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THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
THE HESPERIAN STUDENT
Pabllehed semi-monthly by the students of the
Nebraska State University.
Wednesday, March 15, 1882.
editors in ciiief.
Mat D. FAinnzLD. N. Z. Snell.
Local EDrron, Clem Chase.
Associate Editor. Will O. Jones.
BnsiNESs Manager, B. F. Marshall.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
1 copy per college year gl.OO.
1 " one half year .50.
Single copy ... .05.
KATES or ADVERTISING.
1 column one insertion ...... $3.00.
2 squares " " 75,
1 ' " " . An
I ...... .40.
All articles for publlcatin shonldbe addressed
Editor IlEsrEniAK Student, State University.
Lincoln, Nebraska. All subscriptions and bnsi
ness communications, with the address, should
besonttoB.F. MABSIIALL. Subscriptions col
lected invariably in advance. Advertisements
collected monthly.
Editorial,
Those boys nnd girls, neither old
enough nor sufficiently versed in the
eMquctte of good behavior to be called
gentlemen and ladies, who use the library
for a social reception room, are making
themselves altogether too conspicuous.
For such as they the library was not
opened during the forenoons. Thej'
neither put if nor their time to a profitable
use, while they do prevent others from
studying. They do not seem to apprecia e
or comprehend the privileges they enjoy.
If a word to the unwise, as well as the
wise, is s1 filcient, we trust in the future
other employment than idle gossip will
occupy the time and energy of this class,
at least, during those hours they spend in
the library.
pun exuberant kickers those fellows
who kick the football, we mean think
ing they have the wherewith to gain vic
tory over the Doanites, are contemplating
sending a challenge to the latter for a
foot-ball contest the game to ;be played
at Crete, the afternoon before the literary
contest. The idea is a good one. Every,
tiling that cultivates college pride, ever',
'"ing that unites students, unless it tend
toward the brmation of caste, is desira
ble. Colleges rivalry is as heneficient in
its results to st ndeuts as mercantile rivalry
is to merchants.. In fnch case it acts as
nn incentive. Uhat college spirit and
enterprise that, tkls year, has taken hold
and carried to a successful end so many
commendable th ings, be welcome.. It is
indicative of en orgy, and is productive of
good. ''""
There are certain students in the Uni
versity whose conduct, at times, is not in
keeping with order and good behavior.
Last Friday night after they had caused
one society all the trouble they dared,
they invaded the other and there carried
on their nonsense and sociable. It may
thoughtlessness on the part of some;
youth may excuse others, but such youth
ful freaks and thoughtlessness can not
longer he tolerated. It does not speak
well for the University when her students
do not show manliness nor common
politeness. Nor does it set well with the
better class of students to sec this few
bring reproach upon all. The Student
would urge upon the societies to enforce
order in their halls. It is time for a cer
tain crowd to learn that their rowdyism
has been carried far enough.
There has been a tendency the present
year in both societies to prepnre special
programmes on the life and works of an
author. This is a departure from the
usual society work and a very commend
able one. We have no hesitation is say.
ing that the audience is better pleased and
that the class of the evening do belter
work than if each was left to choose his
own subject. But the best result is that
such programmes call for purely literary
work, and this is the work by which a
society should be judged. Very little
time and mental capacity is needed to col
lect a few political statistics a few points
in favor of this party and against that,
but downright work is required to prepare
a paper that must stand on literary merit
alone. Assays, debates and orations that
savors of midnight oil, that show care and
contain thought, give lasting benefit to
those who prepare, and great pleasure to
those who hear them. Special program
mes. as each performer expects something
good of his class-mate and naturally de
sires that his own equal or surpasb it, in.
creases such productions. For this leason,
in the future, let them be even more nu-merous.
The increase in the number of those
whose recitations and readings in the
societies are bo enjoyable and such a
credit to the performers, is the best proof
that anyone could ask that the students
are profiting by the elocutionary drill
which in the old days and they are not
so very old, either was a lamentable
deficiency of our college curriculum.
Yet there is still room for improvement
in the zeal with which some students take
hold of this part of their course and they
but poorly show their appreciation of the
opportunity afforded them, who say, as
we have heard a few remark, that they
never looked at their lessons outside of
the class and chose elocution as one of
their studies because it took no time but
the morning hour of recitation! It is of
course unnecessary to add that these are
not reckoned among the best readers and
declaimers, for thcic is no roynl road to
perfection in oratory and elocution any
more than to learning, nnd only those who
labor long nnd faithfully achieve even
moderate success. But without any great
natural gifts or even especial or moderate
talent for elocution, all may learn to artic
ulate distinct!, speak tiie common Eng
lish so as to be rendily understood, read
an ordinary book aloud without mum
bling over half the words and swallowing
entirely a large number of them, and
obtain a reasonable master' over their
own vocal organs. How few students
really articulate distinctly half their
words! What with chipping off the ends
of syllables and "mouthing" the first part
of their sentences, the King's Ei'glish is
shamefully treated and ourear constantlv
strained to catcli the half-at ticulated words,
while our imagination is not unfrequcntly
compelled to supply a word here and a
phrase there that the sentences may have
any meaning whatever.
It must eventually become one of the
most perplexing problems for the educa
tors of the youth, and none the less per
plcxing that a solution must be' found,
hew to embody in the college course all
the studies that, it seems, should belong
there, and at the same time preserve the
health nnd vigor of the students. That
many students do break down in their
course of study, that if they do not com
pletelygive up they are at least very mucli
worn out nnd their vigor seriously im
paired, is a matter of history. It is also
a matter of personal experience with most
of us, as well as a matter of history, that
teachers are too prone to ask too much of
students. Aside from the general work
of the class-room and the text-b.iok or
books, as the case may be, we are expected
to do more or less general reading. This
article and that, foreign reviews, editorials
and books we are referred lo, and not tin
frequently sufficient reading is mapped
out to take the time of an additional reel
tation.
The average student canuot endure
much longer this high.pressure system.
Every year the lives of some students are
sacrificed and we mourn and speak of the
"mysterious ways of Providence" and
those who are more heathenish quote,
"Whom the Gods love die young," and so
forth, while in reality Providence and
Nature had very little to do with the
affair except to doraoustrate anew that
there is a penalty for the constant viola
tion of Nature's laws and this persistent
attempt to make her entirely subordinate
to, and indeed the slave of, our inclina-
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