Just a little more on the issue of the origin of the contemporary term "rat race". Below is an example relevant to teaching.
Example #4: In this example "rat race" is used in its contemporary sense and is relevant to college teaching. The Recruitment of Qualified Teachers: Higher Education's Greatest Postwar Need Willard Wilson Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors (1915-1955) , Vol. 31, No. 3 (Autumn, 1945), pp. 337-347 Published by: American Association of University Professors Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40220613 On page 347 we have the following paragraph: | Finally, however, for recruits we will have to depend upon the missionary |appeal which is at the root of all really sincere conversions to the teaching |profession. Admitted that we are over-worked and underpaid, that there are |stinkers in our midst, that we are underestimated by other professions, that |we are not constantly in a twitter of excitement about the dawning geniuses |in our classes, and that at times we wonder how we ever got into this |academic ******rat-race********, we nevertheless should continue to convey |to these young people the fact that teaching is a serious, dignified business. |We have to let them know that a real teacher chooses that profession not as |a stepping stone to another, but as the fulfillment of a deep inner conviction |that he has something to give through teaching that will somehow save, or at |least improve, the immortal thinking of students. And we have to let these |young people see in us examples of people who have dedicated themselves |with vigorous intent and honest objectivity to "develop and cultivate |intellectually |and morally" the minds of our students. Following up on Chris Green N-gram search, if one searches books.google.com for "rat race" and restrict it to the 19th century, one finds three versions of the phrase: (1) A a reference to rats as a race of beings. A 1858 use of the term in this sense is provided in the University Chronicle; see: http://books.google.com/books?id=IUHiAAAAMAAJ&pg=PT90&dq=%22rat+race%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NJ_xT7-TGYS36wGuxOCbBg&ved=0CFsQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=%22rat%20race%22&f=false (2) As a literal race between two or more rats. Jim Clark cited a 1851 source: http://books.google.com/books?id=vrUBAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA151&dq=%22rat+race%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NJ_xT7-TGYS36wGuxOCbBg&ved=0CLMBEOgBMBU#v=onepage&q=%22rat%20race%22&f=false NOTE: the original text is available as an ebook. (3) A usage comparable to today's use. First, from 1888: http://books.google.com/books?id=uqzaAAAAMAAJ&q=%22rat+race%22&dq=%22rat+race%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NJ_xT7-TGYS36wGuxOCbBg&ved=0CIkBEOgBMA4 Second, from the Spectator: http://books.google.com/books?id=V_MhAQAAMAAJ&q=%22rat+race%22&dq=%22rat+race%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NJ_xT7-TGYS36wGuxOCbBg&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAA -Mike Palij New York University [email protected] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=18755 or send a blank email to leave-18755-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
