BACTERIOLOGY AND THE WAR. 35 
In spite of years of agitation on the part of scientific men, 
Mr. Buckmaster, late Assistant Secretary under the Board 
of Education, in an address to the Educational Science Section 
of the British Association, 1914, states, “‘ there can be no 
doubt that there is less real systematic science teaching in our 
elementary schools than was the case twenty years ago... . 
the weight of official recognition has passed from the scientific 
to the literary side of the secondary school.” * (B.) 
Some of those interested in the Liverpool University 
were greatly scandalised a few months ago because the Court 
finally decided to follow the example of the University of 
London and abolish the farce of compulsory Latin for the 
Matriculation of Medical Students. The University did quite 
right. It is a sign of the times. Soon the older Universities 
of Oxford and Cambridge will be compelled to abolish the 
farce of compulsory Greek.f It is slowly being recognised 
that a man can be a gentleman, who cannot write Latin verses{ 
or read Greek iambics ! 
The present dominance of classics is a comparatively 
recent growth. From the Renaissance onward, “ the learning 
of Latin was the whole aim and end of education in schools ; 
because the language was the lwing tongue of scholars.” For, 
as the late Mr. A. F. Leach poimts out im his Schools of 
Mediaeval England, “ people wanted to know Latin, not to 
write Latin verses in imitation of Vergil, but to speak it or to 
read the latest work on theology or tactics or geography. The 
* A Special Committee will shortly be appointed by the Government 
“To enquire into the position of Natural Science in our Educational System, 
especially in Universities and Secondary Schools.” (Lord Crewe, at Imperial 
College of Science, June 30, 1916.) 
+ Though I received a classical education at school, I voted against 
Compulsory Greek at Cambridge more than twelve years ago in company 
with Vice-Chancellor Dale, Professor Sherrington and Professor Davies, 
who was at that time our Professor of Greek. 
{t “I know of boys, at schools of good repute, who spend three mornings 
out of the six working days making Latin verses.” (Sir Harry Johnson, 
Nineteenth Century, July, 1916.) 
