THE HESPERIAN
11
crony came no more; the sowing and the
pounding ceased forever.
Yet after ho was gone, peoplo did pry up
the boards in his humble home did dig
holes in the cellar, saying "Here a miser
lived,'' and "Wo will find the treasure." Be
ware, searchers, there is no gold here, no
treasure! There has been but it is gone.
The man that sat hero was golden and ye
knew it not. Angels seemed to converse
with him and to keep him pure and upright.
But he is gone and with him the entire treas
ure, the only person of all whom I have
known that might have exclaimed on his
death-bed, with the apostle of old; "I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith."
Ned: C. Auuott.
TEMPORARY SPECIALIZING IN UNDER
GRADUATE WORK.
Improved means of experiment and in
vestigation, better adjustment of scientific
moans to ends, closer application to fine
points, diligonco of specialists and their
devotion to the cause of actual and accurate
results, all work together toward the im
provement of scientific method. Sooner or
later a need suggests that which will supply
it; the demand for new method, when the
old is worn out, is sure to be satisfied.
We expect now things and are not content
to blunder along with the ill applied tools
of our fathers. The lack is the fruitful
field of inventivonoss.
As a mere matter of consistency, it is in
the field of education, where problems of
method are solved for all other lines of
work, that wo should find the pioneers of
progress. The best mothods are not those
of chance discovery; they live first in
thought and roach no slight degree of per
fection in the formative power of their keen
sighted inventors. Although the discussion
of thoir practical value is only possible after
thorough trial, yet tho discussion of their
prospective worth is an essential element in
their growth.
Along with the kindergarten, manual
training and polytechnic schools, tho "now
psychology" and a' score of more or less
developed experimental methods, some
thought is now being devoted to tho manner
of conducting tho work of undergraduate
college students. Practical test is being
made of tho plan of pursuing one, or a fow,
studios, instead of tho present, almost uni
versal plan, of dividing ones time and
energies among many. These aro not ex
periments unfounded upon correct hypo
thesis, but the new method commonds
itself to thought, and discussion because of
its agreement with the philosophy of study.
The idea of specializing as that term is
commonly used is open to just censure on
many grounds, and especially when ap
plied to undergraduate work; yet the com
mendable points in specializing; aro of no
less value here than in graduate work,
when properly modified by time conditions.
In other words let the studont pursue no
fewer subjects, during the period of a year,
say, but let him make each subject his
temporary specialty for a stated length of
time. Tho student who systematically
follows ono lino of work year in and year
out, to the entire exclusion ot every other,
must bo narrowed; but tho studont who
temporarily pursues his "major subjects"
does not side-track, but concentrates, his
energies.
"Our fathers did so," has no place as a
reason for our actions except so far as it
commends to us their good judgment, yet
it cannot be denied that many of our ways
of living and working yes and oven be
lieving are founded upon no weightier a
reason. Wo would count him simple who
would insist upon stagecoach locomotion
and candle-light because his fathers wore
content with such-limited blessings; why is
it loss simple to hold tenaciously to old
mothods and systems for no other reason
than because thoy served former genera
tions well, when more useful means were
not available? Nothing is more dostruc-
il
V
i-.ll
'
:i
i-.j
Ml