THE HESPERIAN
r
MISCELLANY.
On the 31st of October the site of the most famous temple
of antiquity and the hall in which the Amphyctyonic council
sat at Delphi was secured to American scholars for explora
tion. Our national school of classical archaeology at Athens
has had the refusal of this groat opportunity for more than a
year through the favor of the Greek minister who gave the
preference to American private enterprise rather than to the
French government. The only condition imposed was the
removal of the village of Castri now planted in the midst of
the ruins, which would cost about $80,000. This sum should
have been raised before May I, 1880, and Dr. Chas. Wald
stcin.lhc distinguished director of the American school at
Athens, visited this country to secure it if possible by per
sonal appeal and influence. Not succeeding, he had the time
again extended to November 1. Still the 580,000 did not
conic in and a change in the Greek ministry made it improb
able that any further extension of extension of time could be
obtained. The very last day of grace, October 31, 1890, a
final effort by President Seth Low, of Columbia college, and
a fellow enthusiast resulted in adding to the fund the $20,000
still lacking, and a telegram announcing the fact was sent to
Athens. The probabilities are that this secures to American
scholais the honor of unearthing the shrine of Apollo-thc
sacred spot which for looo years was to Greek and Roman
what Jciusalcm was to the crusader or Rome to later Cath
olics. The exploration will be watched with keenest interest by
all educated people, and extraordinary finds in the nature of
inscriptions, statues, reliefs, etc., may be expected. Delphi
is not upon any of the world's highways, is difficult of access
and treasures of art may be lying undisturbed in the accre
tions of soil.
In 1840, Karl Ottfricd Mueller, the master of Curtius,
began excavations at Delphi. lie had recovered fifty-two
inscriptions, when he succumbed to fatal disease and the
woik was dropped. The French some years ago supposed
they had secutcd a right to the site, but the failure of the
senate to ratify a commercial treaty with Greece lost it to
them and it was then offered to America. It would be an
honor to have any part much more the leading part 111
rescuing what remains of Delphi to the world.
Why do not some of the classical or philological students
of this Univcrsity.by special attention to cphigraphy and art
history, prepare themselves for a post-graduate course at
the American school of classical archaeology at Athens?
Representatives of Harvard, Vale, Princeton, Cornell and
Ann Arbor arc working there, and should our University
identify itself with the Archaeological Institute of America as
hau the institutions referred to, our professors would be
eligible to the position of resident director which has been
occupied by Professor D'Oogcs, of Michigan, and others.
Dr. Chas. Waldstcin is the permanent director. The build
i"g is commodious and convenient. Students duly qualified
and recommended have the advantage, at not cost beyond
mere living expenses, of the instruction of experts and inter
course with the Ficnch, German and English archaeological
schools established in Athens. They divide their time be
tween library work, practical excavation of the sites of classic
history and examination of finds under the direction of the
"I'M distinguished archaeologists of the day. Could a class
ical student propose to himself anything more delightful than
such spceial training and the career it opens?
In the course of the present term Professor Charles Hen
"ctt, lormcrly of this University will deliver a lecture on the
work of the American Archaeological institute, under the
auspices of the Ilaydon Art club of this city. There should
be a large attendance of students, for the subject opened up
will no doubt prove a revelation to many.
We believe that the University is having an abnormal
development, that some departments arc growing at the ex
pense of others. We arc justified in holding such a belief by
facts. For several years the student body have been asking
for instruction in elocution and oratory; but each ycai, while
every scientific department has steadily grown, the department
of rhetoric and oratory has become more and more inade
quate to meet the growing demand for instruction. In some
departments, perhaps yet in their infancy but on that ac
count not more deserving of funds at the expense of another
departments specialists are employed at large salaries solely
for the benefit of two or three students. We realize that it
is the work of a few years to build up a department; but at the
same lime vc hold 'hat it is bad policy to give costly instruc
tion to a few students when the whole student body is clam
oring for instruction that is denied them. Limited as we are
by the caprices of our ever changing legislatures, it should
be our policy to build up those departments so essential to a
college; then, should there be a surplus, thcic would be
plenty of time to gel an instructor in another "ology."
We remember that a few years ago the legislature cut
down the University appropriations, because the University
was giving instruction in one department that cost the state
about $2,000 a year for each pupil. We do not think that
any such cosily instruction i.. now being given; but we know
that there arc departments with only a few students that re
ceive Hinds sufficient to provide for an instructor in elocution
who would give instruction to a few hundred students.
The recent meeting of the National Historical association
at Washington which Professor Howard attended should be of
interest to all students. After an oigauization of seven years
the association has been incorporated by congicss with per
mission to deposit their records at the Smithsonian Tnstituton.
The membershop of the association includes almost every his
tory of the coumtry, especially these younger historians of
the fourth and last class who have not followed the example
of our earlier historians of studing exclusively foriegn sub
jeets but arc devoting themselves to the details of our own
history, especially have they corrected, supplemented, and
almost destroyed the features of the early history of thecouu
tr , cnec.nl research. Many univcisities of the South were
..7 "r 'i ....
Wisconsin,
read
the
represented and among those of the west were W.scoi,
Michipnn Minnesota, and Nebraska. Professor Howard 1
n ,., of Miss Trccman's paper, entitled, "Slavery 111
District of Columbia-thc Policy.of Congress; and the strug
gle for abolition." The leading authorities of history a.ut tne
press were enthusiastic in their commendation of it. Proles
sors Howard and Warner were cordially received in the asso
ciation and everywhere he heard many compliments paid to
the work in special lines that has been done by men in the
University and published in the University Studies.
We are pleased to know that Jas. S. Pccry, formcly of '93
is so ably discharging the duties devolving upon h.m as
county supenntendant of public instruction 1.1 Utah. Mr.
Pccry is the prime leader in the movement to start a public
library in Ogdcn. On the evening of January 1, he made a
cryurgent appeal to the citizens of Ogden tora.se funds for
Z purpose. I. M-ch is printed in full in the Ogden
Daily Commercial of January 4.