390
EDITOWAI.8.
Vol. vii
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ilouvor to niiikc tlic costal the University
us light as possible. Until thou, it is
known that compulsory drill ami uni
forms arc demanded by the charter of the
University, why not lay them aside?
Let the Military department he placed
upon the same ground as any other de
partment in tin institution, and not
build up by force of law what can not
sUiud by its own merits.
This must be done or the University
must cease its boasting of free institutions
and liberal education.
THK STUDY OV ENGLISH.
Should not more prominence be given to
the study of English in our University ?
At present, one term of rhetoric and two
or three of English Literature, besides
three essays a term, is the extent to which
this branch Is represented. One college
at least devotes to it an average of one re
citation a day for nine terms, including
one essay a week. With us it may not be
practicable for some years to give as great
a share of attention to it, yet the present
facilities are too meagre.
To well understand and properly iw
our mother tongue, is an object of colle
giate training, second in importance to no
other. But this, like all valuable acquire,
ments, takes time. The study of Ihe elas
sics, though an invaluable help, is yet a
partial one, inasmuch as it deals only
with the Romance element of English,
and this as found in the original tongues.
It is necessary, therefore, to give some at
tention to the successive staucs our lan
guage has passed through in its transition
from Anglo-Saxon to Modern English.
In this way, we not merely gain a neces
sary knowledge of the native clement of
our language, but we learn how old words
have become obsolete, new ones come in
to use, and others changed their meaning.
This is needful in order to read intelli
gently even the authors of two centuries
ago.
To the improvement of individual style
in the use of language, the critical study
of standard writers is an important help.
Unless this is systematically provided for
in a course of study, students largely lose
the benefits that arise from it and their
literary progress is thereby hindered.
PUNCTUALITY.
Punctuality has rightly been termed a
requisite of a successful business man.
Hut such n truth thus stated is only half
'dellued. For, to meet every engagement
promptly at the appointed time is neces
sary for continual success in every path of
life. The professional man knows that the
penally of once missing his olllcc hours,
is the loss of an excellent cliuct. And
the farmer who enters the Held late in
the morning, is vexed when he contem
plates that the work which he could have
accomplished in one day, will now de
mand his attention for nearly two.
Since, then, punctuality is so essential
an agent of success, it cannot profitably
be ignored by the student, but on the con
trary it is a lesson that he may faithfully
study. For while students at college, it
is expected that we are forming habits
and customs that will cling to us during
the remainder oi life, and in this forma
tion it io well that only the good be in
cluded; for an evil once acquired is (1 1 111
cult 10 lay aside.
Punctuality is only a habit and with a
little care can bo easily acquired. So
when the student carelessly ignores the
opportunity for gaining so great a virtue,
it is well that he be reminded ol his error.
Hence the recent order of the Faculty re
quiring a written excuse for all absences
from classes, is a step in the right direct
ion. For it is evident, that he who miss
es his class one day out of every week,
stands little show of completely master
ing the work accomplished by the re
mainder of the class. And but little more
can be expected from him who enters the
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