Greeks in America - eBooks4Greeks.gr

EUROPEAN BACKGROUND 53The government of Venizelos made the great reformthat the demotic is to be the medium of instructionin primary education. Higher courses are tobe given in the purist style.The matter of dual language is a great hindranceand handicap in the mental growth and developmentof the people of Greece. The conflict has importantbearing, too, on church and religious matters.LEADERSHIPNeed of leaders.—Leadership is the greatest needamong the Greeks. Unfortunately there are toomany leaders. All aspire to leadership, none wantto be led. Factiousness, division and disputationshave been among the chief weaknesses of the Greek**people. Where there are four Greeks, there are^ve captains or leaders,'' says a proverb.Sources of leadership.—^Happily there has beenno lack of good leaders at all the stages of Greekhistory. At present the University of Athens suppliesthe principal leaders. Graduates from its variousdepartments, especially the law school, are themain leaders. Greece is a land of lawyers and fromamong them have come her chief politicians. Thusthe latest great leader of Greece, Venizelos himself,is a graduate of the law school, and was a lawyer inCrete.Members of Parliament have great influence andplay an important role in the national life. EveryBouleutis (M. P.) was at times a dictator in hisown sphere of influence. The press is an immensepower, as Greeks are great readers, consequentlythey are led and misled through the press.Leaders in Turkey.—Among the Greeks in Turkeythe clergy play a far greater part, as the Patriarchsand the Bishops, or Metropolitans, are national aswell as religious leaders. Teachers also are of great