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UNIVERSITY OP NEBRASKA
LIBRARY
LINCOLN. NEBRASKA
V
V
Hesperian Student.
WOJL. 2.
University of Nebraska.
jro. r
ji'Hir,,
Qui noil Piollelt..lo flail;.
1873.
Work, not Drenni.
(fou the htudknt.)
Happy maiden, by your flrcslilo,
Dreaming of your futuro fate,
Wondorlng what or lovo or treasure,
In ltn fold of mlflt may wait;
Hit ye not ho Idly dreaming,
Tuke tho momoutn nH they come;
Let them counted bo as treasure,
By the good within thum done.
Ardent youth for fame aspiring,
Wishing for tho coming day,
Whon your namo In letters goldci
Shall outshine tho brightest ray;
Stop your dreaming and to labor.
Life you know Is but a span ;
If you wish for Inmo and glory,
Catch each moment while you can.
Friends of tomporanco vainly thinking
That your labor's almost done;
Do not nit there Idly slooplng,
Dreaming of tho victory won ;
Thoro 'a a field for you to work In,
Long and wldo as earth's domain,
Though you spend your life for othorn.
You will not have lived In vuln.
Hopeful christian often singing
Songs of pralso to Illm above,
Often praying that tho nation
All may know a Savior's lovo;
If your prayers are ever answorod.
You must labor when you can :
Work to savo tho souls of others,
Labor for tho good of roan,
V ,tMvtitr-
L.
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Innovations.
In a former number of the Student, wo
briefly t rented the question, whether it
would be expedient to abolish compulsory
attendance on religious .services in our
higher institutions of learning.
Connected With this, is that other so
called ndvnncc in collegiato work, the ah
olition of compulsory attendance on class
instruction of Professors. It is proposed
to abandon class instruction in the ca.se of
all who do not wish to attend, and to rely
on stated examinations as a test of scholar
ship, and for tho award of degrees. To
somo this course may seem practical and
wise, but to most educators in this country,
I opine, it will appear to bo an "advance
backward."
This plan finds a precedent in no coun.
try, save Germany, and there only in ap
pcarancc. The students of German Uni
versity, who enjoy the liberty which it is
proposed to confer on students of Amori.
can .Colleges, aro required by law to com
plctil a course of study, equivalent to that
of our best institutions of learning, before
they can bo admitted to any of tho Univer
sities. While the youth of Germany are
pursuing the studies of our College Cur
rlcula, they are subjected to rigorous dis
clpllnc," and compulsory attendance on
class exercises; and unless the youth of
our country are found to bo more precoc
ious and self-controlcd than those abroad,
nothing In the experience of tho German
gymnasia would warrant such an innova.
tion as is contemplated in this country.
Some valid objections against this
scheme seem to mo to lie on the surface of
this question :
1. Parents expect, and rightly too, a.
more strict supervision over the proflclen-
cy of their children than is possible under
the new system. In the regular Inter
course of Professor and student, ends
should be gained of Inestimable value to
the latter. Methods of Inquiry, dlsc.ov
erics, habits of regular' application and
sustained effort, personal inspiration, and
a growing love for his work, under the
stimulating zeal of his Professor are re
suits that naturally follow attendance up
on the instruction of one who is woithy
to be a counsellor or Instructor of the
young.
2. Besides that emulation which class
exercises tend to produce, will be entirely
lost under the now regime. The proems,
tination and listlissncss, which often over
takes even good students, can be counter
acted in no way better than. by the rigor
ous exactions of class exercises. With
all the stimulating appliances at com
mand the race of "dullards" Is alarming
ly large; but should the barriers against
indifference and inefficiency be broken
down the number of the laggnrds would
greatly increaso and multiply.
U. In this plan, also, the instruction of
Professors is counted as naught. Ifastu
dent abounding in conceit, imagines that
ho can succeed without the discussions of
the elnssvoom htWhMftuullycirt-Oiiru'gtjd
to try it. This faith In one's solf-suflleien-cy
must be of that kind which removes
mountains. No doubt it is wise to make
the student independent in thought and
investigation ; but should ho be allowed
to go on blundering or imperfectly grasp,
ing facts and principles in the delusive
belief that ho is completely exhausting
the subject of his investigation V The
law of justice toward him requires, that
his knowledge be tested, that his feeble
grasp be strengthened, and his imperfect
knowledge supplemented by thorough and
comprehensive; views of the subject mat
ter of study. No better method will be
found of cutlvaling intellectual modesty,
if I may so term it, than by bringing all
students to the test of a daily examination.
Without this, conceit and pride of know
ledge are likely to become insufferable.
In. view of the experience and attain
ment of the class of students who attend
oven the most advanced of our colloges,
I fall to see how tho sundering of tho dai
ly intercourse between Professor and stu
dent in the class room can result In any
Milng but disaster. If it be true, as Prof.
Agassiz says, that even Harvard is only a
respectable High School, suroly it cannot
be policy for this our oldest College to
abandon compulsory attendance on reclt.
ation and lectures.
Tho condition of all our Colleges is
such in respect to tho age,t habits and
scholarship of their students, that it would
be tho greatest unwisdom to relax tho re
quiroment of attending religious services,
and tho Instruction of able Professors.
It Is only after long discipline, and after
habits of character and independent In
vestigation hayCvbcon formed, that such
a system would bo practicable in this or
any other country. , A. 11. B.
How to Rcutl.
It seems to be a concomitant of man's
nature that he should read. In his gloom
iest or happiest moods a book is his com
panion. It goes like a messenger of love
to the gloomy cell, cheering and comfort
ing the criminal shut up within the iron
grates. With gentle tread It enters the
artistically frescoed parlors of the rich
and there is heartily welcomed by all.
Neither in a civilized or enlightened
community has it any boundary, nor is it
limited to any caste.
But we must not consider a book only
as a mere Inanimate thing, like u stone,
with no emotion or impress; but like man,
jt has a character, it is emotional, it awak
ens in us a feeling of joy or fear ; it throws
around us an influence either for good or
evil. Then how important it is that we
make the best selections of our books.
We should avoid a bad book as we would
shun the company of a bad and vicious
man ; for surely one exerts no greater in
fluence than the other. Show me the lit
eraturft a man reads, and I will tell you
his character and standing in life.
Many read all they can obtain that Is
exciting md romantic, thus
iring
inju
their mortil-'AiculTicstmUykcuptm tlfiS
mind in a continually excited condition.
They lose all taste for that solid and in
tellectual reading, that not only Instructs
and benefits one, but .strengthens and de
velops tho mental faculties, and raises
their tone of thought from tho vicious
and groveling tilings of life to that which
is noble and grand. No greater misfor
tune could befall a man than to become
so attached to that pernicious and exe
crable litorature, as to lose all taste for
that which is deeper and of a better char-
acter.
But not only should we be careful in
selecting our book3, but once having ju
diciously made our selections, wo should
not hurriedly read and then lay them by
with out further notice; for they all should
bo made the subject, of close study. If
our only object in reading was simply to
pass a pleasant hour, or, as a child in play
piles up his blocks for amusement, we
should read for only temporary gratifica
tion, the time being occupied our object
would bo gained. All who read alone for
this purposo simply parley with tho di
vine gifts of Nature. Our Maker has
given faculties and functions not for our
own gratification, but for improvement
and tho achoivemont of a sound purposo ;
and he .who uses his talents only for tem
poral pleasure, will inevitably suffer the
consequences.
It is not tho amount we read but what
wo remember that will benefit us. Wo
road for improvement and information;
and whon wo forget what wo have read,
wo have not only fallen short of our ob
ject, but at the same time aro cultivating
a habit of inattontiveness and forgotful
ncss. ,What an embarrassment it must be
to say we have read "Vicar of Wakefield"
and yet aro unable to veil who Mr. Thorn-
hill is or whether Goldsmith was a mar
rled or single man, whoro lie was born, or
what ills parentage ; or to say we have
road Homer and are unable to tell who
Achilles was, or who Homer himself is
supposed to have boon or under what cir
cumstances tho Illiad was written, or to
say wo have read all of Tacitus and yet
aro unable to tell whether Agrlcola was
hiB father, hisbrothor' or neither one.
Then let us try to study what read, to
understand what ww study, and remember j .
TnuKi-ovB. &AA.IW-
what we understand
ImiN
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Street Thought),
fY A MEDICAL.
In perambulating Granvillo or Hollis
Street, what a number of unsophisticated
ragamuilins do 1 observe busily occupied
in tho meritorious manufacture of slides!
With what Interest I contemplate that
youthful sport, particularly when I regard
its probable consequences upon tho hu
man understanding in general, and the
legs of my fat friend in particular! He
falls. When I rolled upon the wonder
ful construction of the skeleton, and con
sider to how many dislocations it is liable
in such a case, my bosom expands with
gratitude to a considerate police to whoso
non-intervention we ore indebted for such -.. 1 .
clusbVprnctlcc.' vma.'
The numerous open trapdoors, which
so pleasantly diversify the pavement; at
tract mv attention. Never do I bond to
closo them. The blessings of our whole
profession upon the heads of those who
place them at our convenience! Each one
may furnish a now and instructive pn'go
to the Chapter of Accidents. Considering
tho slusliy, and muddy condition of our
streets, 1 am equally amazed and delight
ed to see the ladles almost unlversnlly
going about, in thin shoes. This elegant
fashion beautifully displays the conforma
tion of the anklo joint, but to your "Medi
cal" It hath a special recommendation.
I behold tho delicate foot scarcely separa
ted by tho thickness of this paper from
the mire.yf I sec the exquisite instep un
defended but by a more web. I meditate
upon the influence of cold and wet on tho
frame; I think of the catarrhs, coughs,
pleurisies, pneumonias, consumptions,
and other interesting affections, that must
necessarily result from their application
to tho foot, and then I reckon up the num.
ber of pills, boluses, powders, draughts,
mixtures, leeches, and blisters, tliat will
consequently bo sent in to tho relief of tho
fair sufferers, calculate what they must -
come to, and, wish I had tho amount in
my pocket. Dalhoiuie Gazette,
"I will
A Michigan school-master says;
spell eny man, womun or child in tho hull
state ftir a dickshunary. or kash priez, of
one hundred dollnrs a side, the money to '
bo awarded by a kommittco of clcrgiincn
or skool directors. There has been a
darned site of blown about my spellin;
now I want thorn to put me up or to shcj
up. I won't bo put down by a pass el of,
ignorammuscs because I differ with noar
Webstqr's style of spoil In." E-jfr
Mi
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