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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1876)
reVM THE HESPERIAN STUDENT. mul we hit- now prepared to add to our al rendy well established school, building it up ii little hero and tliere, and ore many yearn making our University the beacon liglil of the West. Another college year lias passed, a year in which new triendsbips have been formed and old ones strengthened. The work of the past year lias been eminently successful anil the future Is most promis. ing for the University. Hut yel the stu ilents cim do much toward securing a full .uttenthuiee in the fall, by speaking a good word for their school when an opportunity presents Itself. There is much at the pies cut time that we would like to say, but will only say a lew words concerning the Sttdknt During the piesent year the paper has been self sustaining, and we feel encour aged to take a stop in advance. Those Interested in the paper have long desired to publish a mugazino, and we can see no good reason why this should not be dono. With the hearty support of all, we feci confident that a maga.ino of good size enn be published. The labor of issuing it monthly journal is not nearly so bur dciifionie as is usually supposed, and with reasonable support we would not hesitate to take the step. Wo throw out these suggestions that those interested in the pa. w may consider this project during va cation, and come in the fall prepared to act Sotuo profound teacher has said, that the moat dilllcult lesson to teach a scholar to bo thnl of bringing him to realize how lit tle ho really knows. This may be so, but we are inclined to believe that a more dif ficult lesson still Is to bring a student to understand the real extent of tho powers ho possesses. The cause of most failures is not an overestimating of one's abilities, but rather a lack of selfcontldcnce. All ad. mire modesty, and yet it may bo carried so faras to become u stumbling block to a per son's, advancement. We would of course not uphold that forwardness Unit seeks to crowd itself Into every position regardless of qualifications, this is a greater evil oven tliiui an underestimation of one's self. Hut there is quite a prevalent Idea that whoever possesses any confidence- in their own pow ers are vain and conceited. This may bo so, but it is better to admit this charge than to seem to say by words and acts that you have no faith in your own abilities. We judge a great deal by appearances, and i an individual is generally accepted to be just wlint he appears to be. So wo say don't be alraid to seem to bo exactly what you think you are, for tho world will give you credit for only what you claim. OUU I3X01IA.NG13S. In looking over our exchanges, we have come to the conclusion that UicStudknt's greatest fault is tho misfortune of being published in Nebraska. It', unintentional ly, we publish an article deserving of credit' our learned friends remark, that tiie pro duetion possessed considerable merit (for a western journal); or if thoy observe some imperfection, why tho reason is clear enough, the paper is published in tho West. For our port wo are getting heartily sick of tills sort of criticism. If our worthy Broth ersofthequill notice faults in tho studknt. wo have no objection to their pointing them out, criticising in a fair, honest man ner. Perhaps our Eastorn(?) exchanges imagine that wo would feel slighted if llioy should entirely Ignore um, and hence, from a high sense of duty, occasionally comic, seend to tilings of low estate. If that Is your slate of mind wo hasten to relievo you, and will stale that silence never dis. lurbs us, while Unit criticism that is based upon the place of publication Is decidedly distasteful. The Ininy Union oilers some good sug gestions upon "Criticism," and for the benellt of some of our Eastern exchanges! wo quote: "All criticism ought to aim at this object, namely, to benellt somebody, to help some good cause, or to prevent the continuance of something that Is doing harm. Cri'icism should aim at showing faults and virtues in their true light; faults that may be avoided both by the committer, or by others; virtues that may bo adhered to and imitated. And not only should it bo an object of criticism to point out faults, but also to show why such are limits, and how they may be corrected. Nothing is more provoking to the person criticised, or more useless, than to have the criticism consist of nothing but a broad statement of the fault, of nothing but tho verdict, guilty, with perhaps a sneer of contempt added as the Q. E. D. or nn appeal to ' yo gods and goddesses' to behold the miserable conceit of this transgressor of tho "critic's" unknown law. Iudefinitencss Is at once the bane of criticism and the sign of a feeble critic. Unless the point criticised is shown dis tinctly and tho roason of the criticism developed with clearness, little good can come from the criticism to the person in fault. II anyone is unable to give his reasons, he should not criticise; or if any one thinks it beneath his dignity to give his reasons, It Is not proper for him to crit else; or if it is beneath anyono's dignity to show why lie finds fault, it is surely be ncath his dignity to criticise at all." The Union is spicy, notwithstanding they seem to bo seriously affected with tho spring fe ver. In fact, wo aro inclinod to think it has had a good effect upon tho paper. The piece entitled "Carlyle Cm lyled" starts out well. We have received Vol.. I, No. I, of Our Work, published at Mcrow. It is edited by the ofllcers of the school, and starts out woll. The remarks upon "Croakers" are sound. Success to Our Work. The fndex of June I, we llnd very inter est ing. The article headed "College Jour nalism" abounds in beautilul similes, and shows the high lltorary culture of tho ed itor. In sneak inir of the endeavors of some of Its exchanges to attain to their ideal of a perfect journal, it says Unit "they aro climbing with tho same success willi which a shaved swine meets in as cending a greased pole " The samo issue objects to tho Alabama Monthly for pub lishing an article in which tho language is not sufficiently re lined. Precept and example seldom go together. Tho Athenwum for May 1 was far more interesting than usual. Wo read with a groat deal of pleasure the two columns de voted to historical sketches of the omi. nent divines of the country, most of whom have at some time been connected with Williams College. The Trinity Tablet of May Itf is received. Tho writer of Tantiolos" makes a very pathetic appeal. The picco entitled "Safe ty Aspirations" has some good suggos' tlons, but wo can not agree with tho an tlmr. The real dancer is that our ideals The Chronicle wo find very interesting, notwithstanding the fact Hint the Tndex does not seem to be exactly suited with its editorial inaniigemonl. It seems thai in the Chronicle's election considerable diU'er once of opinion is manifested. Tho sug gcstlon that only those who are subscribers should bo entitled to a vole, is good; wo have seen the evil effects of placing no lestrictions upon elections, and also exper ienced substantial financial nid by restrict lug the ballot to subscribers. Tho paper Is well filled with editorial matter. The Ihnteon Collegian starts out with a page and more of a (to be continued) poem, subject, "The Paradise of Fools." After carefully reading the production wo were convinced tiiat Granville is tho place meant. To those Unit read the poem it is unnecessary to say that ihe Collegia comes from a sectarian school. The poem gives to tho whole paper the taint of brimstone. "Well, Mr. Collegian, we would advise you to add another member or so to your edito rial staff; then you would be able to fur nish at least a column of editorials. Modern GoMMip. out tho timid deer; and, when fully tin derstood, they pounce upon It, rend it in to shreds, and devour it atom by atom, gaz ing with eager, and longing eyes for anoth er victim. "Woe unto you blind guides and hypo- erils." Already, it seems to me, thocurso has been passed upon these deceiving tor mentors. "Vast and high reaching, iihIb the horrid roof of hell" pictured by 'Mil ton, "Us thrice three fold gate, three of iron, threo of brass, and three of adaman- tine rock, impenetrable," will swing loose upon its ponderous hinges, and lie tilled to utter repletion. Although not being so extremely othordox as Milton, we can, perhaps, excuse a little that their glibo tongues lead them to. Try to conquer and quell this indomin able spli it of evil, and crush it beneath tho iron heel of persevering energy, os tracise those oldjvcterans, who still hold on to their henious art with a dcatli like grasp, and if possible, force tliem to re linquish their hold upon this superstitious art they have cultivated from their youth. W. II. N- "People will talk." Yes, it appears to mens though the Poet struck exactly tho right subject when he gave our gossiping friends a sly nudge in his good humored oil' hand style. . How easy it seems, how natural it seems for sonic, to bo continually hunting out, Bopcrating and comparing, the tliouroughly winnowed virtues and vices of their neighbors; always being sure to liave the latter in excess; or, per chance if tho former should be of greater number, he, (or she as the ease maybe,) is perfectly angelic, absolutely an angel who lias condescended to come down and tako up its abodo among mortals. Gossip ing is an art, I have an idea, cultivated and admired, especially by a great portion of tho fair sex; and we, poor, plodding mortals of the opposite gender, form the most immediate point of attack. This is an old and time honored institu tion, founded, I am inclined to believe, by our maternal relative, Eve herself; but bo that as it may, I have a suspicion lurk ing within me, Unit tho Imperial courts of fashion surrounding somo of tho mon archies of the middle ages, and of more modern times, were of rather inferior stamp than our modern fashion circles. At tho present period when something now is heard by a lew inquisitive old la dies, an evenlnggathering is had, to which they tako their sewing or knitting. Mrs- A. asserts witli assumed dignity, that if she was in such and such a ones place, she would do so and so; then "every thing, would be calm and serene as a summer's morning." Ulo wouki ne, worm living for; and, finances would taken new start, (for snuff, camphor and dry goods) and in fact, the whole world would be bettered considerably, by tho change. An audible "amen" echoes from each of the sun mind ing group, and again the veterans bend to their needle work, and the needles lly swifter than before under the new impulse given them. Theso prying and olllicious busy-bod ios absolutely thrive and fatten on tho food of scandal, bits of which, belong to overy ones business except their own. Whatever may bo an honest man's occu pation, no matter how prosperous it is, it could invariably bo bettord by them ; his are too commonplace; we do not aim high I few family secrets aro hunted out with as enol,gl,. I M'l-'l precMoii a me grey nounii irncics COM MENCKMENT EXERCISES. Auui.imuan Entuhtainmknt. riioAdolpliian Society gave their third an nual entertainment, Friday evening Juno 10, ton large audience of Lincoln's best citizens. The evening was cool, and line, so that tho audience did not suffer from the heat, which is to often the case at this time of tho year. Tho first tiling that at traded attention on entering the hall, was the neat, and tasty trimmings on the walls, which plainly showed that the la dies of the society had been at work ; over the rostrum, and facing Ihe audience, was the society motto, Per ardua ad astra, wrought in evergreen letters, over the mot. to were four stars, to represent their four graduates, we presume. Under tho motto on tho right was a picture of Daniel Web ster, and on the left one of Henry Clay. The walls were decorated with evergreen crowns, harps, lyres, v.V:c, and a siring of oak leaves oxtentded in festoons entirely around tho hnll, and there was a profu sion of bouqucttes ornamenting the stage. The audience from some cause did not arrive very early, and it was nearly nino o'clock when the ilrst performer, Miss Al ico M. Frost, came forward, and delivered the salutatory. Miss Frost had a fine pro duetion, which was replete with good thought, but she did not speak quite loud enough, as she could not bo heard in tho back part of the hall. The next was an oration by C. W. Rhodes ; subject, "Charles Sumner, the Defender of Humanity." Mr. Rhodes had thoroughly studied his subject, and presented his ideas in a clear, concise manner. Wo consider it one of the oest productions we ever heard him deliv er, but Clarence never undei takes anything unless ho knows lie can do himself, and the society lie represents, an honor. The third preformnuce, was select reading, "Paddy Malonoys travels in Franco," by Miss Lillio S. Fisher. Miss Fisher is one of the best readers in Lincoln. But the piece selected was too long, and was read In most too low a voice; it could not be licaid halfway back in tho hall, wo pre sume tho reasons are that Miss Fisher has been in tho habit of reading in a small hall, and tho Chapel is very hard to bo hoard in. Next was an essay by Miss Cora Thomas; subject, "Building." Miss Thomas had a lino production and we were particularly pleased with tho way she read it, she read in....,.,-.