10
THE HESPERIAN
Frank Woods, last year of tho class of
'95, now of Colorado College, Colorado
Springs, is the winner in the state oratorical
contest of Colorndo. This speaks well for
Colorado College, but since Frank was so
recently a student of the N. S. U., we must
claim a share of the glory for ourselves.
Wo wish him to secure second place under
Nebraska's first in tho inter-state contest.
Leo Edwards, a former student of the
University, visited relatives and friends in
Lincoln recently. Lee will graduate a full
fledged M. D. from the Omaha Medical Col
lege in April next. He then, so we are in
formed, will open up an office in the Burr
block, from whence he will sally forth on
his attacks upon diseases and maladies of all
kinds. May ho find success in the practice
of his chosen profession is the wish of the
Hesperian.
The local in regard to the disposition of
funds in tho hands of the treasurer of the
Oratorical Association, that appeared in the
Hesperian for February loth, was vague
and did not state the whole case. Tho mo
tion entire that passed at the meeting of tho
Oratorical Association was that twenty-five
dollars should be paid as a prize to the win
ning orator and also twenty-five dollars for
training in preparation for the State contest.
Then after paying the expenses of the con
test, all moneys left in the treasury, with the
exception of five dollars, were to be paid to
the athletic association to pay off its indebted
ness. The motion met with much opposition,
but the athletic fever raged higher than the
oratorical fover and it passed. Mr. Sheldon
in writing the following letter could not
understand all the facts, but his letter up
holds the position of tho minority in the
oratorical meeting, and it should have some
weight if the question in hand ever comes up
again, and it undoubtedly will next year.
-Ed.
Cambridge, Mass., Feb. 24, '03.
Editor of the Hesperian :
Dear Sir : I have this day received a
copy of the Hesperian dated February 15th.
With your permission, I desire to make a
few remarks through your paper upon the
Allowing paragraph, taken from the Hest
peri an before mo: "At a recent meeting
of the Oratorical Association a motion pre
vailed whereby all surplus moneys in the
hands of tho treasurer, with the exception of
five dollars, should be turned over to the
Athletic association. Tho athletes are ap
preciative of this generous assistance and
rejoice over the fact that they can make
preparations for the spring work, untram
melled by indebtedness."
I, too, rejoice with the athletes " over the
fact that they can make preparations for the
spring work untrammelled by indebtedness, "
but I exceedingly regret that the Oratorical
Association sacrificed its own important in
terests, thereby acquiring an empty treasury
and leaving its representative to the state
contest dependent upon his own resources.
Tho attitude of the students of the Uni
versity towards oratory is an unfortunate
one. I have read heart-rending appeals
in the columns of tho Hesperian and of the
Ntibrmlcan urging the alumni and students to
exhibit their loyalty to the University by
rendering the Athletic association financial
support. But in the discussion of oratorical
matters, I have not noticed any intimations
that the University orators should receive
financial aid. It is to be regretted that the
students are willing to spend hundreds of
dollars to train a foot ball team and only
five dollars to train their orator. The Uni
versity orator should be as liberally and
loyally supported as are the base ball and
foot ball teams. Sober reflection must con
vince every student that the fame of the
University depends upon the success of her
orator as much as it does upon the success
of her base ball and foot ball teams.
The Nebraskan says : "Tho State Univer
sity expects its orator to win tho state con
test with great ease. Mr. Wing
has a heavy trust imposed upon him, and no
doubt will not disappoint his admirers."
If the resolution passed by the Oratorical
Association may be taken as a criterion of
tho support the orator is receiving, I doubt
whether the trust "imposed upon him " is
as great as might be inferred from the above
