‘Inaugural Discourse,’ Acadia College, 1861

JAMES DeMILLE 'Inaugural Discourse,' Acadia College, 1861 Edited by Gwendolyn Davies [DeMille begins his address with occasional remarks on Acadia as the 'classical spot' of the Lower Provinces; places the great question of Education above 'the level of mines and manufactures, higher than the plane of steam lines and railways'; and praises the wisdom of the college's founders.]* Standing here with the past spread out before us it seems a fitting time to discuss in brief the subject of Collegiate Education, not with any intention of advocating its claims before those who have proved a thousand times their high appreciation of the cause; but with the desire of bringing clearly before our minds the true and central idea of a College; so that we may see whether originally it was engrafted upon our Institution, and afterwards whether it bore corresponding fruit. Concerning this an impression is prevalent which has given rise to much misapprehension and false reasoning. It is supposed that the whole duties of a College consists [sic] in imparting a certain amount of information. It is thought that a College is a place where four years are passed simply in acquiring sciences and languages with the intention of putting them to direct practical use in after life. Yet if this be the true meaning of Education it needs but little examination to see that there is not a College on the face of the earth which actually fulfils this purpose. For, what part of the information there acquired is afterwards put to this direct practical use? To what profession does it of itself prepare a man? What office may he fill without further preparation? What place has this theoretical knowledge of the college graduate in the tumult and the rush of human life? The pure Latinity which gives honor in a College avails nothing in the world. The most thorough knowledge of ancient history will be found useless in the counting house. The most subtle appreciation of the force of every Greek particle will be of no assistance in Courts of Law. The most profound acquaintance with mathematics will· never need to be .. Some of the" many spelling and punctuation errors have been silently corrected here from the original publication in the Christian Watchman, a text which may have been transcribed by a reporter. UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO QUARTERLY, VOLUME 64, NUMBER 3, SUMMER 1995 438 JAMES DeMILLE displayed in the pulpit/ nor will all the Rhetoric of the schools qualify a man for the practice of medicine. Yet in spite of all this we know that he who goes to a College, whatever may be his tastes/ inclinations, or fancies, is put through one unalterable course. Out of each class that enters/ every man shall seek a different calling from his neighbour, and yet all are taught the same branches. The knowledge may by no possibility be of use in their future profession, but the task is not spared them, nor is any distinction made. The minister is not freed from mathematics; nor the Lawyer from Greek; nor yet the Doctor from Rhetoric. Though widely dissimilar by nature and in purpose , they are run through the same mould, and the same impress is stamped upon all. When a class has graduated can every member say that he has acquired much insight into his future duties, or that his knowledge has advanced him toward the attainment of his profession? He finds that four years which form the most important period of life have passed away, and they have been passed in acquiring much that may henceforth be unused; that now he will have to begin at the very elements of his profession/ just as though he had never seen the walls of a college. By his side are lads four years younger than himselt who are articled in the same office and will get their diplomas on the same day. They have caught up to him, for he has passed four years at college. Has all that precious time been wasted? Years pass on. Gradually time effaces the recollection of College studies. The facts and formulas, once so familiar lie unused in his mind. No circumstances arise to...