Presbyterian College - Pac Sac Yearbook (Clinton, SC)

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22 THE COLLEGIAN the situation, how. by a desperate effort, she had rushed up from behind the switch-station and had snatched the child from the track, just in time to save an awful disaster. Charles, she pleaded pathetically, we are both here, do open your eyes and listen. She continued to repeat these words until finally he open' ed his eyes and, with a faint smile upon his cheeks, whispered. Thank God! Anne, you are both safe, and we have had our la.st disagreement. F. P. A. '13. QQQ Q Etienne nf the Gllassiral nr ibumanistic Qtnnsfnzreb Zlaisturinallp ants Zllibeorzticallp In this age of many advantages and opportunities, man is inclined to specialize and concentrate his efforts upon one sin- gle branch of activity. This is worthy of our approval and serious consideration, for the old adage J ack of all trades and good at none is still a very true one. If a man would insure his success he should concentrate his thought and activities upon one subject, it should receive his Whole attention. But in preparing oneself a person should not pursue merely a utilitarian education. This is an age of hurry and greed as well as an age of many advantages. These conditions have cultivated a spirit of utilitarianism which causes us to lose sight of the real aim of education. Many do not seem to realize that education is a great deal more than a training merely for the development of the money making faculties. XVe are inclined to adopt this kind of education instead of a broader and more liberal education. And we should not for- get that a liberal education is more than a course in science or merely a superficial training, which has no depth and which tends to dazzle one 's eyes. A good education which enables us to get the most out of life and which, in return, enables us to do the greatest amount of good for our fellowman. It must enable us to think deep-

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THE COLLEGIAN 21 With such thoughts as these he had filled in the few spare moments of the day, when he was not engaged in changing the levers before him, giving various trains the right of way on certain tracks. He had seen the excursion go out. No wife had waved at him from the window, but how could he expect that when she was going away against his will? He had watched it with an eager eye, as long as it was visible. He couldn't help feeling that she would be sorry and would be herself again, when she came back. But had he not been in fault. even more than she? This question stared him con- stantly in the face, and by and by, reached his great and ten- der heart and made him cry within himself, Yes, I was to blame, and for both Anne's and Mary's sake I will smooth matters over as soon as possible. At last the whistle of the excursion train was heard and in a few moments the train was coming down the main line at a rapid rate. Charles gave her the right of way. But stop! The little girl by some means, had got out and was upon the main track, not heeding the approaching train. Charles quivered. My God l he uttered, as if trying to pray. Only a moment in which to act. What should he do? Could he shout to his little girl? No, for he would certainly frighten the girl and bring her into a state of confusion, whereas otherwise she might notice the train and get oi the track in time. There was one possible chance to save his lit- tle girl. He might open the switch and turn the train into the side-track. This would mean a great catastrophe-his wife and others probably killed.. His hand grasped the lever. A short conflict in his mind ensued. He could not. He withdrew his hand. He staggered. U God! was all he could utter, and then fell in a swoon. Five minutes later the mother with her child Was bending over the swooning man, anxiously awaiting the return of life. She was trying to make him understand that Mary was savedg how, through providence, she had stayed at home and chanced to be coming down to escort them home, when she had seen

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THE COLLEGIAN 23 ly and logically. We must be fitted to confront and overcome great obstacles, to ponder important questions and render de- cisions with justice and impartialit.y. Plato has said: A good education is that which gives to the body and the soul all the beauty and perfection of which they are capable. Some of the greatest and most successful educators and the most bril- liant students of the different systems of education have em- phasized the importance of the study of the ancient languages. Such an education is called a Classical or Humanistic educa- tion. Classical education flourished in the time of Greece and Rome, when Leonidas with his handful of men defendtd Theomopylae, and Miltiades won the field of Marathong when learned students sat at the feet of Plato and Aristotle, and when the opinions of wise men and sages were moulded and shaped by the scholarly, impassioned eloquence of Demosthenes and Cicero. Here we find the real beginning of our wonder- ful civilization with all its culture and scholarship. These na- tions have produced the most inspiring works of literature and art, and the most learned works of philosophy. The edu- cational systems of Greece and Rome were a great deal more advanced than the systems of the Oriental nations. Personal freedom and individuality become more prominent in these nations. Here the subject does not toil with laborious tasks of memory Work, he is not confined within the narrow bounds of casteg he is neither crushed by the ponderous system of State education, nor is he swayed and held in awe by the sup- erstitious infiuence of priesthood. Woman is no longer re- quired to fall upon her knees before her husband and ask what he would have her do. The Greek was emotional, he worshipped culture and beautyg the Roman was practical and serious, he appreciated the useful. A union of these characters with the ennobling intiuence of Christianity would form an ideal manhood. The martial education of Sparta did not include a study of languages. No formal literary training was possessed but the boys listened to the speeches and conversations of the