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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1874)
j........, .. ,.-.., J..r. . , . ,giiM . itu I nil diiiiiiT n irfinntm B,.l...l.ll!JI. IPlllumilB THE HESPERIAN STUDENT. I t N.ii m iii f I'n HESPERIAN STUDENT, rUlILlBIIM) MONTHLY 1IYTIIK HESPERIAN STUDENT PUBLISH. ING ASSOCIATION OK TIIK NERKASKA UNIVKKSITY. KniTOlMN.OHIKK, 0. K. HOWAllU. AbSOOIATK, FaNNIK MKTOALK. Looai., .... Amos. E. Gantt. W. II. Nkkdham, Business Manager. TERMS FOR SUBSCRIPTION. 1 copy per collugo year - - l.(K). 1 " six montliH .... O.fSO. Single copy 0.10. TERMS OP ADVERTISING. 1 column ono Insertion - $4.00. 3 squares " " 1.00. 1 " " " .ur. All Articlox Tor imliHcntlon h1iou)1 bonddretod Kdltor HkkI'kiiian Stuiiknt, Stnto UnUorsIt), Lincoln NobrnfVia. All minccrl pilous, with tho ddrunn ehotild be cent to ttio HukIiiohp Mnnnor. BubscrlplioiiM collected Iimirliihly in pdvnnco. Advcrtlscmenta collected montlil). RELATION OF GRADED SCHOOLS TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY. Tho graded school 1ms become the most mportant feature of popular education in the west. It is the grand con sum at ion of the common or public school. Tho graded school has already, in a great measure, supplanted tho semi nary and academy, and all private schools of equal grade. It is tho highest ambi 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 noble structures, erected at great expense, and frequently beautiful in ar chitcctural design, are the ornaments and pride of our land, and of no state more than of Nebraska. Ours is an enviable and satisfying boast, to bo nblo to say tru ly ' Wehave morc,bettorfurnishcd, and more costly sdhool houses than any state in the Jlo public, in proportion to our taxable proper ty." In fact, tho people during the past two years have become frantic in their zeal to erect cosily houses for both grad ed and common schools. And to what end could money be more wisely expend cdV 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 house. But this is not always done. Mote than half our graded schools are almost nui sances. A beautilul pile of brick and mortar does not constitute a superior school. Wo aro 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 are, too frequently, hives with nine or ten dreary cells, in which drones aro bred, in which hatred of sclwol and study arc instilled in. to young hearts by unskilled und soulless teachers. The methods of conducting graded schools successfully aro receiving the earnest attention of our best educa. tors. It is an undertaking by no means trivial, to say.,how these schools may be made to accomplish the greatest possible good. But there is no good reason why they may not bo made approximately cfll cicnt. However, something more must be done, than simply building a costly ml ill en, and crowding several hundred children within Its walls. Of courso Hie pupils are always graded, after a fashion, according to their scholarship; but there tho graded feature generally coaso, and each department becomes a humdrum ''common school," with the disadvantage of bolng In too close proximity to nine or Ion 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 course of study from the Primary department to the High School must be pre pared, and rigidly followed. Bui yoa say, Have not all our host schools such coursos of study V Yes; but with an exception or two, they aro only on paper they are not carried out in prac tice. WHAT SHOULD 1WTKUMINK TIIK COUItMH. We do not intend to discuss a course of tudy for each department of a graded school. We shall limit ourselves to the consideration of what the course should be for the Hioh School. We already have tho 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 tho boast of our young State, promising soon to be the pride of tho West. The High School stands between the University and the Common School. Should it not be the connecting link, unit ing tho different parts of our system into a perfect uninty? In no othor way, from our very circumstances, as a Slate, will the High School fulfill its mission. If forced from the position of a bond of un ion, its true objects wi 1, in part nt least, be removed; thus impairing its own uso fulness, and breaking our State education al structuro into fragments. Here, then, we have discovered a relation which may leach us how to detormino tho course of study for tho High School dopnrtmont. Tho course of study in the High Schbol should prepare the student for entrance into the lrtshman or Sophomore class of (he State University. All our graded schools, Lincoln except ed, have utterly ignored the University in this regard. Tho policy of ono or two of our larger cities deserves ospocialy to bo 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 a college education. All ambition in this direction on the part of schoo au thorities, is puerile presumtion, and only destroys the usefulness of tho school, by forcing it out of its proper sphere The courso of study is generally too general, too miscellaneous. It is a con glomerate mess picked ouu, hero a little, there a littlo. Here is the ovil. Tho stu dent loaves school unprepared to ontor any higher institution. His attainments might average sufilciont, but ho can not ontor without a great sacrifice of timo and money, so the chances aro that his educa tion will end with his sohool days. Soliool life is too precious to allow one to travol over the same road twice. Therefore we would not havo the course of study cor respond to the requirements of the Uni versity for Hie aggrandizement of that In. slitution alone, but for tho laming bonullt of the students, and the Inesllmablo good of society. Tho High School would thus become a pormancnt institution an hon or to itself and the State. WHO SHALL IMTHltMINK TIIK COITHHK. This uniformity cannot bo attained In all our graded schools by common con. sent. A few schools may adopt courses very nearly such as we have monlioned, but many will not. School Boards, it in a sad fact, are not always allvo to the in. teresls of their schools; they arc frequent, ly entirely unfitted for their responsible duties. In order to gain harmony throughout the State in a movement of litis kind, there must be a power to set it in motion. There nni&t always be author ity to put into execution any project for tho advancement of the common good. It can not bo done spontaneously. But what is this powcrV Clearly legislation, the strong arm of Mio law. Let our edu cators bring their influence to bear upon the legislature. Let a law bo paused by which auniform course of study shall be adopted for all the graded schools of the State, and let that courso, in the High School department, fit pupils for entrance into tho State University. Let this be done, and we fool assured that the most satisfactory results will fol. low We havo 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 arc properly graded, the course we havo indicated adopted, and each begins to send out graduates year by year, well fitted for entering college, then will be a proud day for our State and tho Univorsi. ty. EDITORIAL NOTES. We desiro to call tho attention of our readers to the article, on another page, entitled " Throe." It is written by Emma L. Williams, a student of tho University, and is the continuation of a series of pa. pers, undor thesamoheading, commenced in the Septembor number of HioStudknt. It will richly repay the reading, as itovin. ccs much culture and thought on tho part of the writer, and is a discussion of some of the most vital questions of human life. Read also tho serial story, by C. V. "Martin, likewise comiuonccd'in tho Sep. tember number. The scenes aio stirring and entertaining, the dialogues animated and instructive, and tho lanntago good. The description and lopograhpy of the country in which the plot is laid, ospoci ally in the opening and closing chapters, aro accurate and can be relied upon. A -V01U) 01' KNCOUltAOKMKNT. Llltll. or Kuhlman, Ponca, Nebruska, writes as follows : Tito Studhnt Is a welcome visitor, and I wait impatiently for its anpearanco. It comes to mo as a letter from a friend, and as such I read all it contains. Succoss to your efforts I wish 1 could be with you. We are glad to hear from our old friend Kuhlman. His absence is greatly rogrct ted by all his formor friends. Wo trust ho will soon be with us again. Mr. Kuhl. man was formerly editor of the Student, and wo aro ploasod to know that he still has a deep interest in its welfare,. Tho Palladlans have recently passed through a frightful conllict. 'iho qucs. tion which has caused this fierce internal commotion was, "Shall wo admit tho In dies to membership In our society, and If so, shall wo (iho gents) pay their fees, or shall they have equal rights?" Tho girls will bo admitted henceforth, and won't have to pay. Don't bo alarmed or bnsh. ful, boys, they won't hurt you; we shall expect to see tho Palladian prosper all tho better for this innovation. The question of forming a glee club in vocal music Is now being discussed by somo of tho students. This is correct. It is time some such stop was taken. Wo 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, havo fre quently favored us with songs and duetts. All are lovers of music. No entertain, nient is considered a success without this additional charm. Bui, though there is plenty of material, a number of excellent voices for each pari, there has never been any ambition to form associations or clubs among tho ladies and gentlemen for the 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 sufficient 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 alone ought to bo a sufficient inducement, without the extra incentive of ambition, the 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 Nature has endowed you, in tho behalf o Alma Muter. OUR EXCHANGES. Tho Mute Journal of Nobraoka has some choice reading matter. Wc aro glad to roceivo its regular visits. The High Sc?iool, Omaha, is ably edited and has earned its wide reputation as a first class paper. The Index Xiagarensis is the most regu lar of our ox changes. The Niagarcnsit is "bcttrr'n it looks." Tho Institute, Glasglow, Jlo., Is out in magazine form. It is greatly improved in all rospects. We -vish it prosperity. Tho University Missour tan has put on a new dress. It is now printed on tho best tinted paper and in typography ranks first class. It is improving also in liter ary merit. Tho Annalist always has 3omc good literature. The October number has a good article, wheroin tho writer enforces the opinion, with strong argument, that "might is right." Tho Central Collegian is a model paper in som" respects. Tho October number bus a great varioty of short and well written articles. Varioty of matter upon college topics is the lifo of a college pa por. Tho Packer Quarterly, Brooklyn, N. Y., is at hand. To read its charming, racy pages is to know that it is pupliBhcd by young ladies. Wo always spond an hour or two In reading it on first receipt; and the influence of its sunshine- and humor amply compensates.