ADVOCATES OF CLASSICAL EDUCATION HELD MEETING

The conference for discussing the aims and value of a classical education convened at Princeton University on Saturday of last week. This meeting, which was planned by the Princeton University Classical Department assembled together many prominent men in various walks of life who explained the benefit to be derived from a broad liberal education. Dean Pound, of the University Law School, was among these men.

The purpose of this comprehensive gathering may perhaps be best explained by a statement of Dean West, of the Princeton Graduate College. He says:

"Americans have hitherto believed that the fundamental purpose of education is not only to furnish useful information, but also to train and discipline the mind to its highest power. Consequently, those studies which experience has shown to be the most serviceable for this end have been, and should be, the fundamental subjects in any course of study. This may be an erroneous belief and if it should prove to be the case, such a course of study ought to be discarded. If not, the best manner of teaching them must be found, and instruction maintained to its full extent. The fundamental purpose of this conference is to answer the recent attacks on classical studies."

Two separate sessions were held, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. At the former, the speakers were distinguished scholars and educators in fields outside the classics, among whom were President Hibben, of Princeton; Dr. Alfred Stearns, principal of Phillips Andover Academy; Dr. L. J. Barker, president of the American Neurological Association.