manages to get the protection of statutes, legal forms, and combined interests thrown around his possessions, are merely imitating the dog that buries his surplus bone, the beast or bird of prey that drives all meddlesome interlopers from his foraging ground, and the wolves which hunt in packs.

No large amount of true manhood can be expected from the combination of a mouth, an apparatus for conveying food to it, a stomach, and an inherent, instructive selfishness. Yet how many do we meet who seem to possess little more than these. There are multitudes who spend their lives in the gratification of the grossest appetites, who submit to the control of the basest passions, their morbid selfishness taking but a single step beyond mere animal enjoyment. They have faith without charity; they believe in the evangel of get and save; they listen with rapture

"To the eloquent chink of a dollar or two."

I occasionally meet a man-you may have met him, for he or his shadow chills the social atmosphere of almost every community-who is nothing more than a human beast, an immortal brute. A cold, unfeeling, selfish being is he. He grovels in the dust-never feels the inspiring thrill of a lofty thought or noble sentiment-never climbs up to where a wide prospect may be had from the mountain tops of life, but wallows and flounders along through its swamps and morasses. His caution or his avarice has shielded him thus far, but inexorable Nemesis is upon his track, with sure and steady step, and will soon overtake him. Nature will not be cheated by even so shrewd a bargainer as he. Disease has already begun to trace her signatures all over him. His eyes have lost their fire and brilliance, and now peer dimly through thick-gathering films of rheum. You can read in the pimples and furrows which disfigure his countenance, the record of many excesses-the history of many a debauch. His bent form, his slouching gait, his negligent attire, his thin and piping voice, all betoken the rapid approach of physical and moral bankruptcy. He is nearly "played out."

Still, viewed from a commercial standpoint, he has been a successful man. The tentacula which fringed the mouth of his aspirations swept into it not only the means for the gratification of his lusts, but drew within their vortex that litter of dust and straws which men call "property." He is rich. He owns untold acres, the proceeds of money lent on bond and mortgage, to the needy and improvident. His bank and railroad stocks, purchased

when consternation swept over the land, and fortunes crumbled before the crushing blows of panic and crisis, require long rows of figures for their enumeration. His merchandize lumbers up our wharves and warehouses. Solitary and alone he walks his narrow round, an incarnate spirit of evil, an embodiment of self and sin. He does no great and noble deeds with his money. In his hands it is not an enchanter's wand, at whose touch churches, schools, and colleges spring up to bless and elevate humanity. The wasted hand of want is stretched out to him in vain. He turns a deaf ear to the moans of the down-trodden and oppressed. The struggle of a great people for national existence did not kindle in his breast the faintest glow of patriotic emotion. While other men were periling their lives in the bloody contest, or pouring out their wealth like water to aid their country in its hour of need, he remained at home swindled the nation in his contracts for army supplies-clothed its soldiers with shoddy-poisoned them with unwholesome rations-or watched the battle-cloud, that he might trim his sails, in disaster or success, so as to profit by the rise and fall in gold. The heartless villain, thus to fatten on the corpses of those who fell in the grandest struggle the world ever witnessed! Nero fiddled when Rome was wrapped in flames-he gloats over his ill-gotten gains while a nation is bathed in tears, and clad in the sable weeds of woe.

MEETING OF OHIO COLLEGES-GREEK PREPA

RATION.*

The suggestion of the School Commissioner in relation to a change in the course of study preparatory to admission to college, which was made in his annual report published a year ago, has been carefully considered by some, at least, of the officers of our Ohio colleges. They were fully alive to the want of adaptation between the high school and collegiate systems of the State, and had long been revolving the question how these two could be made to work in harmony with each other. An official suggestion from the head of the school system of the State, seemed to them to be worthy of the most respectful consideration. Moreover, as giving instruction in the highest class of institutions for

*This article was prepared by Pres. Andrews at our request.-ED. MONTHLY.

general education, they felt it incumbent upon them to give a thorough examination to any plan which promised to be an improvement. The teacher-of whatever grade-owes it to his pupils, to the community, and to himself, to adopt those methods which seem best adapted to secure the highest and best results. The college instructor should be the more ready to examine new methods, because of the disposition in the community at large, too often encouraged by a portion of the teachers in our public schools, to regard the education given at our colleges as of a "narrow antiquated type." and the curriculum of studies as an old-world one, with nothing to recommend it but its antiquity.

The suggestion of the Commissioner, that Greek should be postponed till the student enters college, and that the high school should give for the Greek thus omitted a full equivalent in mathematics and other branches, though startling, was received by the college instructors with the determination to examine it patiently and dispassionately. As opportunity has offered, it has been discussed in conversation by gentlemen connected with different institutions, not only in Ohio, but in other western States. A short time since, it was proposed to call a meeting of college officers to consider this subject and such others pertaining to their professional work as those present might select. In response to an invitation thus sent out, about a dozen colleges of the State sent delegates to a meeting held at Columbus, Wednesday, Jan. 2.

As this was not a public gathering, but a meeting for the informal interchange of opinion, it would be improper to do more than give a general account of the views expressed by the gentlemen present. It should be borne in mind that they represented the faculties of the several institutions, and not the trustees; of course, they could not decide so important a question.

The chief argument against the change was, that it would lower the standard of scholarship; or, at least, that it would make that impression upon the public mind. The great fact would stand out that students were admitted to college without any knowledge of Greek, while the additional requirements in other branches would be overlooked. It would have the appearance of converting the college into an academy for the first one or two years.

It was urged, also, that the amount of Greek in the course must be reduced; that the student could not be supposed to do what was required in regard to other studies, and yet go over as

much Greek in his college course as is now done in the preparatory and college courses combined.

It was objected, that the proposed change would postpone the commencement of the study of the Greek to too late a period in life. That great success in linguistic learning was more likely to be attained when the student entered upon the study at an early age, and that the older the student the more difficult was the language.

Another argument was, that the Ohio colleges would thus be thrown out of the great sisterhood of colleges. The college curriculum has been well-established, and is the growth of centuries. Any such radical change as the one proposed, which would cut us off from all the institutions in the older States, was to be deprecated. The newer colleges needed the support and countenance of the older ones, and it would be a misfortune to do any thing to forfeit their esteem. It was urged in connection with this, that the tendency would be to drive away students to the older colleges that follow the old course, and thus our colleges would be injured rather than benefited by the change.

These were the chief points made by those who were not disposed to favor the change. There were some minor considerations urged; as, that the high school, attempting to teach so many things, would not give good instruction in the studies proposed to be substituted for Greek in those schools; that high schools and colleges had different ends in view; that the proposed change would tend to remove the colleges farther from the people rather than bring them more into sympathy with them.

Those who advocated the change admitted the weight of some of the reasons urged against it, though they claimed that they were not decisive. It was perhaps impossible for those who opposed the plan, to avoid speaking of it as a lowering of the standard; the dropping of Greek from the preparatory course, as a dropping of it altogether. At any rate, those who favored the change seemed to be called on continually to define their position, as if they were arraying themselves against classical culture. There was an apparent difficulty in the minds of some in looking upon the whole course, preparatory and collegiate, as Thus there was a tendency to confound the question of priority of Greek, with the other question of more or less, or possibly with that of some Greek or no Greek.

one.

To show that there need be no absolute diminution in the amount of acquisition in this branch, this scheme was given:

Suppose that at present the preparatory Greek occupies two years, the student pursuing two other studies at the same time. Suppose the colleges require for entrance as much mathematics as now occupies one year and a half-one lesson a day-of study in college. Can the student by studying a year and a half after entering college, do what now takes two years in the preparatory school? It was thought that this might be done, as he would have uniform and thorough instruction, and would commence the Greek after two years' more drill in Latin and mathematics than at present. A number of Greek professors in the State express themselves with great confidence that there would be gain rather than loss so far as that language is concerned.

Without giving other positions maintained by those who favored the suggestion of the Commissioner, it is enough to say that the result of the discussion seemed to be to adhere for the present, at least, to the existing course. A number of gentlemen had bestowed no previous thought upon the subject, and perhaps some had not heard that such a plan had been proposed, till this meeting was called.

The present Commissioner, Mr. Norris, was present at all the sessions, some of which, indeed, were held, by his invitation, in his office. He manifested great interest in the discussions, though he confessed himself disappointed at the result. His confidence in the desirableness of the proposed change was quite equal to that of his predecessor, Mr. White. Notwithstanding the disappointment he felt, he urged the gentlemen connected with colleges to increase their efforts to elevate the tone of the public schools, and especially to seek to improve them in regard to classical study. He believed that much could be done to bring the two classes of institutions into harmonions coöperation, and that college officers might greatly increase the number of those who would seek a liberal education. He had no doubt that Greek would be taught in our high schools whenever the pupils desired to study it. If the boys wished to go to college, their parents would see to it that provision was made for their instruction in the necessary branches.

The writer of this has no doubt that great good will grow out of this meeting. Some of those connected with the colleges have a better idea than before of the workings of the public school system, and there will be more zealous and hearty coöperation with those who are identified with the high schools.

Arrangements were made for a meeting of college officers, in