New Britain herald., 1923-11-24

Civilization depends not only upon the knowledge of the people, but
 upon the use they make of it. If 1 knowledge be wrenEfuily used, civil
 lsation commits suicide. !.
 The individual may be ignorant and vicious. If society have learning and
 virtue that will sustain him. If so-
 ciety lacks learning and virtue, 1t perishes. Education must give not only power but direction. It must
 minister to the whole man or 1t 1 fails.
 Such an education considered from
 the position of society does not come from science. That provides power alone but not direction. Give a saw age tribe firearms and distillery, and their members will exterminnate each other. They have science all
 right. but misuse it. They lack ideals. These young men that we welcome back with so much pride
 did not go forth to demonstrate their faith in science. They did not offer their lives because of their belief in any rule of mathematics or any principle of physics or chemistry. The laws of the natural world would be unaffected by their defeat ar Vie. tory. No; they were defending their ideals, and those ideals came from the classics.
 This is pre.eminentiy true of the culture of Greece and Rome. Pa. triotism with them was predoni- nant. Their heroes were those who sacrificed themselves for their coun- try. from the three hundred at Ther- mopylHe to Horatius at the bridge. Their poets sang of the glory of dy- ine for ones native land, The ora- tons of Demosthenes and Cicero are pitched in the same high strain. The of Plato and Aristotle and the Greek and Latin classics were the foundation of the Renais. sance. The revival of learning was the revival of Athens and Sparta and | of the Imperial City. Modern sci- ence is their product. To be includ- ed with the classics are modern his- tory and literature. the philosophers, the orators, the statesmen, and poets Milton and Shakespeare, Lowell snd whittier,--the Farewell Address, he Reply to Hayne. the Speech at is all these and more hat I mean by the classics. They ii = not only power to the intellect, put direct it's course of action.
 The classic of all classics is the Bible.
 I do not underestimate schools of ,cience and technical arts. They ,ave a high and noble calling in min- stering to mankind. They are im- ,ortant and necessary. I am point ns out that in my opinion they do Iot provide a civilization that can ,and without the support Of the deals thst come from the classics.
 The conclusion to be derived from his position Is that a vocational or schnicai education is not enough. Ne must have every American citi- sn well grounded in the classical iesls. Such an education will not nhi him for the work of the world. , id those men in the trenches light ' ny less Valiantly. did they shrink nv more from the hardships of .ar. when 6 liberal culture had given broader vision Of what the great ! ,paict meant The discontent in { ,odprn industry is the result Of ,o narrow outlook. more liberal ulturt will reveal the importance nd mobility of the work of the .orld. whether in var or peace. IL
 far from enough to teach our citi- sns vocation. Our industrial sys- m win break down unless it is hu- Ianized. There is greater need for
 liberal culture that will develop ,e whole man in the whole body our citizenship. The day when ,llege education will be the portion | all may not be so far distant as it ems
 We IiTe in a republic. Our govern ept fs exercised through represen- tives. Their course of action is .ry accurate reflection of public ,irion Where shall that be formed ,d directed unless from the in- Iences. direct and indirect. that ,nIe from our institutions of Iearn- E. The laws of public represent , ideals. They are founded upon lbfic opinion. and public opinion in -nerfra up to the present time has -s-n ns inspiration from the a as=ff.s
 Amherst. June 1s. 1919.
 a Telegram
 Boston. Mass. sept. if. 1913. .. Samuel GoTnpers
 President American Federation Of
 La sbor. New York City. \. '.
 Replying 10 your telegram. I have ready refused to remove the police ,rnfnissfOasr of Boston. l did not painf him. Hs can ssznHne 10 ro-