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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1882)
jTMmfltfg'TnfiWn5r',igrWrkhi'MlllH ii'wuwwfti ' -,rv.;,-- mv r a -vny c:yzg THE n E 8 l E HI A N S T U D EN T. who thus neglects his- work. To discour age tlic " cramming" system, to render it, ns iicarlv us possUile, of no avail, questions Unit nif general, Hie ansvi to which nnibt nceils show an accurate knowledge of n subject, are the only one3 that will sufllce. Tiif. present com so of study and sys tcm of rccitiitions are n great improve ment, as compared with the course of study and system of recitations of last year. There is still, however, considerable fault lo be found with both. It is the opinion of educated men, not in the University, that there are too many studies in the course as compared with the time laid down for its completion. Students are not thorough enough in some of the more important branches, while valuable time is expended on studies needed only by the specialist. In the matter of rocila lions loo many studies are crowded into the week's work. As an illustration, an actual case will be cited; a certain stu dent has -ix studies, wilii recitations as follows : Monday.-Geology and Mental Philosophy. Tuoodny. History, French Grammar, and Gor man Story Tolling. Wednesday. Mental Philosophy, Geology, and German word-building. Thursday. History, French History, Gorman Grammar nud Auglj Saxon. Friday. Mental Philosophy, Geology. German Literature. Saturdsy. History, French Canserles, German Conversation, and Anglo Saxon. In three of Hie studies u day intervenes between each recitation. Anglo-Saxon iceitcs but twice during the week. Hut this it. not all. In the lour German rec itations a different book is used in the preparation of each lesson. In the three Prtnch iccitations the same thing occurs. Hence in the nineteen recilations of the week, the student is (impelled to prepaie lessons fioin twelve dilfeient text books. The faults of such a system are plain to nil. In having recilations in certain studies only every other day, the train of thought connected with any one study is necessarily intenupled. Lasting benefit is to be derived from a study only when it is brought hcfoie the mind for consider atiiin so frequently and continuously as to become lamiiinr in all of its details. Af ter all I lie faults are pointed out, however, tlit- very it-rni Elective indicates advance. Tuk editorial in the issue of Dec. 1st, that has called forth so much critlci-m, both in iourd to it and the University, has been much' miss-quoted and misiep renewed. Let it he understood lhat drunk ennesa in not a prevailing vice in the lint wnity. Home half.doten or lean, no more, are the oni h that have brought much "diuiu upon the student- n- a cho- Lei ii" oi.e think lln Unheisiu btudi ills me rowdies, gambleis, and beer guzzlers. iSiici in not the case. Let not all be con demued for the sins of a few It was be cause the lew had s shamelesslv and openly violated that law of the Regents which says, " No student is allowed to use intoxicating drink-," that the aiticle was written. It was not put in to fill up the paper. The lirst sentence of another article, taucn from the Omaha Republican, altogether misrepresents the Student. That nil niuv know what was said and ! what was not said, the editorial is repub lished : It is with hesitation the Student men tions that some members of the higher classes have not, this term, conducted themselves as gentlemen should. Less than a year nsio the Faculty saw lit to sus pend seven. Their boldness in disobeying an expresu command of the Faculty prob ably warranted it. This year, bower r. the Univeisity authorities have urown timid, or they hold drunkenness to be no linnsgrossion, or lliey are not aware Unit it exists under their very eyes. It may be that somo of the professors ate a little loose in their habits and encourage stu dents to follow their examples. They may also use their ofllcial positions or the power rather that their positions give them, to protect these law delying stu dents. If so, are they the ones to educate (he youth of this state? Does the Uni versity require the service of these pro fessois? We have not. nor do not, pos ilivelv assert lhat lite University contains such pr (lessors. But we do say that the conduct ol certain simicnts nas uecn in open defiance lo the laws of the Univer sity and morality The Student is not an advocate of tyrannous regulation. It believes in students being treated as men and women, as they are here. But ilieie are some things, and drunkenness is one, lhat no college can suffer to go unpunished. A few weeks since an editorial appeared in the Student insinuating that students were given over to intemperance to a scandalous extent, and that professors were directly responsible for Ibis disgrace fill Plate of affairs in not investigating and spy ingon students, t.nd also in encouraging directly lawlessness by promise of protec tion. Cor. Omaha Republican, Jan 3, '82. Tlte writer of the above admits in ins aiticle tho truth that Home of the Uni versily students are addicted to drink, or, ul least, that they are "dissolute and vicious and live high " Ho does not try lo refute tho charge, but manfully admits it. But lie is euliiely too broad in his statements. The Student did not inslu unto " lhat students are given over lo drink to a scandalous extent." Students, as a whole, are not given to drink. Wo admit all of the good things the writer says about University students, provided they are saitl concerning them as a class. As a whole they will compare fivorably with those of other institutions containing the same number of students. But because other colleges contain drinking students is that it v.nil reason why Ibis University should r Because other colleges tolerate an evil, because they allow the "spirit of mischief " to run riot, docs that make it right? In short, shall the rules of the Regents and morality be enforced here, or shall we point to Michigan University, or some other, and say they are just as bad. Tills is consolation for thetrangrcssor and his friends, but it is not for tho best inter ests of the University. The writer then goes on to say the accusation that pro fessors poisibly set students a bad example and use their influence to shield guilty students from proper penalties, " is too absurd to call lor refutation and lias no foundation whatever except probably that the faculty is divided as to the best meth ods of securing morality. Some believe in expelling a student (if they catch him in the act) who drinks beer, etc., etc., but allowing the same student lo continue indelluitelya in attendance, no mailer how ulteu iie fails in examination. '' (Something vatlicr new to students at least.) "Other members equally sincere, equally interested in mortlity and guod order,iUsire to exclude every student wh, by his work, shows that he is not fulfilling the put poses for which he is attending the University. Such persons possibly object to punishing a student who is honest enough, innocent enough, open enough to enter a beer saloon" (and he might well have added, honest enough, innocent enough, open enough to come to class rooms anil tho University half drunk such honesty (i) and openness, such in nocence (?) being truly commendable.) " and let go seoll free those who may be leading a life of secret dissipation, accom plishing nothing whatever in their classes but who are cunning enough, decuitlul enough, hypocritical enough to escape detection." (Wc might add right here thai there are no such students in the Uni versity.) It is too bad that the Faculty is thus divided, it is also too bad lhat those who wish to Judge u student by his work uie such warm friends to those students given to drink. Tho Republican correspondent suggests lhat it is for tho student-.' good; that a professor who has the confidence of a drinking student, may, by the strength and lies of friendship, help him lo the path of right. None deny that such miyht be the case. But what if in the direct ratio that friendship became closer, tho student descended farther on the don ward load? Somewhere we have road that the sole invariable antecedent of u phenomenon is probably its cause. The Student believing so, said, "It may bo that some of the profusaors are a little loose in theii habits ami encourage stu. denls to follow tlielr example." Is, or is not, it iruoV Nobby line of ncarls just received at Ewlug & Co's iniiiunu'lh clothing h ui . l V )
