THE STUDY OF GREEK AT HARVARD.

The study of Greek at Harvard is a subject that periodically receives the attention of the faculty of our university; and although in the past the defenders of Greek, like the defenders of ancient Greece, have bravely met and routed their opponents, the struggle to lessen the importance of Greek in the curriculum by giving more prominence to French and German has been again and again renewed; and now, strengthened by Adams's essay read before the Phi Beta Kappa in June, the supporters of the modern languages have renewed the contest with more vigor than ever before. At the last meeting of the faculty the subject was introduced and discussed, but, of course, no definite action was taken, nor is it probable that any decisive steps will be taken in a matter of such vital importance until the whole subject has been most carefully considered; and this will require several months. It is well known that President Eliot is, as he has been in the past, strongly desirous of making the proposed change. Many of the faculty, however, feel that the interests of the college demand that Greek should maintain the high position it now occupies, but most of them do not, as many believe, underrate the value of the modern studies. Some of the textbooks used render a knowledge of German, as a tool in the study of Greek, absolutely necessary, and the advocates of Greek believe that an arrangement can be made by which more prominence may be given to German without lowering the standard of Greek. If Greek is made elective, there is little doubt that the study of the language in the high schools from which the students come will soon be dropped, a knowledge of it not being essential for admission to Harvard; but in few public schools are the facilities for acquiring a thorough knowledge of the modern languages such that the pupils will be likely to attain the required standard for admission to the college.

Again, it is urged by the Grecian faction that it is unjust to the alumni to make the proposed change. For several hundred years the college has required a three-years' course of Greek before the degree of A. B. could be obtained, and if Greek is made elective. It would not be right to award the degree of A. B. to graduates who had elected Greek. If these graduates should receive the degree of Bachelor of Science it would meet this objection, but it is not probable that they would be satisfied with such an arrangement. The experiment of conducting a classic course and a scientific course was tried for ten years in the University at Barlin, and the results carefully observed; but although the students were of equal ability, the trial showed that the men who took the scientific course did not rank so high as the others. The decision of the faculty of Harvard, whichever way it may go, will be an epochmaking event in the history of American education. [Transcript.