18923 hiiberalism in Education 



brought out an occasional humorous incident. One 

 afternoon Jenkins expressed quite extreme ideas as 

 to " Lerrfreiheit/' insisting on the ehmination of 

 certain methods as cumbersome traditions which 

 interfere with mental training, the real work of a 

 university. To this point of view Anderson took Radical 

 exception and said that though he had previously ^^d con- 

 thought himself a radical in education, he now 

 seemed to be "at the tail end of the conservatives." 

 1 then reminded Jenkins of the first time either 

 Anderson or I ever met him. This was in 1878 at a 

 meeting of the Indiana State Teachers' Association, 

 where Anderson read a paper on the cultural value 

 of German literature, and especially of "Faust." 

 Jenkins, however, maintained vigorously in rebuttal 

 that modern literature had no place in college; such 

 time as a student could devote to letters and phi- 

 losophy should be spent on Greek and Latin; "a 

 study of Plato was more fertile than that of Goethe." 

 "Yes," characteristically countered Jenkins, "I 

 once wore short pants." And some years later his 

 most notable educational utterance, a Commence- 

 ment address at Stanford, had for its theme "The 

 Passing of Plato." 



During the first few years I was repeatedly asked w^hy 

 what brought Eastern students to Stanford. In ^^f'^^^ 

 1893, therefore, I addressed a circular to each one came 

 of them, inquiring as to his motives in coming. 



"The charm of California itself" was most fre- 

 quently given as a reason. Then came (in order) 

 "its excellence of climate," "its appeal to the spirit 

 of adventure," "Stanford's freedom in study and 

 the flexibility of its educational adjustments," "mod- 



: 425 3 



