Aurora borealis academica : Aberdeen University appreciations, 1860-1889.

Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Aurora borealis academica : Aberdeen University appreciations, 1860-1889. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    encouraged, and to the introduction of certain new studies, which are now very generally believed to form essential elements in a liberal education Al- though declaring himself to be a warm friend of classical education, and only disapproving of some existing methods, his proposals raised much criticism; especially a speech delivered to the Court on 21st October, 1869, in which he said : “You will find Aberdeen men are doing hard intellectual work all over the world, but you will hardly find one dis- tinguished in classics,” drew from the Professor of Greek at that time (now Sir W. D. Geddes, Principal of the University) a trenchant reply and an eloquent defence of “Classical Education in the North of Scot- land”. But although Mr. Grant Duff’s views may have been too sweeping, he must be credited with having done much by his proposals to broaden the curriculum, and extend the system of Scotch Uni- versity education. His interest in this movement led to his being again chosen as a candidate for the rectorship in 1869, when his opponent was Sir W. Stirling Max- well, Bart., M.P. The Mar and Buchan nations again gave a majority for Grant Duff, Moray and Angus for Maxwell ; but in the Angus nation the figures were fifty-six to fifty-five. A protest was entered on be- half of Mr. Duff’s committee and procurators against the vote of a student who had not matriculated