An old master, and other political essays

"An Old Master, and Other Political Essays" by Woodrow Wilson is a compilation of writings from the end of the 1800s that takes a look at different ideas about politics and education, and how people like Adam Smith affected economics and school debates. Wilson thinks about how higher education was changing back then, and how important it was to be a good speaker and inspire students in class. The book starts with an essay called "An Old Master," where Wilson talks about how teaching by lecturing isn't as popular as it used to be in schools. He says it's important to have a good writing style and to have teachers like Adam Smith, who could get students excited about learning through lively talks. Wilson didn't like that education was starting to focus more on numbers and data instead of inspiring speeches. He felt that schools should still value the way old masters taught, with their impressive speaking styles. This introduces the idea that education, politics, and historical figures are all connected.