IN DEFENCE OF DR. NEWMAN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 727, 28 January 1910, Page 4

IN DEFENCE OF DR. NEWMAN.

Sir,—l was'.'much, pleased ;to see-; Dr. Newman's remarks as reported in '. The Dominion "(some,■ considerable vtime '. ago nowj/.'in reforence to ; tlie' useless waste. of . time aud " energy forced'. upon, young students ,by::the compulsory ...study ,of. Latin, fully.; endorse, all he said on •the. subject,':iand. have";.oftenV myself-; felt ;.a' pang 'of ..regret when; reflecting on . the labour,; and the daily and.iiightly . overstrain; which; I had to expend v-On ; this : subject .-at: high ; school ~ and ;univer-. S1 v>- whcn.- half'/the labour "if then-,ex-pended. on /other:/subjects,w.ould )'be t of incalculable 'benefit .to- me . now. .-.lt' is rather .surprising : ;to find,: from orio'Y.or .twa criticisms - ;in. ; your •. correspondence columns, of' Dr. - Newman's remarks, that there are still to. be' fouud peoplo who imagine, that -the - study -of tho' Latin language; is identical' with culture, - art," and . education. .A 'man may-' have.a thorough 'knowledge. of ; Latin, and 1 yet nave none of., theso j. he may,, have 1 them .ail. and } be- ignorant -of Latin. '• Dr. New'.m?n's renfarks. contained .nothing wliatagainst culture ,or. f artor education as ; hig ;critics: insinuate.','lv flo.-not. intend any. controversy;oh this sub] ectji;; wlnch I; know from experience can vbe = earned ' to.ienorraous • lengthsby constant ; misrepresentation; (often,;; uriintentional). of; thefactual, position, .taken up uy those , who aro original Vonoueh to question:; the.: antiquated notion that -a man -is ignorant ifjie; doesn't know Latin. Ihis misrepresentation: has, been very : apparent criticisms - which -havo' Dr. Newman's .remarks', but i; ;Say: without, hesitation' that those remarks are worthy'oftheni ost serious consideration.—l- am, etc.,-. • PROGRESS.