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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1877)
bM Tin: Uni vidian y. 03 A ? r V Hoitltl l)i! ui reason or argument for lowering the grade, as nil kno'v tlinl l lie standard now is quilt' low, and we be lli'vo loo inuclt mo lor the good of higher education. Hut you may ask, Are you alraid this writer, alone, is going to liittko this change? No, but then ho claims to have Mid sympathy and support of many of the University authorities. How far this sup. port mav extend is doubtful, but that it should ho given at all for such a purpose is a surprise. We will not enter into the d tails of the gentleman's argument, liu.t, as we said, notice merely the principle. Formerly but IV w aitoidod our colleges and these wore comparatively young; but as the prosperity of the country advanced, the facilities offered by our schools were suoli that the average of the ages of those attending inereased, and, instead of boys and girls, it soon came to be young men and women who composed the greater part of our institutions. Ten Urook says "The increase in the number of the stu dents and the average ages, the growth of the feeling of manly independence and the changes which had taken place in the IbatUios of our civilization, wore such that the system, gotten up for boys committed by their parents to college olHcci'3, was no longer appropriate to either pa.ity; it couhl not be piratically carried out by the prolusors nor heartily concurred in by the students. The proffossors are now relieved from the responsibilities of that guardianship which had beou exercised over students. Parents now understand that If they need persons to represent them in the care ot their sons and daughters, the' must look these up and arrange with them." This wo consider the only plan that should bo followed. Though our institu lion may bo young compared with many others, yet, is that any reason why we should make, a terrible blunder by doing the same, which those others would not have done had they been able to see what trouble and expense it would cause them? Wo have no excuse for beginning blind ly and treading the same path thai has been trod before, when we have tho histo ries of so many institutions, by which wo may be able to avoid tho shoals and quicksands, and in a shorter period of time to bring our institution to compare more favorably with these older ones. Then lot the oili.ons of Nebraska not hamper their University, but give to tho authorities the power, not of retrograding but only of advancing, and so elevating, the standard for admission, that more time and belter work may bo given to the University proper. II the time now allot ted to the lirstyear of our high. school department were given to the higher classes, the result would bo far hotter. Nebraska today boasts of her school system, and is particularly proud of her high-schools, and well site may be. But can not these schools, in many in.-ianccs, and even in all by raising the qtml idea tions of the teacher a little, ho ab'f to do tho workof the Hist years of our icpara tory department far easier, and more properly than the University? Would it not be better if tlio young colleges and also our Normal school should content themselves in thoroughly preparing stu dents to enter the highest school in the state? Undoubtedly it would. And then they could easily llnd means to carry on their work, whereas now they are crippled in every limb, and scarcely able to carry on their dreary existence. In referring to tho Normal wo mean no disrespect, but merely state what, we believe, would bo the best thing for her to do. Again we quote from Ten J3rook, "A little rellection will show that tho teacher's protlession requires a thorough knowledge of the subjects to bo taught, rather than how to teaehjthem.and is therefore better made an incidental attachment of every school, than given to a special faculty." This has been tho experience in tho past, and the remark is especially applica ble to our Normal branch. Then, after reading these editorials, (to