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THE HESPERIAN STUDEN T.
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It is often ti source of wonder why so
lntiny students como to the University for
so short u time as one, two, or tlireu terms.
Some could go longer, no doubt, but they
either get married or are too lazy, both of
which are very bad. It is true that the
knowledge gained from books in six
months or a year must be very slight.
But this is not the only matter to bo taken
into consideration. It may bo the first
time the student in question has been
away from home. If so, that which ho
learns outside of his books is no small
addition to his stock of knowledge.
Again, the sphere of labor that is made
known to him, by even a year's course at
a University, i altogether of a different
nature from that in which he has been
accustomed to move. His conceptions of
life are enlarged, hid ideas broadened, his
whole nature changed. Stimulus is given
him for a belter and higher condition of
life. This, then, is the greater benefit that
one obtains by so short a college course
n benefit increasing as the number of
years spent in study. It is advisable for
every young person to attend some college
if not for one, two, or three years, at least
lor as many terms, then, if possible, com
plete the course. Not for the sake of
getting a diploma, but for the good that
it will do the individual in obtaining it.
Thk Student does not hear very often
of the meetings of the different classes as
such, and fears that the class organizations
are not as well kept up nor as popular as
heretofore. If a class comes to commence,
ment uay with no class feeling and pride,
or very little, at least, and does not feel
that its members occupy a peculiar posh
lion with reference to each other, and that
among them there will bo especial bonds
"Vk have often wondered why it is that
so large and overwhelming a majority of
college graduates nowadays step from the
commencement platfoim to dingy, empty
law ofilces where with a few ponderous
yellow books and talents that, at best, can
scarcely ilso above mediocrity, they begin
the plodding, unprofitable life of a petti
fogging lawyer a third or fourth rale
attorney with not even that knowledge
of men which is so often better than
genius, or that tact which rises to the
acme of a talent and even inspiration.
Sturdy youths from the rural districts
come to college,' fresh and strong. They
are carried away by tho new ways and
life of tho town, praised it may bo tor a
good hit in society a bright essay or
well worded debate and charged to the
brim with a desire to do something, they
imagine that all that is necessary to accom
plish this is to study law, and so win fame,
fortune and, political preferment. Think
ing themselves gifted with genius they arc
inclined to the " kangaroo stylo of pro.
grossing," and imagine that with their
abilities nothing will bo easier than for
them to early gain distinction in a pro.
fession which oilers unrivalled facilities
for the brilliant display of oratory. They
regard! their genius as a sort of seven
leagues boots by which they may at once
gain tho greatest heights, which are, in
reality scaled only after t'.rosomo years of
weary, painstaking self denial and hard
study, and which even witli these aids few
ever reach. It was Snlvanl, tho great
Italian aclor, we think, who said to his
pupils, "Above all, study, study, study."
'All the genius in tho world will not help
you along," ho adds, unless you become a
hard student." Many a young man spoils
what might bo a useful, profitable life as
a farmer, mechanic or tradesman, by sup
jxc1intiQc jric-H-brnc.
oi iolluwsliip ami good ieeuug lor " noslng ti,at , i3 unusually gifted as a
time to como, it is tho fault of the mom- L.)0aker of writer, mistaking youthful
bers themselves, and they have failed to
uvail themselves of privileges which thoy
can never enjoy again and which in the
observance furnish a student the source
of many of his plcasantest social honors
in college and afterwards are the most
genial and longest-chcrishcd memories of
those youthful, happy, carefree days. Tho
members of a class, loo, can bo mutually
helpful to each other in their studies,
reading and general literary work and by
the discussion of many questions of inter
est to them arising out of their class work
and the reading pertaining to it. Tho
curlier tho class organization is begun tho
deeper will be the class fooling as tho out
growth of their long association in the
class room, tho literirysocietyar.il these
social meetings which wo aro advocating.
A class can surely afford one evening
onco n month or six weeks for this pur
pose, and the little time and trouble may
repay one a thousand fold.
speaker
exuberance and brightness and enthusiasm
for decided talent. Not a few lawyers
spend their entire lives on petty cases in
the courts of justices of the peace and
gain n scanty livelihood increased occa
sionally by successful campaign services
or shrewd bargains with Unolo Sam and
his contractors. Young men arc too much
inclined to look down upon and repudiate
their father's blacksmith shop or carpen
ter's trade which proved most profitable
financially a merit which, ton to one,
the son's chosen profession of law will
never possess. Nothing is more foolish
than to dream of success without the
ability and talent to begin on unless it is
to suppose that ono can accomplish any
thing worthy of himself without faithful
persistence and a wiso patience.
' Tho heights which great mon reached aud kept
wore not attained by sudden flight;
But thoy, whllo their companions slept, woro
tolling upward in tho night."
The number of required hours for tho
Seniors at Yalo is seventeen. A petition
for a reduction was recently vetoed by the
authorities.
Amherst College has enjoyed a small
pox sensation. A student down with var
ioloid and a number of exposures to the
same caused tho excitement.
Tho first Senior class of Colorado Uni
versity will bo graduated this year, li
has six members. The whole number of
students now in attendance is 118.
Five Cornell students have "walked Ihe
plank" for connection with tho abduction
case mentioned in our last issue. Forty
others are implicated and on the anxious
seat.
More than half the institutions in the
United Stales which profess to give uni.
versity education and confer degrees now
admit women on equal terms with male
students.
During tho past twenty years only two
students have been entered in the agricul
tural department of Wisconsin University.
This year, howover, the department bus
bix students.
The Student has reason to complain of
a lack of courtesy from our contempora
ries in tho matter of exchanging. A very
few exchanges reach our table, compared
with tho number of papers we send out
for that purpose.
Tho Faculty and Trustees of Illinois
Wcslcyan University fear that the students
arc spending too much time on their
society work. They therefore impede tho
workings of tho societies in many ways,
and even threaten to close them alto,
gether. A more short sighted policy could
not bo dovlsed.
The Crawfordsvillc college boys recently
advertised a lecture by tho funny man of
tho Detroit Free Press, In a rural town
and one of their number personated tho
gentleman to the entire satisfaction of the
audience. Tho collegians pocketed tho
proceeds and enjoyed a sumptous repast
furnished by tho citizens in honor of tho
distinguished lecturer. This is the best
thing of tho year.
An Item of news when onco started on
tho rounds among o papers is
destined to bo kept in circulation forages.
Three or four j ears hence tho papers will
still bring to our sanctum the startling
information that "the Regents of Neb
rasktt University have removed three"
etc., etc. It is proposed by an exchange
that Itoms of thin kind be dated and
called In at tho expiration of two yeiis.
A good move, and one which the Student
takes plcasuro'in seconding.
U