars of the two coun-
tres. 1t IS under the auspices of this
joint committee that the second con-
ference is to be held. Harvard, Yale,
princeton and other universities will
join in the entertainment Of the
visitors, and it is expected that many
of them will lecture in some Of the
many summer sessions and teachers
institutes.
More than 100 American universities
will send delegates to this conference,
and nearly 200 guests will be invited
from Great Britain. Canada, Australia
and South Africa. Among those who
were present at the first conference,
a number of whom may be expected
in New York, are Herbert Fisher,
Minister of Education; Sir Sidney Lee,
originator of the plan; the poet lau-
reate, Robert Bridges; the Very Rev.
w. r. 1ngc, dean Of St. Pauls; Sir
Isaac Gollantz, Henry Bradley, A. c..
Bradley and Professors George Saints
bury and C. H. Herford
"The problems OF teaching English
have taken on new aspects in Great
Britain since the war" said Professor
A. H. Thorndike, of Columbia. "With
the increasing characterization of
higher education English is bound to
assume new Importance and scope in
the English universities. Naturally,
English scholars turn to the United
States, where, during the last genera
ton, processes have been at work
similar to those now apparent in the
older country. The mother tongue has
now become the basis of our educa-
tional system and the most popular
subject for advanced study and re-
search.
U. S. Active in Research
"1n the field of scholarship this coun-
try has also been very active, perhaps
surprising England in the number and
variety of publications. However, we
have as yet very few great monuments
Of research, such as the Dictionary of
National Biography, of which Sir Sid
ney Lee was editor, or the Oxford
Dictionary, which is growing to com
pletion under the editorship of Henry
Bradley. In both countries there has
always been close union between the
study and the practice of letters.
Novelists, poets and dramatists, whether
or not connected with the universities.
are generally interested in the study
and teaching of our language and liter
ature."
In connection with the conference it
is expected there will be a celebration
of the terccntenary of the Folio of
1923, the first complete edition Of
Shakespeare's works. The commemora-
ton of the tercentcnary of Shakes
peares death in 1916 was some
what clouded by the war, but on the
occasion Of the first British American
conference in 1920 there were notable
Stakesperian celebrations, both in Lon
don and Stratford.