Description:

William H. Taft TLS: "I am strongly in favor of continuing the classics in an academic education"

A 1p typed letter signed by former 27th U.S. President William H. Taft (1857-1930) as "Wm H Taft" at center. February 20, 1916. [New Haven, Connecticut.] On custom stationery with "William H. Taft / New Haven, Conn." letterhead. Expected wear including even toning, minor grubbiness/smudges, flattened paper folds, and minor loss to the lower right corner. Isolated areas of fold separation and closed tears have been discretely repaired and are only visible verso. Else very good. 7" x 8.625."

This letter was addressed to Edson J. Lawrence, presumably a student or instructor at Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, New Jersey, a public high school (Grades 9-12) established in 1871. Lawrence had posed Taft the question of whether the classics--the study of Latin and Greek--was still a useful and necessary component of a modern education. The classics had long-been acknowledged as standard to a basic education since studying classical languages and rhetoric promoted understanding of modern languages, literature, history, art history, philosophy, and politics. Indeed, Taft was a product of this academic approach, having attended public and private schools including Yale University.

Taft wrote in part:

"I have your letter of February 15th. I am strongly in favor of continuing the classics in an academic education. I consider that they are most helpful in the matter of correct English style, in laying sound foundations for grammatical construction, and in furnishing a basis for the study of all foreign languages.”

This discussion was part of a larger debate about modern education. In the early 1900s, a movement challenging traditional views on education had been gaining traction. Dr. Abraham Flexner (1866-1959) of Louisville, Kentucky was one of the most vocal proponents of an academic approach coined "utilitarian studies." He proposed a streamlined course of study limited to industry, science, civics, and aesthetics, in order to best prepare students "to meet the demands of modern life." Dr. Flexner did not believe in a universal academic curriculum, disapproved of giving students evaluations or grades, and favored small-group learning instead of lectures. Educational reformers like Dr. Flexner considered the study of the classics indulgent and obsolete because the subject was irrelevant to modern life.

Evidence suggests that Taft was often posed the same question and had developed a formulaic response, since he reused some of the same exact language found in this letter when submitting his response to a Conference on Classical Studies hosted by Princeton University in June 1917. When asked why the classics were important, Taft added only an introduction stating: "I believe that the success of the continental systems of education and of that of Great Britain establishes the fact that not only are the classical studies important as an essential in the best liberal education along with mathematics, science, history, economics, philosophy, and modern literature, but that the continental system shows the practical value of such classical studies…" The Princeton symposium welcomed classics aficionados from throughout the United States and Canada. Three presidents submitted their views to conference organizers strongly supporting the classics: Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, and William H. Taft. Elsewhere, Grover Cleveland was also known to defend the classics.

Taft had returned to his alma mater Yale University in the spring of 1913 to serve as the Kent Professor of Law and Legal History. Taft was a full-fledged academic over the next 8 years, teaching courses, delivering lectures, and publishing articles and books.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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