Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1894)
28 THE HESPERIAN ing a "present," or an "excuse," was sup posed to be a prerequisite to permanency of university tenure. That this rule was not an unmitigated blessing may bo inferred from the records of March 6, 1873, when "The Chancellor spoke of needing assistance to preserve order during chapel exercises. Con sideration of action deferred." On the 8th of February, 1872, "Professor Dake asked and obtained permission to fasten his door soon after the ringing of the bell for recita tions, in ordor thereby to avoid disturbance by students passing in and out." Profes sors Aughey and Hitchcock were, April 28, 1875, "appointed a committee to investigate the matter of 'oiling' the well." The stu dents never knew, and the records do not show, whether the committee concluded that the oil in the well entered from below, or from above. At least the faculty never prospected its "find" any further. A set of rules for the government of the proceedings of the faculty, and the conduct of the stu dents, -was adopted February 26, 1877. Article YIII provided for a standing com mittee on "discipline," for each term. Whether the committee was to deal with the faculty, or with the students, is left in doubt. But judging from the internal commotions that prevailed in the faculty for the next five years, it seems that it was at least as much needed fci the former as for the latter. For violating the above and other rules and reg ulations, the faculty records show that it was no rare thing for students to bo. summoned before it, and to make either a verbal or a written promise to do better. But alas! the records also show that the- promise was fre quently followed by another offense; this, perhaps, by a suspension; then another apol ogy and a restoration, until finally the rules, especially those in regard to absences, be came a dead letter and passed into "innoc uous desuetude." The records nlso show that the intellect ual welfare of the students was not neglect ed, for September 15, 1875, it was moved and carried "that all who spoiled 25 per cent of the words in Professor Thompson's examination bo passed." How sad that "the conservation of the records" of the past has been so imperfectly attended to! The past life of universities, as well as of peoples, must over remain in doubt because of the carelessness or inefficiency of those whose duty and pleasure it should have been to preserve accurately the deeds and doings of their age! Now in this case we arc left for ever to guess. Historians will move heav en and earth in their vain attempts to deter mine whether this allowed those to pass who spelled 25 per cent., or only those who spelled that per cent, correctly. The laws of interpretation, the intention of the fram ers of this act, will be discussed during the coming ages; and, who knows, but wars may arise before the question will be set tled ! The importance of accuracy in record keeping rarely finds a more important and pointed illustration. May 10, L877, a rule was adopted requiring that any student fail ing in a recitation be required to make it up, and for five failures he should be suspended. Perhaps this accounts for the slow growth of the University for so many years. The fol lowing rule of November 0, 1873, shows that English was carefully attended to. No vember G, 1873: "Moved by Professor Dake that the Grammar classes take the sub ject of punctuation in addition to their regu lar courses this term. Carried." These quotations are enough to show the paternal character of the government at tempted, and the records are sufficient proof of the practical failure of the attempt. The standard of the University was that of the high school, and the methods of instruction were not essentially different. All studios were required. There wore no oloctives. The curriculum was as fixed as the laws of the Modes. All intellects were to bo treated practically to tho same regimon. Slight difforontiationc in tho courses afforded tho only outlet for individuality. The students were not allowed to choose that which they liked, hence tho necessity for tho paternal-
