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THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
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HESPERIAN STUDENT,
1'UBL.ISHED MONTHLY BY THE
HESPERIAN STUDENT PUBLISH
ING ASSOCIATION
OK THIS
NEBRASKA UNIVERSITY.
Editok-in-ohief, G. E. Howauu.
Abbociate, - - Fannie Metcalf.
Local, .-- - Amos. E. Gantt.
W. H. Needham, Business Manager.
TERMS FOR SUBSCRIPTION.
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1 " six months .... 0.50.
Single copy 0.10.
TERMS OF ADVERTISING.
1 column one insertion - - $4.00.
3 squares " " 1.00.
1 " " " .35.
All articles Tor publication should be nddrcssed
Editor IIespkman Stuuent, State University,
Lincoln Nebruskn. All subscriptions, with thu
address should be sent to thu Business Manager.
Subscriptions collected invariably in advance.
Advertisements collected monthly.
RELATION OF GRxVDED SCHOOLS
TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
The graded school has become the most
mportant feature of popular education
in the west. It is the grand con
sumation of the common or public
school. The graded school has already,
in a great measure, supplanted the semi,
nary and academy, and all private schools
of equal grade. It is the highest atnbi
tion of every hamlet, village, and city, to
set in operation, as soon as possible, such
a school, and to provide for that purpose
a fine building and costly appliances.
These noblo structures, erected at great
expense, and frequently beautiful in ar
chitectural design, arc the ornaments and
pride of our land, and of no slate more
than of Nebraska. Ours is an enviable
and satisfying boast, to be able to say tru
ly ' Weliave more,belterfurnishcd, ami more
costly sdhool houses than any state in the lie
public, in proportion to our taxable proper
ty." In fact, the people during the past
two years have become frantic in their
zeal to erect costly houses for both grad
ed and common schools. And to what
end could money bo more wisely expend
cd V To no nobler purpose, if the same
zeal is shown in making the school an or
nament and a blessing to the community,
that is manifested in providing the home.
But this is not always done. More than
half our graded schools are almost uui
sauces. A beautilul pile of brick and
mortar does not constitute a superior
school. We arc convinced that many of
the graded schools of Nebraska are far
inferior to the country schools. Instead
of being hives in which the industrious
inmates are laying stores of honey by, for
future blessings to humanity, they arc, too
frequently, hives with nine or ten dreary
cells, in which drones ure bred, in which
hatred of scJtool and study are instilled in
to young hearts by unskilled and soulless
teachers.
The methods of conducting graded
BOhools successfully arc receiving the
earnest attention of our best educa
tors, it is an undertaking by no means
trivial, to Bay(how these schools may be
made jo accomplish , the greatest possible
good. But there is no good reason why
they may nol bo made approximately ofll
cicnt. However, something more must
be done, than simply building a costly
edifice, and crowding several hundred
childreu within its walls. Of course the
pupils arc always graded, after a fashion,
according to their scholarship; but there
the graded feature generally ceases, and
each department becomes a humdrum
'common school," with the disadvantage
of boing in too close proximity to nine or
len others of like character. The most
necessary thing is lacking. In order to
make the graded school truly successful
and an ornament to the community, a
thorough count of study from the Primary
department to the High School must be pre
pared, and rigidly followed.
But you say, Have not all our best
schools such courses of study V Yes ; but
with an exception or two, they are only
on paper they aronotcarried out in prac
tice. WHAT SHOUIjD DETERMINE THE COUltSE.
We do not intend to discuss a course of
study for each department of a graded
school W( shall limit ourselves to the
consideration of what the course should
be for the High School.
We already have the basis of an excel
lent school system. The State has lavish
ly provided for the support of our common
schools. Our permanent school fund for
this purpose is over eighteen millions of
dollars. Besides this, the Nation and tho
State have endowed and organized a State
University. Immense wealth has been
poured into the coffers of the Regents for
its support. Already it is the boast of our
young Stato, promising soon to be the
pride of tho West.
The High School stands between the
University and the Common School.
Should it not bo the connecting link, unit
ing the different parts of our system into
a perfect uninty ? In no other way, from
our very circumstances, as a State, will
the High School fulfill its mission. If
forced from the position of a bond of un
iou, its true objects wi 1, in part at least,
be removed; thus impairing its own use
fulness, and breaking our State education
al structure into fragments. Here, then,
we have discovered a relation which may
teach us how to determine tho course of
study for the High School department.
The course of study In the High Schbol should
prepare the student fo- entrance into the
Freshman or Sophomore class of the Stale
University.
All our graded schools, Lincoln except
ed, have utterly ignored the University in
this regard. Tho policy of one or two of
our larger cities deserves especialy to be
condemned. To ignore the University on
account of posessing a splendid school
building and costly appliances is con
summate folly. A high school education
can not bo glossed over and spread out in
to u college education. All ambition in
tills direction on the part of schoo au
thorities, is puerile presumtion, and only
destroys the usefulness of tho school, by
forcing it out of ils proper sphere
The course of study is generally too
general, too miscellaneous. It is a con
glomerate mess picked out, hero a little,
there a little. Here is the evil. The stu
dent leaves school unprepared to enter
any higher institution. Hi3 attainments
might average sufllcient, but he can not
enter without a great sacrifice of time and
money, so the chances ure that his educa
tion.will end with his school days. School
life is too precious to allow one to travel
over the same road twice. Thorofore we
would not have the course of study cor
respond to the requirements of the Uni
versity for the aggrandizement of that in
stitution alone, but for tho lasting benefit
of the students, and the Inestimable good
of society. Tho High School would thus
become a permanent institution an lion
or to itself and the State.
WHO SHALL DETEKMINE THE COITHSK.
This uniformity cannot be attained
In all our graded schools by common con
sent. A few schools may adopt courses
very nearly ouch as we have montioned,
but many will not. School Boards, it is
a sad fact, are not always alive to the in
terests of their schools; they are frequent
ly entirely unfitted for their responsible
duties. In order to gain harmony
throughout the State in a movement of
this kind, there must be a pmcer to set it
in motion. There must always be author
ity to put into execution any project for
the advancement of (he common good.
It can not be done spontaneously. But
what is this power? Clearly legislation,
the strong arm of ho law. Let our edit.
cators bring their iniluence to bear upon
the legislature. Let a law bo passed by
which a uniform course of study shall be
adopted for all the graded schools of the
State, and let that course, in the High
School department, fit pupils for entrance
into tho State University.
Let this be done, and we feel assured
that the most satisfactory results will fol.
low We have now about fifteen graded
schools, and, according to the authority
of our honorable State Superintendent of
Public Instruction, there are over forty
schools that ought to bo graded. In ten
years we shall have an hundred. When
these are properly graded, the course we
have indicated adopted, und each begins
to send out graduates year by year, well
fitted for entering college, then will bo a
proud day for our State and the Univcrsi-
ty.
EDITORIAL NOTES.
We desire to call tho attention of our
readers to the article, on another iMijre.
entitled " Three." It is written by Emma
L. Williams, a student of the University,
and is tho continuation of a series of pa
pers, under the same heading, commenced
in the September number of the Student.
It will richly repay the reading, as it evin
ccs much culture and thought on the part
of the writer, and is a discussion of some
of the most vital questions of human life.
Read also the serial story, by O. V.
Martin, likewise commenced in the Sep
tember number. Tho scenes aio stirring
and entertaining, the dialogues animated
and instructive, and the lan'iiago good.
The description and topograhpy of the
country in which the plot is laid, especi
ally in the opening and closing chapters,
are accurate and can be iclicd upon,
A woud of encoukaoement. Luth.
or Kuhlman, Ponca, Nebrusku, writes as
follows:
The Student Is u welcome visitor, and
I wait impatiently for its appearance. It
comes to mo as a letter from a friend, and
as such I read all it contains. Success to
your efforts I wish I could bo with you.
We aro glad to hear from our old friend
Kuhlman. His obsence is greatly regret
ted by all his former friends. Wo trust
ho will soon be with us again. Mr. Kuhl
man was formerly editor of tho Student,
and we aro pleused,to .know that he still
has a deep interest in its well arq.
Tho Palladinns have recently passed
through a frightful conflict. iho ques.
tion which has caused this fierce Internal
commotion was, "Shall wo admit tho la
dies to membership in our society, and if
so, shall wo (the gents) pay their fees, or
shall they have equal rights?" The girls
will bo admitted henceforth, and won't
have to pay. Don't bo alarmed or hash
fill, boys, thoy won't hurt you; wo shell
expect to see the Palladian prosper all tho
better for this innovation.
The question of forming a glee club
in vocal music is now being discussed by
some of the students. This is correct. It is
time some such step was taken. We do
not remember that the young gentlemen
of the University have ever indulged in a
solitary song for the benefit of the public.
Tho young ladies, unassisted, have frc.
quently favored us with songs and duetts.
All arc lovers of music. No entertain
ment is considered a success without this
additional charm. But, though there is
plenty of material, a number of excellent
voices for each part, there has never been
any ambition to form associations or clubs
among the ladies and gentlemen for tho
cultivation of this art. We cannot afford
to defer it longer. Every school of any
pretention desires to excel in this partic
ular. We now have numbers and talent
sufllcient to make music henceforth
the most important and pleasing feature
or our University exercises and entertain
ments. Tho social pleasure derived from
regular meetings for practice alouo ought
to bo a sufllcient inducement, without the
extra incentive of ambition, tho desire to
create a high reputation for the Universi
ty, and for each of our respective literary
societies in this regard. Young men,
wake up from your lethargy, and display
the musical powers with which Naturo
has endowed you, in the behalf o Alma
Mater.
OUR EXCHANGES.
Tho Mute Journal of Nebraska has
some choice reading matter. Wo aro glad
to receive its regular visits.
The High School, Omaha, is ably edited
and has earned its wide reputation as a
first class paper.
The Index Niagarcnsis is the most regu
lar of our exchanges. The Niagarcnsis
is "bettcr'n it looks."
The Institute, Glasglow, Mo., Is out in
magazine form. It is greatly improved
in all respects. Wo -vlsli It prosperity.
The University Missourian has put on
a new dress. It is now prin'cd on tho
best tinted paper and in typography ranks
first class. It is improving also In liter
ary merit.
Tho Annalist always has some good
literature. Tho October number has a
good article, wherein tho writer enforces
tho opinion, with strong argument, that
"might is right."
Tho Central Collegian is a model paper
in some respects. The Octobor number
has a great variety of short and well
written articles. Variety of matter upon
college topics Is tho life of a collogo pa
per. Tho Packer Quarterly, Brooklyn, N. Y.,
is at hand. To rend its charming, racy
pages is to ( know that it is pupllshed
by youn ladies. Wo always spend an
hour or two in reading it on first receipt
and tho Influence of its sunshine- and
humor amply compensates.