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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1893)
2 THE HESPERIAN gates from several colleges or universities meet in convention and so far forget them selves or rather their position, for they do not forget themselves as to stamp their feet, clap their hands, wave their arms, and howl their howls,' until they ignore dignity, lose sight of their honor, and disgust the visiting public when they do this, we say they forfeit all claim to respect and to any responsible positions they hold. Unless an association representing dignified institutions act in at least a fairly dignified manner, such an association should not exist. We would not for a moment advocate withdrawal from the oratorical association if something could be done that would do away with sncl hot fighting which always results in ill will. We believe this could be remedied by amending the constitution. Force each local association to settle evcrj local difficulty in its own association, and if it did not appear before the state convention with a clean set of papers, deny the institution admittance to the state convention. Do this and all petty difficulties always springing up in the state convention will disappear: the business of the convention will be done speedily and creditably; that fellow feeling will become a social and an intellectual one and will not fail to accomplish the end desired in the cre ation of the oratorical association. Since the bill appropriating seven thous and five hundred dollars to send the ca dets to the World's Fair has been shelved, it is evident that those who get there will have to get themselves there. While the Hesi'krias has no plan that will get every one there, it suggests that by the following plan those who choose to become members of the Batallion may at least go cheaply and enjoy the show. Let the cadets organize two or three companies for the express pur pose of going to the fair. Tents could easily be secured, and this is what is most needed. One of the greatest sources of ex pense will be that of lodging. By this plan this expense would be entirely avoided. The fellows would be with their friends and the pleasure of good fellowship would supple mont the pleasure derived from the fair. It is evident that the man who visits the fair alone will enjoy it far less than he who visits it in company with his friends. While many who are now members of the Batallion would not be able to attend even if this plan were adopted, yet undoubtedly many, not at present members, would join in order to en joy the advantages offered by such a plan. In order to accommodate those whose mili tary training has been neglected, the stand ard for admission to this world's-fair bat allion should not be too high. It should be organized, not as an end in itself, but as a means to an end, and that end should be to see the fair. Whether this plan be thought worthy of adoption or not, it is submitted for consideration. "We have met the enemy and they are ours." At last the abiding faith of a few of us has been realized. The University has won an oratorical contest. Many a time have we entered contests with spirits buoyed up by the belief amounting almost to cer tainty, that we were leading the procession in thought and composition, and as often have we returned with the sad consciousness that in delivery we had given eclat to the procession by bringing up the rear. The disapprobation with which our style of do livery was regarded had the effect of regu larly and systematically relegating us to sec ond place. But "it is a long lane that has no turning;" the gentlemen who acted as judges in the last contest recognized the fact that the sum total of good. delivery does not consist in a series of athletic, acrobatic, or Delsartean feats. As a result of this change of sentiment on the part of the judges, the University orator will represent Nebraska in the Interstate contest. Here, it lis believed, the conversational style will be well received. At any rate, after winning two contests with it, our orator proposes "to stick to it for better or for worse. ' '
