Presbyterian College - Pac Sac Yearbook (Clinton, SC)

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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

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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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24 THE COLLEGIAN men upon important subjects. They were taught to converse intelligently and agreeably. Although the system of Pytha- goras was somewhat aristocratic, we admire his teaching that Virtue and health and all good and God are in harmony. The Athenians were worshippers of culture and beauty. Their ideal conception of education was a beautiful soul in a beautiful body. Athens has produced some of the most bril- liant writers, the most profound thinkers, the wisest state- men and most heroic warriors, her civilization was the em- bodiment of beauty, culture and intellectuality. Even those who had no intellectual training received culture by mingling with their fellow citizens, from the beautiful works of art and from the magnificent Greek festivals. The Athenian youth was taught reading. writing. mathematics, poetry, rhetoric. music, philosophy. He was also given moral training. In their earliers days, the Romans were a very grave and serious people. They busied themselves in declaring war, in subduing nations, and in framing laws. Naturally their edu- cation was utilitarian. In Rome, woman was respected and loved. She it was who really controlled the household al- though her husband was nominally, unlimited master. In the Augustan age, when Rome sat upon the throne of im- perial power and fame and gave commands which were obeyed in the farthest parts of the civilized world, when she had gathered into her arms all the culture and intellectuality of Greece, there was provided for her youth an educational sys- tem which was in keeping with her splendor and magnificence. The Roman youth was taught Latin, Greek, poetry, oratory and philosophy. And afterwards if he wished, he could re- ceive professional training in almost any work which he should choose. We find that the study of Latin and Greek was neglected during the iirst period of Christian education. But in 1453 we see that enthusiasm for Latin and Greek learning is fanned into a brilliant flame. Dante, Petrarch and Bocaccio were the forerunners of this wonderful revival of learning. Li- ln-aries were founded and Greek and Latin manuscripts were