534 Dedication of Polytechnic Hall — Address. [November, 



have done fare sumptuously every day, and lie clothed in purple 

 and fine linen because, forsooth, it has been their privilege to gain 

 better the command of the powers of their own minds, and control 

 over others. Thus it has happened that many decry liberal learning 

 because of the great power which it affords to do mischief, and argue 

 from its abuse that it would not only be injurious, but calamitous, to 

 extend to all, its benefits. 



There, says the farmer, — ^pointing perhaps to some of these young 

 sciolists who have just emerged from academic shades thoroughly edu- 

 cated, in common parlance, but if distinguished at all, distinguish- 

 ed for nothing else than that they have become flippant talkers, 

 declaimers of other men's thoughts, — is a fair specimen of your col- 

 legians; "they must be held up by the chin;" they are entirely 

 unable to make a living. And it is true they find the world in which 

 they are to live and act a very unclassical sort of place, and that they 

 need a more substantial sort of food than Greek roots and Latin 

 verses. The better par^ of them now turn their attention to some- 

 thing useful, something to fit them for the busy bustling world they 

 are about to enter. And how often does the faithful student com- 

 mence this preparation with emaciated frame and shattered constitu- 

 tion, with habits anything but favorable for present duties. And it 

 should be a source of deep regret that the errors of this system are 

 extensive and wide spread, while but a feeble response is had to any 

 change among those who have been nurtured, and trained according 

 to its principles and no change from any other quarter can reason- 

 ably be expected, such power and influence has the prestige of an- 

 tiquity and established reputable usage ; and hence, any reform must 

 be slow, and must necessarily encounter from prejudice and pride, 

 strong opposition ; and while we would not be ranked among the 

 number of those who would demolish the noble temple of science 

 and literature which our fathers have reared, or remove one stone 

 from the building, we are prepared to say, that much that is per- 

 formed within its halls needs essential modifications — and here, too, 

 we would be conservative — we are neither contemners nor depreda- 

 tors of classical learning, or any kind of valuable learning. We 

 reject the dogma that a man can lay no claim to scholarship unless 

 he has gone through or over, what is commonly denominated a clas- 

 sical course, that is, that he must be a classical scholar, or no scholar 

 at all, and entirely unworthy collegiate honors. Further, we are 

 prepared to say with confidence that such a being as lays claim to so 



