Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute - Acta Nostra Yearbook (Guelph, Ontario Canada)

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66 ACTA NOSTRA, 1926 Essays V SHOULD CLASSICS HAVE A PLACE IN MODERN EDUCATION? lBy Elizabeth McI'hedran. III Sr. BJ fPrize Essayj Matthew Arnold has said that in educa- tion it is above all things necessary that a man acquaint himself with the best that has been thought in the world. Much of the best literature is found among the writings of the Greeks and Romans. No modern writer has been able to inspire a higher. more vivid. and passionate spirit of 'patriotism than the matchless oraitions of Pericles. Cicero and their fellow countrymen. No modern histories have been able to in- struct and enlighten governments of to-day. as those of Greece and of Rome. To under- stand fully political questions one must -have a knowledge of their historical background. Many of our problems are only enlargements of those with which first Greece. then Rome, was confronted. Thucydides Themistocles. the Gracchi an-d Julius Caesar had problems of historical and political movements as -in- structive for us as are those of Burke. Pittt and Macdonald. Since Rome, influenced by Greek culture. is the foundation of modern civilization, it is essential that the 'histories of 'these countries be studied. The literature of Rome shows fthe indu- ence of Greek. yet it contains many new ele- ments which make i-t truly Roman. The structure of the Latin sentence lacks some of the freedom of the Greek. Its foundation shows the character of the people, the-ir strength an-d dignity. and strict adherence to the law. The achievements of the Romans were practical. They gave to the world the first great example of law: they built up ithe first great imperial state whose history no imperial nation can afford to scoff at or over- look. They are one of the greatest people the world has ever known. It is difhcult to find a profession in mod- ern life in which a knowledge of .the classics is not an aid. The law student who must learn the history of law. has 'to go back to the system which the Romans had. A lawyer must be able not only to understand the law but to express himself clearly. The training which he obtains in translating Latin and Greek into English and vice-versa is unequal- led. To the scientist, since the majority of scientific names are derived from Latin and Greek, and since Greece was the cradle of science, a knowledge of these 'languages is of great value. In the study of modern lan- guage an acquaintance with the classics is of much use because the home of the Roman-ce languages was Rome. Classical mythology holds an important place in the world of fine arts. Modern drama, music and sculpture owe much to the classical lore. The legends of Orpheus and Eurydice. Cupid an-d Psyche. etc.. with their countless varieties of representations have ex- erted their influence on modern art. Aricliitects have made use of classical 'legends in the adornment of their buildings. Therefore a knowledge of the classics is of 'much value to the art student and to those who appreciate art. Modern -literature owes a great deb-t -to the classics. To them we are indelbted for even our alphabet. The New Testament was first written in Greek. Without taking into consideration the immense value of the works themselves. of classical writers, who have never been equalled -in their ability to C0111- bine music. poetry and reason. think of the influence which their literature has had on that of the modern age. There is no country in Europe from cold rocky Norway to the sunny plains of immortal Italy whose litera- ture is not interwoven with the threads of classical mythology. He who studies Englis-h literature without the lights of classical knowledge loses half the charm of its senuti- ments and style. of its force and feeling, and of its delightful allusions. Every age of English 'literature from Cha-ucer to the poets of -to-day. is steeiped deeply in legends and myths of Greece and Rlome. Milton. one of England's greatest poets, was also one of her greatest classical scholars. He could never have written as he did. without a knowledge of the classics. Tennyson's Ulysses cannot be really appreciated without a knowledge of Homer. Shelly. Keats, Browning. Lo-ngfel-low and scores of other poets have made use of 'Greek and Latin traditions. The -best proif-e.s- sors of English literature, the best critics, .the best historians are classical graduates. The rigidity of the construction of the Latin and Greek languages tends to correct the slovenly. careless habits of 'mo-dern writt- ing. It is for the best .interests of our Eng- lish language, five-sevenths of the vocabulary of which is derived from that of Greece and of Rome. that the study of the classics 'be encouraged in our modern system of educa- tion. One of the first and perhaps the greatest aim of education is the establishment of i-deals, which with training and heredity a-re the foundation of character. T0 master Greek and Latin one must have self-control, pat-ience, rigorous application, an-d keenness o-f observa- -tion. The Classics are unequalled as a means of disci-p-lining the judgment. of refining the taste and of quickening the understanding. Therefore the study of Greek and Latin. 'be- yond the utilitarian value to the student, direct- ly affects his character. 'Abeunt stu-dia in moresf'

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ACTA NO-STRA, 1926 65 were for Cicero and you presented yo-ur ac- count when the time was u-pg today you sit as quiet as mumimies in their cases. Here is a parcthment with Arte:mid'ora's signature. Sthe gave it to me 'in the corridor witihout and told me read for you. Hereon are writ the marks. ' Class cries out: X'Ye'l'l hear the marks! Read. Davidonius. read! Davidoniuts-Have patience, it is not meet you know them yet. I must not read them yet. They will inllame you. they will turn you mad. Louder shouts from student body: Read the marks! XN'e'll hear them! You must read the Latin marks! Davi-donius-XVill you have patience? XN7ill you sit quiet? I have outspoken myself to tell you of them. I fear I wrong the honour- able ones whose pens did daub their foolscap with deep blue ink. I do fear but I iuust read them. The Class-The marks! the marks! XYe want the marks! Davidonius-If you have tears. prepare to shed them now. You all do know the exam you did try yesterday. I remember when First I tried it. 'Twas on a hot summer's afternoon in late June. That day I sh.an't forget. Look. on the paper the mighty Iiltonius did draw his pen. See what a scrawl the crafty Brutus made and that Rugby Golibof' On this the clever. learned Lucius writ in devised script and as he folded up his 'paper what a thrill of expectant triumph did he feel. Again I pray you look u-pon the lmlots that Brutus made. the signs that seal his fate. Alas! po-or Brutus! I hold with certainty that Cicero in his grave did ,blush and cry with despair at -the mistakes that some did put upon his works. VYere I 'but you and you I, I would rise to undo myself of such disgrace. QT-he students become restless with fear.l Yet hear me. students. one and all. for I will read the marks. All-Peace ho! he reads the marks. Davidonius-It says hereon that honour shoulld be given to the noble Silvanus who heads the list with sagest perfection and that all did pass save tho-se whose names I read. Silvanus-Do hold me up. I feel my heart doth thump and now it doth give way. It hath overcome me. tFalls from his seat dead! Davidonius-Gobbo I-Itullus. thy name is next upon the list, with twenty and three marks out of one hundred. A SHIP'S The young Russian Prince. a tall ldis- tinguished-lookingl man with black hair and a small dark moustache stood very close to a slim girl. and together they leaned against the sh'ip's railing. He looked very romantic in the glow of the match as he lit his cigarette. Together they gazed out into the full moon, the s-tars and the foaming sea. The air was tingling with roman-ce. and as they gazed both Gobtbo Hulilus-Ah, me! W-retched me! Let me die. I dread the livinfg moment. lSwoons away and falls from his seat! Davidonius-Eltonius. thy marks are 'ten and seven of one hundred. Now bear thyself up if thou canst. Iflionius-O Cicero tuou canst kill me yet. Thy sharp Rhetoric hast slain me mFalls heavilg to the floor and groans -Jf .ltath en- cuinoer himl. Datidonius-Et tu. Iirufte, ten and thre: out of a big one hundred. Oh. last of all you sraml with that unlucky thirteen .ii .fli ntrun- ers. Brutus Langerius-Curses on -lupiter Svtator as 'likewise on thee. O revengeful Ci- cero. Thou are mighty yet. Thy spirit rules the forum and has turned the sword upon my heart. Alas! I too give up in despair of-falls dead on the floorl. Davidonius-You old thing! tsinks into his chair and there remains motionlessj. KLoud screams from the girls and a general disturb- ance with rushing toward the door.j 4Enter Priu. Roscus. fliurriedlyi Prin. Roscus-XYhat uproar! Students! Davidonius! XY'hat. ho! I-In-lip! llinter Artemidora. whiter than suow.l fxrtemidora-What? Pray. what doth it mean? Ah, behold. death has knocked and left a mark. Miltonius Yastus-Nay. not death. but Cicero-revenge was his and he has done us evil. I-Ie sure has left the marks and lo! they oyerdrew their expectation. tArtemidora faiuts and Miltonio hears her up and carries her out. aided by the rest of the studentsj. Princeps Roscus. lalonel-Lo! ambitions debt is paid. Mistrust of good success hath done this deed. O hateful error. melancholy's children thou hast engulfed with thy dread undercurrent and thy havoc lies here before me. My heart is big in its weakness and pas- sion is catching for I fear the beads of sorrow upon my cheeks are the dea-th of me. Behold here: they who loved Cicero less. but loved the Capitol more. lie low. Alas! I feel the flame of life is lowering. I give myself to thee. dark death. tDrotps on the tioor dead. all is silent. weird and greyish-lights go out and Curtain falls.j THE END. -l. NI, Stemmler. ROMANCE were strangely silent. Then our prince turn- ed suddenly struggling for control and looked intently and inscrutably into the eyes of the girl. Sonia-Sonia. he muttered desperately, and then his voice broke. I-Ie became green and then yellow. and with 'his hand to his head he bolted for his cabin. Thesship swayed and creaked on.

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ACTA NOSTRA, 1926 67 MY RECENT ESCAPADE tPrize Essay for III ,lr.Al E. Carson fMay XY'hal Some people believe travelling in the Orient to be an ideal holiday. Others imagine it to be romantic. thrilling. But others, who have experienced that so-called pleasure. think of it as a dose of castor-oil. which must be taken but which leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I am of the latter disillusioned few. and after I have given a brief account of my most recent trip in China. I think you will agree with ine. Our parity consisted of thirteen. two wo- men. five girls. two men. and four boys. in- cluding a two-year old baby. lYe came -down from Omei mountain, a summer resort. to Kioting -expecting to find a steamer waiting to convey us down river. There was none. and for a week we waited for another to come up. Fortunately. Kioting was then my home, so we were not uncomfortable while waiting. On Saturday morning we were roused 'by the cry Steamer in sight! and all crowded to the top of a small hill to watch the slow progress of the little tug against the swift current. It had come within a mile or two of the city where the current proved too much for it, and it turned down-stream. Imagine our disappointment and rage! But we were to be consoled. for. that very afternoon. it managed to make the city. Three of our party. including myself. went d-own to see about securing passage. but on arriving at the steamer we found it had been comman- dcered by soldiers who were none too polite in telling us to go back home. Finally after various arguments and sums of money had passed between them and us. they told us to bring our baggage on board. This we did. only to find that. when we had put the last piece of 'baggage aboard. the soldiers would not permit us to go on the boat. More money and talk persuaded the gentlemen adventurers 'to allow us all standing space on the small deck. The company. in which we found our- selves. was anything but congenial. There were soldiers all armed to the teeth and overflowing with wine. who would gladly have run us through. There was an inhospitable captain who wished to put us ashore: and the stewards were the most impudent bunch of fellows I have ever seen out of s-chool. After we got under way. I became in- volved in a heated argument with ia young officer about the relations between England and China. 'I believe the was preparing to throw me overboard, ibut was interrupted in this unkind action by a volley of rifle shorts from both shores. NVe all dived for shelter behind boxes, bedding, anything so long as we could not see our attackers. I ducked be- hind a box which I afterwards found to be em-pty. and my argumentatiive friend crouch- ed behind me. leaving part of his coat ex- posed. which was promptly perforated. Wie crowded behind this box for nearly fifteen minutes. during which time my little friend was at great lengthfcursing the ances- tors of the unhappy individual who had ruined his coat. His vocabulary put even me to shame and after the bring ceased. I crawled out. while he followed to see whatdamage had been done. XYe found many bullet holes, but only two men had been slightly wounded. In several hours we anchored at Suifu. Then really began our troubles! Here we were to have transferred to another steamer. but. we were told. it had left the previous morning. XYhat were we to do? The boat we were on leaked badly. but there were no others. Finally deciding to put our baggage ashore. we secured an old row-boat. and had just landed the last piece. when we saw com- ing towards us two French Fathers. accom- panied by two French navy officers. XYhat a relief! All our troubles were dispersed as quickly as they had gathered. One of our party who spoke French well. brought us the joyful news that we were to go aboard the 'two French gun-boats, which would be leav- ing i-n the morning for Chungking. as guests of the comntanider. Did we work? No need to ask that! I ran up and d-own the shore for fully four hours. yelling at every man I saw to find me a boat. a raft. or anything that would carry our baggage around t-he bend to the gun- boats. Finally one old man came to my as- sistance with a battered old relic which must have been in active service as a life-'boa-t on the Ark. Into this we piled ourselves and all our baggage. 'pushed off from shore and drift- ed down-stream. too tired to row. On rounfd- ing the bend we saw. not twenty yards away. the two gun-boats. alight from stem to stern. like some fairy palace all aglow to welcome us, One of my companions said as ito himself: Thank God for white men! and I heartily agreed with him. THE NANCY fBy Dorothy Rushbroolc. III jr. C.l The Nottawasaga River rises in Dufferin County. and winding its way north through wooded country. finally empties its shining waters into the NVasaga. an annex of Georgian Bay. In the year 1814 this river was the scene of a battle between the Canadians anid Americans. and here it was that the Nancy, a British schooner. was sunk before it could escape out into the Bay. Over one hundred years have elapsed since this tragedy. years of parliamentary strife and war. Therefore. it is -only now that people are beginininig to