THE HESPERIAN.
UNIVERSITY of NEBRASKA.
Vol. XV.
LINCOLN, NEB., FEBRUARY 15, 1887.
No.IX.
THEHESPERIAN
(HESPERIAN STUDENT.)
Issued semi-monthly by the Hesperian Publishing Associ
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EDITORIAL NOTES.
If we remember rightly there was something said,
at the beginning of the tall term about providing, be
fore long, an instructor in elocution and rhetoric.
The time is past, which was set as the limit before
which we were to be supplied and our instructor docs
not materialize; neither do we hear of any hopes for
it to do so in the near future. Now this, in our opin
ion is a position which must be more easily filled
than the promised chair of Philosophy, hence we ex
pected a speedy fulfillment of that promise. Perhaps
there is some valid reason for this failure, undoubt
edly there is, but it is certain that the students should
have, and that speedily, an instructor in elocution.
It is claimed that we have no fine speakers in our
University, nor can we wholly deny it. But why is
this? We certainly have the material and if what
natural talent there is, were properly trained, so that
each student would not have to depend entirely upon
himself, we could certainly produce fine speakers. It
is a (act that we have wonderful speakers considering
the lack of training that they have had, We most
earnestly hope we will not be much longer without
an instructor in the elocutionary art.
Proper appreciation of both literary and musical
numbers on our society programs, is always due the
renderer. Nothing is. more in place than the old
custom of outward manifestation of pleasure by 'the
hearers. Due merit should always recieve its meed
of praise, but that does not imply that
every performance, however meritorious
should be applauded, nor does it seem proper that
each exercise should be followed by applause which is
governed by habit more than by appreciation. This
habit is one which has been contracted by all of our
literary societies, and applause in our institution has
long since become devoid of meaning. This should
not be so, and the sooner we break off this habit, the
sooner will true merit shine forth. It approaches the
ludicrous to see member after member applauded
with the same earnestness, the same apparent appre
ciativeness, when there is absolutely no comparison
between the productions. Encores are called after
almost every musical performance without regard for
real merit. The good that is intended by such acts
is lost by its generality. This is however justified in
the eyes ol some, by the idea that beginners should
be encouraged and the feelings of the common per
former must not be wounded. In saying this, they
entirely lose sight of the fact that a real able perform
er has feelings and that if a performance palpably
poor is applauded with equal vim with his own, he
has a right to feel, either grieved at the want of true
appreciation of his production or be inspired with a
contempt for an audience which is incapable of judg
ing; in either case, discouragement is the result and
in that way true talent is kept away, to a great extent
from our exercises. Reform in this must certainly be
be met with improvement in society productions.
It is an argument often used by the opposers to popu
lar education that often those who make brilliant re
cords while at College, when they are required to
face the world make complete failures. There is, it
must be confessed in a large number of cases a good
deal of truth in this. To be sure it does not apply so
aptly to graduates from western institutions where
the students are composed, for the most part,of young
