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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1879)
NO. 7. KDITOKIAT.S. 155 positos. Hut how could tliey, for the re potior tools himscli hound to bring the poorest sis near perfection as his imagina tion and ability will allow; hence there is no uhanco for giving real merit any re ward. Each oration is a model in thought, language unit gesture, and proves the author of it a finished orator. Every es say is tilled Willi the choicest thought ex. pressed in the most lilting language; nnd words fail to do justice to the declama tions. Every one knows that such statements are mere bombast, and hence they are worth nothing. If n young man shows by his public productions that he has abil ity, and also that he has given care and labor to them, let such u statement be made, but do not disgust him and destroy the value a discriminating report might be to him, by foolish llattcry. Some young men are, perhaps, so conceited that they cannot conceive any statement concerning themselves overdrawn; but we think such cases are rare: most men prefer to be held at their real worth, well knowing that a false statement is of no value to litem. Newspaper reports are generally at ex tremeseither in the form of dazzling praise, or of vile aspersion. But very lit tie time is taken to prepare reports of public proceedings, and often very little judgment is exercised in making such re ports as arc furnished. The style is generally about as follows: "One of the most brilliant and intelligent audiences of the season, at an early hour last evening, tilled the Opera House to hear the graceful and accomplished young men and women, etc." The next night if there chance to be a dog show, the ac- count of it will same way, as, Prep, and would hardly compare with an oration from a Sophomore. Now we do not wish to he understood as saying that praise should never be given, but what we do insist upon is that it should only bo bestowed when deserved; nnd when criticism is needed do not hesitate to give it. If reports of college com mencements, or any other public excicises are to be of any value or even interest to the readers, they must be just; and such reports cannot be just unless the editor at tends and notes them himself, or employs some one to do so, who has ability and judgment, and is not afraid to speak ex actly what seems to him to be the truth. SEN 1011 WIET01UCALS. commence in much the "The Opera House was crowded last evening with the elite of the city to see Mr.- and his wonderful performing dogs." If one were to judge by the reports, a lecture by Beechcr or Phillips would not surpass in thought, composition, or delivery the most crude production of a Within the catalogue of 1S76, we find the following announcement of the rhetor icals for the Senior year: "First term, Rcidings from English Classics; Second Term,-Two original orations, one of which shall he pronounced before thcFac ulty and students in the chapel of the University." Of this programme we dis cover no traces in the catalogue of 1878-9. If the omission be made because of the inability of the University to fulfill the announcement, nothing could be more proper. But judging from the additional attention that has been devoted to rhctori icals during the last two years, we are in clincd to believe that no such excuse will tolerate the seeming negligence in this respect. True it is that great efforts have been made to improve the condition of university rhetoricals, and with a toler able degree of success. But excluding such excicises and substituting mere es says and declamations docs in no manner attain that degree of excellence in ora tory and rhetoric that distinguishes the graduate upon Commencement day. He to make the greatest improvement, should have his rhetorical exercises graded to correspond with his studies. The recital of an oration before "Facul ty and students," differs widely in its re-