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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 1893)
THE HESPERIAN i In behalf of a very large number of our students wo suggest that the library be opened roguhuly on Saturday nights. It is true that, in some respects, our library priv ileges are better this year than over bofore; some one of the faculty has always been found who is willing to or at least do. s sacrifice himself for the general good, by opening the library on Saturday afternoons; for which sacrifice the students are truly thankful. But very many students, being connected with some society that meets on Friday night, are deprived of the use of the library on that evening. To such students especially, together with many others who wish to pursue some special lino of reading in their spare moments, a Saturday night open ing would be a blessing. The additional cost would be but a trifle. It would insure better lessons on Monday morning. Let it bo tried, and if Saturday night attendance does not equal that of other nights we will not object to its being closed again for an indefinite time. it teaches him how to use for a definite ond the resources acquired in his general course of study. It not only stronghtens his mem ory, and makes him quick and accurate in statement, but it exercises his command over language, training him to employ almost instantaneously tho "aptest words in the aptest places." Such training is not simply for vocal culture or elocutionary drill. It has been too often tho case in oratorical con tests that the successful orator has been a mere declaimcr ; that he has had nothing to say that was worth saying ; his oration litis been simply u mouthfuls of wind.'" The poetry of his thoughts has been covered up with tho "ornaments and millniery" of language. He has declaimed with Demos theuic or Cicercoean vehemence spontaneous outbursts, months old, that "smell of the lamp." Give us contests in debate. - Much time has beed given to preparation for the annual oratorical contests, while in many of the universities preparation is being made for contests of far more practical natnre. The University of Iowa will this year hold the first contest in debate. As yet, no state contest has been arranged for, but tho interest taken by that institution insures that others will follow up, and a state con test will be held. The University of Nebraska should not be slow in entering such contests. The advan tages offered in our Udiversity for training in debate should insure to us a place in the first rank. The literary societies, as a usual thing, have such a large membership and the exercises are so largely of a different charac ter, that it seems plainly necessary that any valuable drill in debate must be had in the class rooms. We have the advantage of having instruction in extemporaneous speak ing; as a part of a college education, it can not bo over-estimated. It not only extends tho student's knowledge over new fields, but The base-ball season -will soon be here, and base-ball men should bestir themselves. "We are badly in need of now suits. Some of tho old ones, by reason of a multiplicity of patches, are as variegated as was the fabled coat of many colors. The problem of how to raise the money necessary for the purchase of new ones, now grimly confronts the base-ball man. In all probability, games will be arranged with Kansas, Iowa and Missouri. Every man that expects to play upon our team should bo in training now. Half an hour or an hour spent each day in the gymnasium will put him in good condi tion when tho season opens. If we work, we will have a better club than ever before represented' the institution. Wo will prob ably face better clubs than we have ever faced before. What is needed is individual training and team practice. In a University such as ours, containing a library is good as our library, it is certainly fair to presume that a good Webster's dic tionary should be provided to adorn a spe cific portion of that library. If wo cannot have a new ono let us have the old one restored.
