I 



128 



NA TURE 



[December 8, 1904 



COMPULSORY GREEK AT OXFORD AXD 

 CAMBRIDGE. 



T" HE statute enabling students of mathematics and 

 ■^ natural science to proceed to a degree at Oxford, 

 without previously passing in Greek, has been rejected 

 in the larger house by 200 votes to 164. At an earlier 

 stage the proposal was adopted in the smaller assembly 

 by the narrow majority of two votes. The discussion 

 accorded' to the statute was brief, for the voters had 

 probably made up their minds; but it revealed the 

 fact that, while the familiar arguments as to culture 

 and the humanities held sway "with those who have 

 " learned nothing and forgotten nothing," some con- 

 demned the proposal, at "least ostensiblv, because it 

 was too narrow. It would shut up school bovs with 

 a bent for mathematics or science to a " premature 

 specialism," if they alone had to be segregated, vears 

 before the university stage, from their "happier fellows 

 on the " classical side." 



The Cambridge proposals avoid at least this latter 

 objection. They recognise that the examination which 

 admits to the university should be one, in the sense 

 that it allows the student who has passed it to enter 

 any faculty or department of the universitv. He need 

 not, while still at school, decide finallv as to his 

 special subject or subjects ; and if he changes his mind 

 as to the course he desires to pursue he need not re- 

 trace his steps, and begin to " get up " a new set 

 of " little-go " subjects after he has entered the 

 university. For three days high debate on the new 

 scheme was held in the Cambridge Senate House, and 

 so far as argument goes the impression produced is 

 that the placets have the best of it. The official de- 

 fenders of compulsory Greek spoke, naturallv and 

 properly, of the ennobling influence of Greek literature 

 and philosophy. They scornfully derided the lack of 

 culture disclosed by the false quantities of the mere man 

 of science who is Greekless. But they failed to make 

 clear the connection between the paltrv rudiments, 

 half grammar and half "crib," by which Greek is 

 now represented in the previous examination, and 

 humanistic culture or literary training of any sort. 

 It was practically admitted that half "the bovs, even 

 from classical schools of the straitest sect, might 

 spend eight formative years over Greek and "be 

 no Hellenists in the end. But the conclusion 

 was that time must be given for the improve- 

 ment of school-teaching in classics, and that, in 

 order to secure this improvement, the artificial sup- 

 port of the subject afforded by the present regu- 

 lations is a necessity. The monopolists asked 

 for more protection that they might mend their 

 machinerv. 



One or two headmasters pleaded their helplessness 

 before the uncultured parent if the shelter of academic 

 compulsion were denied them, and the inconvenience 

 they would suffer if they had to rearrange their time- 

 tables to make room for science and modern lan- 

 guages, with all their complexity. Greek for all who 

 aspire to enter the university is so much simpler than 

 French and German and science for some, mere 

 " modern-siders," and Greek and Latin for others, 

 the " pick of the school." " If compulsion is done 

 away with, schools will soon give up Greek altogether ; 

 in ten years it will be as dead as Hebrew," was the 

 cry of these despairing headmasters. There were not 

 wanting others to answer them, no less distinguished 

 as scholars and teachers. The masters of Trinity and 

 Christ's, the president of Oueons' and Dr. Jackson, and 

 other Grecians of established fame had such faith in 

 the vitality of Greek — in its undying charm and its 

 unrivalled power over the human spirit — that in their 



NO. 1832, VOL. 71] 



opinion it needed no such paltrj- prop to hold it 

 upright. To force upon students of another bent the 

 wasteful drudgery of six months' cramming in Greek 

 accidence and the perfunctory conning of a set book 

 with the help of a translation, was not only an 

 educational blunder, but a grave moral wrong. It 

 was bad for the student, it was bad for the 

 master, it was bad for the university, and it was 

 worst of all for the cause of Greek learning 

 itself. It was breeding a race of students who, able 

 and brilliant and influential in other paths, cherished 

 a positive hostility to the distasteful subject that had 

 raised itself as a needless obstacle in their wav. But 

 for compulsion they might have remained at worst 

 indifferent, at best distant admirers of Greek. Now 

 their only thought of it was associated with grievance 

 and injustice. Times had changed, were changing 

 fast; new methods of education were afoot in the 

 schools. The bifurcation of studies — classical and non- 

 scientific on the one hand, modern and scientific on 

 the other — had become an accomplished fact. It was 

 for the university frankly to recognise the change, and 

 to give equal opportunity for both curricula. Cam- 

 bridge had amply provided for the needs of the modern 

 and scientific student once the barrier of the classical 

 previous was passed. Why should the student, whose 

 school and university course alike bore in one and 

 the same direction, say towards natural science, be 

 obliged to deviate during the last months of his 

 school-time in order to pass through a wicket that 

 lay straight in the path of his classical comrade, but 

 far out of his own ? True, a great teacher, a Person 

 or an Arnold or a Gow, might make even " Little-go 

 Greek " a thing of life and light for his pupils ; but 

 what of the schools the head of which was a " mere 

 Newton or Darwin "? Must the many be sacrificed 

 for the few? 



Then another issue was raised by the clerical mem- 

 bers of the Senate, an issue on which, seeing the 

 actual composition of the register, more will ultimately 

 turn than on the educational question. If Greek is 

 not compulsory, it will cease to be taught to and 

 cease to be learned by candidates for ordination. 

 The bishops of the Church of England will no 

 longer be able to require a knowledge of the 

 Greek Testament from the aspirant to holy orders. 

 It is admitted that the Presbyterian Church exacts 

 both Greek and Hebrew as a condition of admis- 

 sion to its theological schools. But the heads of 

 the Anglican Church are weaker than the General 

 Assemblv; the university must reinforce them, what- 

 ever the consequences to sound learning and unfet- 

 tered research. 



Grave warnings were uttered that the non possinniis 

 of the Senate on this question would not be the final 

 word. Revolution, in other words a Royal Commis- 

 sion, would be the inevitable Nemesis of reform 

 denied. And there is no doubt that this thought will 

 weigh with some waverers, who love learning and 

 fear for its displacement by modern studies, but who 

 love the university more and dread the changes 

 which a liberal government might impose on it from 

 without. 



The report of the syndicate will doubtless be referred 

 back for reconsideration of details in the light of the 

 discussion. But the principle that modern subjects 

 shall be recognised will certainly be retained, and on 

 this principle issue will be joined early next term. 

 The result no man can predict, for it lies with the 

 silent voters who will flock from the countn.' to the 

 poll. But the debate has cleared the air, and the 

 reformers are sanguine that this time something will 

 be done. 



