The present agitation touching college courses of study is one from
which good is likely to come. There is danger, however, that we swing
to the other extreme. That undue prominence in the ordinary college
curriculum has hitherto been given to classical studies, and too little
room made for the modern languages, natural science, and English
literature is coming to be widely felt. But the true reform is not
utterly to eliminate the classics; it is not the part of wisdom to
decry as folly the study of the dead tongues.
The oration of Charles Francis Adams, Jr., last summer at Harvard,
published under the title of “A College Fetich,” was quite as
unexpected and sensational as that of Wendell Phillips on another
similar occasion. Mr. Phillips arraigned his _alma mater_ that her sons
were no more active in social reforms, while Mr. Adams charged upon her
that, in retaining the dead languages as a required part of the course
of study, she was guilty of worshiping a fetich. This grandson and
great-grandson of a President, whose illustrious ancestors one after
another were inmates of Harvard’s halls, makes against the venerable
institution, the most serious charge that her graduates, upon leaving
her, are not fitted as they should be for practical life. She sends
them forth, he affirms, with a smattering of the dead languages, which
is quite without advantage, instead of with a thorough knowledge of
what can be turned to practical account and will qualify them for the
duties of active life. He would have a drill in the classics no longer
required of the college student; but would allow him to win his A. B.
by pursuing other and more useful branches of study. Mr. Adams’s bold
claim against Harvard, if sustained, would of course hold against other
colleges, and against some others would hold in a higher degree.
But we think his statements are too sweeping, and the reform he
advocates, because it goes too far, would not be a wise reform. We
would not abolish the study of Latin and Greek in our colleges. They
are dead tongues, but it does not follow that time spent in their
study is wasted. On the contrary, we would have them taught with such
thoroughness, by such qualified and skillful teachers that the college
graduate will go out with something more than a smattering of them. It
is a fact which can not be disproved, that from a study of the classics
comes a mental discipline and a mastery of good English, such as can
be acquired from nothing else. But that too much comparative attention
has been given to these branches is freely conceded. There is a want
of more thorough study in our higher institutions of the natural
science, the modern tongues, and the models of our own language. The
true reform is to cease to magnify Latin and Greek at the expense of
these other things, and to give to the latter their due attention. Of
the wisdom of elective college courses there can be no doubt. It may
not be always best for the young man who has not in view one of the
learned professions, but a business life, to spend years in the study
of the ancient languages. But it is our judgment that a knowledge of
these should always be required of the candidate for the Bachelor of
Art’s degree. Certain things are in the air, and we rejoice. Natural
science, that field of study in richness so exhaustless, is attracting
the student as never before. The importance of gaining a knowledge of
languages now spoken, other than our own, is being felt as it was not
once. We welcome the indications that promise a college reform. Let us
have it without over-shooting the mark.