Loyola University Maryland - Evergreen / Green and Gray Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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JOHN J. LARDNER. Prefect of Sodality and President of Secchi and Debating Societies. Class Editor of the Annual. Class arbiter. Salu- tatorian.

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Ulljp ®uifntipllj (firulunj anb (llaasual iEburalinn. We hear it said on all sides that we live in an age of busi- ness, and this certainly seems to be the truth. The tendency of the day is to judge everyone and everything by the critical standard of business utility. “What am I going to get out of it?” seems to be one of the first ideas ingrained into the minds of our youths, and, instead of casting off this false standard as they grow older, many of them seem rather to increase it, so that finally their whole existence becomes merely a ques- tion of so many dollars and cents. To them there is nothing worth while, unless it gives promise of immediate monetary returns. Religion, education, morals — everything, in fact, is conformed so as not to become a hindrance in the wild scram- ble for riches. Naturally, one of the first places to feel the results of such a misguided condition of affairs is the schoolroom, where the minds of our future men and women are sent to be molded. Here, as everywhere else, only those things are wanted which are likely to produce speedy results. Every study must stand a rigid examination as regards its utility; if it does not measure up to the standard required, out it goes, to make room for some more practical course. An excellent example of this can be observed in the public school system of a city not very far from here, where hours that were formerly applied, with good results, to the pursuit of grammar and spelling and other such fundamental studies, are now given to manual training work and basket-making, and similar “practical courses.” In the colleges and high schools, the same thing is being done. A little English litera- ture, several comprehensive courses in science and applied mathematics, and a smattering of French or German — and, presto, you have the college course complete. No furbelows there. Everything is practical ; each and every study is calcu- lated to bring in a certain number of dollars to its most for- tunate possessor. (15)

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Whereas the aim of the college course was once to give the student a rounded education, so that he, or she, might be fitted to face all the varied phases of life, the purpose of the course today would seem to be rather to train than to edu- cate — to turn out men and women skilled in the work of the office or shop, but skilled in that alone. The study of the classics, once an essential feature of every college course, has been, in many places, ruthlessly discarded. So-called educa- tors the country over have come out strongly against these studies, protesting against them as a useless waste of time, and, in fact, the only colleges that have stood up in their defense have been the Catholic institutions. The objection raised to the classics is that they are not prac- tical enough. They are of no real commercial value, their opponents say, and, unless continually pursued, they soon fade from the memory. Hence, why waste precious hours on them? Let us take a momentary glance at the latter part of thi objection. They rail against the classics because these studies are easily forgotten. “Why not, then,’ ' we ask, “give up the study of physics, and geometry, and mathematics, for the same rea- son? For experience tells us that the greater part of these studies are forgotten unless continually pursued. Even some of the more simple studies do not make such a lasting impres- sion on the brain. It is not easy, after one has been away several years, to spell many of the words that once rolled so nimbly off the tongue nor to locate the cities and rivers that wer once so well known.” Hence, why urge that the study of Latin and Greek is valueless because we soon forget many of the words and con- structions? It is not so much for the languages themselves that we labor, but rather for the training of the mind and character that is the natural result of close application to these branches. The graduate setting out to face the business of life is not judged ultimately by the little bit of knowledge that he may have been able to gather, but rather is he measured by his capacity to imbibe knowledge. It is not the things that can be learned within the four or eight years of school life that constitute an education, but it is the mental training, the great