I knew almost nothing about a college education when as a freshman at Hamilton I stepped into the office of my adviser, George Nesbit, the formidable chairman of the English department. No word was spoken as he reviewed my high school transcript. At length he said, “Connor, I see you had some Latin in high school.”
“Yes, sir, “I blurted out. “I thought it might be enough to get me out of the language requirement,”
He gave me the death look. I began to understand that at Hamilton one did not “get out of” requirements.
He picked up his pen. It had on it , I think, the words Mont Blanc, and wrote on my course selection card, “Greek 1.”
“But. ....” I tried to protest.
“If you liked Latin, you’ll like Greek. Now, for the science requirement …”
That was all there was to it. He was chairman of the English department. I was a a freshman who knew nothing. So, I took Greek. Now, so many decades later I still struggle with that language and the people who spoke it in ancient times. it the words I cannot put it aside.
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The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.
― Omar Khayyám
“Yes, sir, “I blurted out. “I thought it might be enough to get me out of the language requirement,”
He gave me the death look. I began to understand that at Hamilton one did not “get out of” requirements.
He picked up his pen. It had on it , I think, the words Mont Blanc, and wrote on my course selection card, “Greek 1.”
“But. ....” I tried to protest.
“If you liked Latin, you’ll like Greek. Now, for the science requirement …”
That was all there was to it. He was chairman of the English department. I was a a freshman who knew nothing. So, I took Greek. Now, so many decades later I still struggle with that language and the people who spoke it in ancient times. it the words I cannot put it aside.
-
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.
― Omar Khayyám