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THE HESPERIAN.
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AIMMNl AND FORMER STUDENTS,
'88. The lollowng is nn eUract from n letter recently
rt'efved by Professor llessey from J. (!. Smith:
7. ktcit.'SciiWKlz, Feb. 18. 1891.
I stnyctl at Herlin about two weeks and saw a few
of the ninny fine museums anil nubile buildings of the Gcr
man capital. Mr. Frankforter went with me to the botaiv'
ical institute where we met Dr. Schwendencr and were shown
tluough the laboratory and work rofMis, I also attended two
of the Doctor's lectures, although! could not catch vciy
much of the language. Professor Engler gave nic a pcimit
to visit the hotaimjl museum at the botanical gardens, so I
dissipated by spending a whole day there, and got a great
many valuable ideas. Ther- were eight or ten Welwitsclinis
and a number of the cones lying loose on lop of a glass ense,
put there, I suppose, for the purpose of trying the souls of
kleploinaniacal botanists. Yet the thought occurred, how
long would they stay there if in the United States, with no
one near to watch them. From Hcrlin I came direct to
.uiich, making no worse mistakes in transit than getting
a maid the wrong tiain and being put off therefrom at the
first station. The brakemen and conductors along that part
of the loule will no doubt pass the fact down to posterity,
that Americans arc lunatics. Unless the chniaclei of immi
gration changes the "powers" will be obliged to prohibit the
landing of Ameiican liffraff on European shores. Professor
SchuiMer gave me a very coidial greeting, and though I came
in the middle of the semester, made arrangements for me to
h.'ar all the botanical lectures at the Polytechnicuin. He
speaks very good English, while Pi ofessor Stnblei.of the seed
contml station, neither speaks nor understands it. The
P.iljtechnicuin conesponds to the state university, except
that they only give the bachelor's degree.
.Tljere aic some things that I like better in the U. of N.
style of teaching than here; for one thing, the students here
aie not allowed such fiec use of the laboratory, liei barium
libraiy and collections. Again, I think it is the better plan
to have both leciures nnd reejtntions. Lectures, only, makes
it loo ncaily optional with the student whether be learns any
thing or not. Judging fiom whnt I have .seen aliendy I
shoftld say that a large per cent of the students arc students
simply because it fs a very easy way to spend a few yeais and
have a good lime. At the university you may hear lectures,
one ser.uster or a dozen, and stand for a degree when you
get icady. Of couise il enables .the man who is so inclined
to do some haul digging, but it will ruin a fellow of my easy
p.Utern. What I want is some one to stand over me with n
e.nb to keep in c in motion and In the light path and not
.Hindering all over the pasture, figuratively speaking, with
1.0 'more definite pui pose than to kill time. After having
.pent two and a half yeais in out door woik, the confinement
necessary to sfndy is rather tring and I am afraid I will not
be able to stand it. My eyes are too weak lor good niicio
ocoplc work. The plan you suggested of ti, imping nrmind
tluough thediffeicnt agiicultural regions will be the best one,
though it will seem a pity to tin 11 another cynic loose in Fur
ope. "The woods are full of them" alread) . Please excuse
the slimy. It is such a rest after talking bad German all day
to relapse into "American as she is spoke." Professor
J-'cluoetcrset me at work making drawings of the seeds of
J'on trivialis and pratehsh to show in what respect tliey
d.fler, at least that was his intention but it has already heen
demonstrated to the satisfaction of all conceriiedth.it, accordr
ing to my drawings, ihey are identic!... My address is
Poslgebaude IHUniveisitatst, Oberstrasse, Zurich.
Frankmn, Nkii., MarcVo', 1891.
Editor Alumni Department, Hksit.RIAN:
I doubt my ability to write a letter of general inlcrcsh'to
students and alumni. However, since you ask it, I will
make the attempt, though your request' finds me in the midst
of examination work and very busy. 1 cannot speak from
experience, as Mr. Fifer docs, but am certain that- college
editois have no spare time. Since last September I ItnVe
been teaching here in Franklin academy, devoting my chief
energies to the intricacies of Greek and English. ' Franklin
academy, ns niaify of you know, is located at Franklin, on
the II. & M. U.K., in the Republican valley, about 150 miles
southwest fiom Lincoln. The school is preparatory ingrade,
nnd was founded some ten years ago under the care of the
Congregational churches of the Republican valley. It. is a
growing institution, and I can sec great changes' for Uic
better since I graduated here nearly five years ago. ' "
As you sec, we ate in the drouth-stricken part of Nc
hraska. Hut, notwithstanding the failure of1 crops, our roll
Jims above eighty, and our graduating class numbers' thir
teen. I have looked forward to teaching as a piofcssion ' for
some years, being particularly interested in preparatory
schools, and like the work as well as I expected to. To be
sure, it is not all delightful. As alllhat have tried it know,
school life as a teacher difTeis much from the snnle life as
student. The student has his work marked out, 'while the
the teacher has the responsibility of laying out his own work
and that of olheis a thing not so easy and pleasant ns some
college students seem to think. The pleasure of developing
an idea new to others is in part offset by the few" blank faces
that follow your best explanation. There arc also those that
lack interest and waste Ihcir opportunities. Hut to" watch
the development and in developing an earnest, enquiring
mind is a pleasure to make up for many unsatisfactory things.
And tl.ose that are to be teachers, may, it seems to 111c, con
gratulate tlmselves on the nobility of their prolession.
I thank the university frequently for-mcthods, matter, and
drill and nm glad of the opportunity to get so mlichoPcach.
Long live the U. of N. Hut I must not take- moie of your
space, so with confidence that the alumni department will
keep up, I offer my heartiest good wishes forTiiK IlKSl'KR
ian nnd its supporters and give place to the next.
Frank C. Taylor '90.
'89 '90.-- Hiuki.ow-Mocki'.tt: Married at the resi
dence of the bride's parents in this city, on the evening of
March 4, M. I. Higclow to Miss Edith Mockelt. The cere,
inony wns performed by Rev. Clinrles II. Newnnn. After
Apiil 3 they will he at home to their friends on Thirly-fiYst
and N streets. The groom is ninnager of the Higclow electric
light company; Their many fridnds wish them a long and
happy life. "
'89. --Mis. Lincoln Frost has resigned her position as
teacher in the city schools. She expects to take some spec
ial work in history next fall under' Professor Howar.l.
'84. -Jesse 1 1. Holmes, ai a graduating thesis at Johns
Hopkins, submitted .1 dissertation" on ltanxjleneilfculph'iiilc
acid. Mr. Holmes se'iit a copy to his former Visriictn'r,
Prof. Nicholson. ' ' ' '
87. Luke II. Cheney,, yho has been practicing law, in
this city, left recently to try his .fortune at Stockvillc,
Frontier county. ?
II. S. Martin, of the class of '89, . called aftle university
the 71I1. Mr. Martin is .teaching school near Waverly. ,
Lee Edwards, fqimeily of '94, who- has been study ihg
medicine at Omaha, is-home for vacation. J" '
gjwiiiraaaiw.
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