154 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
asing Latin. The modern age first developed humanistic studies through 
she medium of Greek, and then developed science with its polyglot corol- 
wary, of which the chief constituents are French, German and English. 
We have, therefore, come to a time in the history of education when a 
scheme of studies must be followed either by synthesis from the lessons of 
aistory or by selection from that synthesis. Synthesis alone will give the 
completest culture, if evolution means anything. It isnot a final or perfect 
synthesis we seek, but a view of the best thus far. The only question to be 
settled is a practical one, it seems to me. Have we time to do this ? If 
a0t, we must make a selection out of our historical elements, and get 
along with a recognizably imperfect scheme. But I believe we have time. 
Much of school time is wasted now for those who would prepare for uni- 
versity studies. We can save enough to admit of a liberal culture includ- 
ng all the great historical elements. Reducing these to a tentative ideal 
scheme, we get the following curriculum for a liberal education : 
[. The humanities—consisting of the mother tongue and foreign lan- 
zuages and literatures. The foreign tongues include Greek and Latin, 
fundamental to Western culture as a whole, and the continental languages 
as useful to present culture. 
IT. The sciences—mathematical, natural, sociological. 
II. The elements of philosophy. 
Such an education should be attempted whole, and kept separate, one, 
distinguishable by its own degree. It will vindicate itself. 
I have not touched, and do not mean here to enter upon, the boundless 
sheme of the influence of Christianity in liberal education. But is it 
too much to expect that, under the university charter-words of our faith: 
‘“ Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, lovely—think on these things,” 
we may see a new epoch, finer even than that time when, as Shelley 
beautifully tells us, Freedom spoke— 
¢ And like a sunrise from the sea 
Athens arose.” 
DISCUSSION. 
Professor HALE agreed with the results of the last paper. One question, however, 
iroubled him in regard to its practical solution. In a scheme which will embrace begin- 
aing in Greek and Latin, beginning in French and German, and beginning in science, 
mathematical, natural, and sociological, it is important to know how far the sciences 
could be carried. This is a great practical problem. We cannot possibly have an 
education which shall dispense with training on the scientific side, as it is called. How- 
ever, using the word science in its ordinary sense, how far does Professor West think we 
can go in requiring it for everybody who is to be liberally educated ? 
Professor West thought it quite practicable, as well as necessary, to include a general 
discipline in science in any proposed scheme of liberal education. The question to be 
answered is : What sciences, and how much of each of them, are to enter into such a 
scheme ? To settle this we must draw up a scale of the sciences, dividing them first 
into pur 
theoretic 
we shall 
built on 
zall phy 
it were ¢ 
pure seie 
are the 1 
geology. 
mechani 
a body « 
should b 
found fc 
doubtful 
Prox: 
say in ( 
mathem 
Mr. F 
to do th 
PrOF! 
lower sc 
for. and 
PRES] 
ro the d 
sons to 
that ins 
biology 
and lea: 
recently 
for trai 
dent mu 
veloped 
which a 
Pror: 
difficult 
without 
we are ! 
truth. 
is to be 
What 1 
biology. 
with su 
ments ¢ 
PRES 
far mor 
culture 
special 
never t 
to be a 
for whi 
choose, 
while I 
things 
mind w 
symme 
could - 
the beg 
The 
not ot