Things Worth While 27 



and that better day is here. We shall know our history 

 and feel its perpetual inspiration. Noblesse oblige. 

 Such nobility puts us under obligations. We shall know 

 our own history, at least so far as to see that languor 

 and pessimism, and world-weariness, belong not to us 

 nor to our race. Our shields are shields of expectation. 

 No education is of much service which does not heighten 

 a man's true self-respect; not self-conceit; that belongs 

 to the uneducated, the ignoramus. 



But historical studies should also establish in the heart 

 of the youth respect for his fellow man. Here lies large- 

 ly, as I take it, the educational value of linguistic study 

 which is properly historic study where of any real value. 

 The study of a foreign language simply introduces us 

 to the knowledge of some other large section of our race 

 from whose acquaintance we were otherwise, by the bar- 

 riers of speech cut off. Only ignorant men despise their 

 fellows. No scholar ever used the term Dutchman in 

 derision. The Mexican peon calls all Americans grin- 

 gos, ' ' green-horns ; ' ' x but we know that this is owing to a 

 lack of information and to a curious national pride which 

 is to us simply amusing ; and so, as another of the things 

 worth while in education, let us put a thorough know- 

 ledge of some foreign speech. This is not so much for 

 convenience of intercourse, if it be a modern tongue, 

 not for the sake of literature, even, but simply that we 

 may yield to other men the respect which is their due. 

 In all social intercourse, right behavior is based upon 

 true recognition, and appreciation. It is the part of 



i The Century Dictionary says the derivation is probably from 

 Griego, i. e., Greek. 



