--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was not until 1948 that Cambridge…" description: "\"“It was not until 1948 that Cambridge University stopped requiring a knowledge of classical (ancient) Greek as a prerequisite for admission. This requi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/293/norman-f-cantor-15048_ancient-greek_it-was-not-until-1948-that-cambridge-uni_1524870.jpg" --- # It was not until 1948 that Cambridge University stopped… ![“It was not until 1948 that Cambridge University stopped requiring a knowledge of classical (ancient) Greek as a prerequisite for admission. This requirement was based not only on the intrinsic merits of ancient Greek literature and philosophy. Knowledge of Greek was a screening device to keep out…” quote by Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/293/norman-f-cantor-15048_ancient-greek_it-was-not-until-1948-that-cambridge-uni_1524870.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/293/norman-f-cantor-15048_ancient-greek_it-was-not-until-1948-that-cambridge-uni_1524870.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/293/norman-f-cantor-15048_ancient-greek_it-was-not-until-1948-that-cambridge-uni_1524870.jpg) > ““It was not until 1948 that Cambridge University stopped requiring a knowledge of classical (ancient) Greek as a prerequisite for admission. This requirement was based not only on the intrinsic merits of ancient Greek literature and philosophy. Knowledge of Greek was a screening device to keep out the less affluent, who attended British state schools, where Greek was less likely to be taught than in private schools.”” [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage claims that requiring classical Greek for Cambridge admission acted as a class filter, favoring wealthy students from private schools over less affluent state-school students. **In simple terms:** Greek requirement acted as a class filter in Cambridge admissions. Key Takeaway Be aware of hidden barriers in education. Themes education class access elitism history Mood analytical inquisitive Type educational historical When to use this quote - university admissions - policy reform - social mobility studies - historical research Key Concepts social stratification gatekeeping curriculum design Questions to Reflect On - What other criteria contributed to class disparities? - How can modern admissions be more equitable? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify other factors influencing admissions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient greek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-greek/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Cambridge university](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cambridge-university/) [Latin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin/) ## Related quotes > [ Science only means knowledge; and for \[Greek\] ancients it did only mean knowledge. Thus the favorite science of the Greeks was Astronomy, because it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/science-only-means-knowledge-and-for-greek-ancients-it-did-only-mean/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Demon mean knowledge in Greek, especially about the material world. Science means knowledge in Latin. 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If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More by Norman F. Cantor > [“The central government was a despotism tempered by military rebellion and assassination and replacement of one scurvy lot of ruling dynasts by another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-central-government-was-a-despotism-tempered-by-military-rebellion/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“A very long time ago, some 2.5 million years B.C., the mother of human species as we know it, our ultimate ancestor, appeared in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/a-very-long-time-ago-some-2-5-million-years-b-c-the-mother-of-human/) [Norman F. 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First, it prevented the very rich oral cultures of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-classical-heritage-as-shaped-by-and-filtered-through-roman/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“The Gnostics (also called Manichees) postulated that there were two gods -- the Christian God of goodness and light, and an evil anti-God of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-gnostics-also-called-manichees-postulated-that-there-were-two/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“There is no doubt that to the ancients of circa 100 A.S., games implied bloodshed; but gladiators' hand-to-hand combats to the death featured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/there-is-no-doubt-that-to-the-ancients-of-circa-100-a-s-games-implied/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“Christian legend later claimed that Peter also went to Rome and there became head of the Christian community, that is, a bishop. Both Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/christian-legend-later-claimed-that-peter-also-went-to-rome-and-there/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [ “In response to \[the Philistine\] threat \[in the ninth century B.C.\], the Hebrews could no longer rely on the leadership of 'judges,' ad hoc… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/in-response-to-the-philistine-threat-in-the-ninth-century-b-c-the/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“Because the Egyptians had no feeling that events of the moment were transitory, they viewed the present as eternal. 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Cantor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) ## More Ancient greek quotes > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [In all of Western civilization, there have been societies that celebrating the homosexuality, the ancient Greeks. 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On the one hand, her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/greek-women-were-not-allowed-to-be-free-and-untamed-in-fact-artemis/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The ancient Greek oral poets all had this anxiety about the deficiencies of their memories and always began poems by praying to the Muse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/the-ancient-greek-oral-poets-all-had-this-anxiety-about-the/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [“We will have have the dead at our councils. The ancient Greeks voted by stones; these shall vote by tombstones. It is all quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/we-will-have-have-the-dead-at-our-councils-the-ancient-greeks-voted/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Again, if there are really no fairies, why do people believe in them, all over the world? The ancient Greeks believed, so did the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/again-if-there-are-really-no-fairies-why-do-people-believe-in-them/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I believe in logic, the sequence of cause and effect, and in science its only begotten son our law, which was conceived by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-in-logic-the-sequence-of-cause-and-effect-and-in-science/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom. ‘All men make mistakes,’ said the ancient Greek Sophocles. ‘But a good man yields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/tragedy-is-a-tool-for-the-living-to-gain-wisdom-all-men-make-mistakes/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [The ancient Greek definition of happiness was the full use of your powers along lines of excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/the-ancient-greek-definition-of-happiness-was-the-full-use-of-your/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [In some ways, Lotus Eaters is a journey disguised as a party film; there's a circus in the movie, and there are parties, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-mcguinness/in-some-ways-lotus-eaters-is-a-journey-disguised-as-a-party-film/) Alexandra McGuinness > [“Modern architects and engineers are still trying to understand how the ancient Greeks were able to build the Parthenon in ten years when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dunn/modern-architects-and-engineers-are-still-trying-to-understand-how/) Christopher Dunn > [Nobody can say a word against Greek: it stamps a man at once as an educated gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/nobody-can-say-a-word-against-greek-it-stamps-a-man-at-once-as-an/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“After he cut off their genitals, Chronos threw them into the sea, where they floated in a "white foam." 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