Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1870 [PAGE 88]

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ture to fit them to thoroughly and easily to understand and use their native tongue as it is used in the broad range of scientific readings and study necessary for them to pursue ; the German and French languages, to give them access to those works of the great students of agriculture and mechanical science in Germany and France; Inductive Logic and some Mental Philosophy, to fit the students of the inductive sciences and arts to properly comprehend and use the facts they will need to examine. On examination we find that all the above branches of learning are taught, and taught in their relations to agriculture and the mechanical arts. We find, also, on examination, that the course proposed by Mr. Edwards differs only in form and not in substance from the course as now arranged, introducing no essential feature and omitting only the ancient languages. We find, on examination, that the ancient languages hold only a very subordinate place in the teaching and affections of the University—no Greek being now taught and there being only twenty-seven students in Latin. The committee do not feel that any good point will be gained by the omission of the ancient languages, since, while some would be gratified by such omission, others, and perhaps an equal number, would inevitably be offended, and we should be acting, in the eyes of many, in violation of the laws both of Congress and of the State. We should not even save a dollar of expense, as not one single teacher could be dispensed with by such omission. It appears clearly; on full inquiry, that the study of the languages is not attracting the attention of either teachers or pupils from other studies; and that the evident and decisive drift of the Institution is increasingly in the direction of the scientific and practical studies related to the industries. The committee would mention, as a most significant fact, in this connection, that while out of 77 students who entered here the first term, 29 or 30 chose Latin; now, out of 150 students or more belonging to the Institution, only &7 are pursuing the Latin language, J. M. GREGORY, C. R. GRIGGS, K. BATEMAN, A. BLACKBURH.

On motion of Mr. Dunlap, To strike "Greek" from the report of the Committee on Faculty and Course of Study, was lost; and, on motion, the report of the majority was adopted. Mr. Edwards, of the Committee on Faculty and Course of Study, presented the following minority report, which was ordered to be entered on the record :

ME. EDWARDS' MINORITY REPORT.

Whilst the report of the majority of the Committee on Faculty and Course of Study meets my general approval, I must respectfully and firmly dissent from admitting the necessity of our teaching the Latin and Greek languages,