Evening star., 1925-07-03
Rejoice at Resurrection
Of the Dead" Languages

Reports of increased interest in the
study of the classics in the United
States and in Europe have resulted
in general discussion of the benefits
of such study. Favorable comment
involves the assertion that Latin and
Greek have important contributions
to make to modern life.
Better character as a goal of edu
cation receives emphasis from the
San Francisco Bulletin, which believes
that classic studies are most effective
aids" in that direction. The unre-
flecting regard Latin as a dead Ian
guage,' but 1t is tremendously alive"
says the Bulletin. French, Italian,
Spanish, Portuguese and Rumanian
are but Latin modified and modern
lied: while OF 100000 words or there
about in current vocabulary we call
English, $4,000 are of Latin origin,
while only half that number can be
called purely English, and 10000 are
derived from other sources. Latin is
not dead. 1t lives on and on in the
languages Of Western Europe as well
as in the nomenclature of the
sciences"
Support for the plea that the clas-
sizes should have a larger place in
education is given by the Champaign
News-G Gazette, which argues: IF you
want a school to do nothing except
to train its pupils to be successful car
penters or engineers or architects or
lawyers or statesmen, then the classics
are more or less out of place. But If
you think a school ought first of all
to teach pupils how to live, how TO
enjoy life and work and play, then by
all means restore the classics" So also
the Pueblo Star-Journal holds that
"as the main purpose of education is
to fit people to think for themselves,
it is possible that in the future the ad-
vocates of restoration of the classics
will be successful in their campaign"
The Pueblo paper points out that
Latin and Greek fell into disuse in
many schools because of the belief
that they were Of no real value in
the battle of life, except to a limited
number of persons" The Youngstown
Vindicator, however, taking notice of
the report that more pupils were en-
rolled in the Latin courses of the
country's schools last year than in all
the other foreign language courses
combined" declares that Latin and
Greek are not to be studied as mental
discipline, but because Virgil and
Cicero, Homer and Plato and Aristo-
tie have something to say that is i'm
portant to modern life
Reconstruction in secondary edu-
cation in Europe, put into operation
since the World War;" according to
the Greenville Piedmont, has had
the general result of improving and
strengthening the classics" The Pied
mont quotes from the British ministry
Of reconstruction: "It is because the
classics contain elements of the high
est spiritual and Intellectual value
which cannot be obtained elsewhere
in equal force or equal intensity that
the lover of education is bound to fight
for their retention as one of the lead
ing components of our national sys-
tenn" The Greenville paper adds: ut
is clear that secondary education in
England will continue to retain as its
main function the ideals Of a general
liberal training without any entangle-.
ments with vocational objectives."
Investigations by the American
Classical League of the situation in
Europe interest the Manchester Union.
which states that ''the leagues inves-