Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885, March 01, 1879, Page 59, Image 11

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    NO. 3.
KDITOMALB.
59
eralwe as well.? But college work is so
engrossed by other duties that reading of
this kind is apt to be fragmentary, and
the opportunities lor it so irregular)
that we cannot well rely upon the per
Ibriuauce oi' much regular and substan
tial work outside the class-room.
SACKED AND PROFANE POLITICS.
To the philosophic mind there ever
appear problems for solution. Imbued
with the ideas of modern industry, the
student when launched Into the midst oi
collegiate duties, finds himself beset with
the conflicts of theory and practise. Some,
gifted with credulous minds accept a
conclusion as a legitimate result of an
impartial investigation. Others, deprived
of this boon, demand a proof for every
law of mental or social science. True
culture demands research and an opinion
based upon the same. And woe to him
who would aspire to true scholarship,
without sufllcieut ambition to induce him
to sepcrate the truejrom the false, the
noble from tho base. He, who to-day has
no fixed opinion of his own, lias little in
Uuence in society.
In tho class-room the opinions of men,
together with tho result of a life's experi
encc, become a distinct study. In fact,
such opinions and such experience form
the majority of text-books. And before
the student is aware he is unconsciously
drawn into a discussion of theories and
opinions, hence tho politics of the day,
cither sacred or profane.
Nor can this discusion be avoided.
Education demands that the politics of
parties aud creeds should be understood ;
and upon the best of authority, it should
be the duty of the college to suggest to
tho student the oourso to be pursued.
Hut in this choice tho student must again
understand the reason, and thus again is
lie thrown into a discussion as to the mer
its of various schools of philosophy and
political science.
What by necessity becomes the duty of
Education and tho College, wo have en
deavored to represent in tho columns of the
Student. If we have published articles
that have been radical in belief, they were
only exponents of books that appear in
tho class-room or tho library. They were
the inevitable result of a liberal aud un
prejudiced training and ware the honest
convictions of writers. And as long as
such articles represent the precepts of
text-books and the diversity of opinions,
whether they are political or religious,
radical or liberal, we shall claim it our
duty to give them a place among the top
ics of the day.
THE STUDENTS' MEMORIAL.
During the session of the University
Investigating Committee, a memorial,
drawn up by the students and promptly
signed by nearly all, was presented to
that body, exonerating the Chancellor, so
far as their knowledge extended, from
the charges preferred against him. "VVe
thought the ignoring of this memorial
showed an almost flippant disregard of
tho voice of tho students.
The desire of tho Committee to get at
the positive facts ill tho case, was com
mendable enough ; but why, in muny of
the charges, the expression of tho students
should not have as much weight as tnc
statements of those who scarcely enter
tho University building, and more rarely
yet, witness a recitation, it is difficult to
see. We believe, with our Chancellor,
that tho most politic mode of college gov
ernment is that of treating the students as
men and women rather than as mere boys
and girls. However well a system of es
piouago may bo adapted to a district
school, it totally fails of its object in a
college. College discipline may not be
so faultless as to escape censure, by an
occasional outsider of critical acumen,
but when Chancellor and students arc as
well suited witli each other as the afore
said memorial would seem to indicate,
little more can bo expected in this world
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