THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
ing more of a student than ever before, il
i equally tnto Hint the students demand
more of their teachers. The easy-going
wisdom that ben inert from 11 professor's
clinir thirl, or even half that number of
j cars ngo is no longer sufllctcnt to retain
tlio confidence anil respect of the nvemgo
college student of lo-dayt. For n professor
to mnU e it a rule or to so reguluto his
habit that it shall seem to the students
that he has mnde il a rule never to answer
a question but in such a manner as wi'l
leavo him son.e loophole through which
a mollification or total denial can change
his reply, is to inevitably leavo his pupils
no o'her alternative than the conclusion
that he is tinceitnin of the ground he
stands on and not so thoughly versed in
what he is pretending to tench, ns to lie
able to make a more dclinite and decided
a statement.
Tub last number of the Studknt con.
tiiiiiert mi article on ''Senior Studies," by
Gale, 'flic writer makes a few mislead
ing statements Evidently he is a classi
cal student, ns he makes that course
absorb all the others. For Instance, he
aju down the proposition that "the studies
of the Senior year are for the most part ol
a different ntvture frun those of previous
years, the piincipui study being that of
philosophy." In the next sentence he asks,
"Ihit why limit it (philosophy) to mental
and moml? Instend of translating dc
Inched portions of Greek and Latin text
would it not bo better to spend the time
studying tne lileinture and philosophy of
those people?" Now, the Literary
Seniors nro not required to study philos
ophy atall. If they take it, it is ns nu
elective. The Scientific students trans
late no detached portions of Latin and
Greek. The rciunrks can apply to
Classical Seniors only. The nrguinent
whv thev should study the philosophy
and literntuie of the Greeks nnd Romans
lather than translate a few pages of their
writings, is to the point. It is the cxpres.
sion of many a one in the Classlcul course.
The second paragraph begins with this
assertion : "The present course requires at
least six ill Heron t lines of thought." We
take it for granted that this applies only
to the Senior year. Here again the
wi iter is in error. By the Innguago used,
the impression is conveyed that six
studies Is the minimum required by the
present course while the maximum
may bo ono, two or three more. The
Classical Seniors have three required
studies or seven hours, mid are re
quired to elect six hours, two three
hour studies or three two-hour ones. In
the former case Ihey would carry Ave
studies and in the latter six. The Literary
and Scientific Seniors have two prescribed
studies, or six hours, nnd are required to
elect seven h mis. Two two-hour studies
and o.io three-hour sludv answer tho
demand. Thus we see that six studies
is the maximum rather than the minimum
of the work required of thrs Seniors by
the present elective system.
In conclusion Gale advocates, (1) thai
less number of subjects be pursued at the
same time, (2) that more time be nllolted
to each, and (3) that the recitations be con
sccutive. Taking the second to mean that
the number of four and five hours a-wcek
studies be increased, we proceed to con.
Mdcr it in connection with the third. Sup-
nose we have onlv four and fb'o hours-a-
week studies nnd, of couise, they won d be
heard on consecutive days. Now the
question arises, what cfloet will tins have
upon the elective system. "None what
ever," we hear many reply. Hut con
s'der the mat'er. By the present tystem
the studies nre divided into two divisions,
thotc reciting on Mondnyp, Wednesdays
and Fridays, and others l ceiling on Tues
day., Thursdays and Snturdays. The
proscribed studies of ench student arc
meant to fall in ono of these divisions.
The result is that he can elect any study
in the other division Now what will be
the effect if tliisarrnngement is destroyed
and wo have fewer studies at a time and
they are heard consecutively? Simply
this: There can be no elective system
without increasing our coips of professors.
The libel ly which is imw given students
In the choice of studies will bo denied.
The elective system may exist on i apcr,
but in active operation it will bo a farce.
To prove this let us tnko the Freshmnn
year of the Classical course under the
present arrangement. Three four-hour
studies are prescribed. Four hours are
to be elected. On paper ono-rourlh of the
hours are elective. In truth there is
nothing elective about it. They can choose
one study and only one, viz., Structural
Botany. It might as wen oc presunuuu
as far ns freedom of choice is giyen
the student. This is but a fair example
of what would be in all the classes il
ni..a vIpws arc carried out. This could
only bo prevented by classes reciting in
the ntternoons, or, as we uuiuic "'j
increasing our corps of professors. To
the proposition that there be a less num.
her of subjects pursued at the same time
wo givo our hearty concurrence. But let
this evil be remedied without destroying
,l,o very vital principle of the elective
system itself.
$xc1imQC Qric-H'brHC.
In all probability the University will
observe Arbor Day acco.ding to Governor
Nance's proclamation. If io ulty
establish the precedent of adjourning
tntions on that day to plant trees in
University Square, it will result in a
keep the campus ever In handsome
shape.
Works on temperance arc being intro
duccd into the curriculum of a few col
leges. The- latest outrage committed at Prince
ton by students was greasing tlio rails of
the nearest railroad.
Thirteen Williams College Freshmen
havo been suspended for five weeks for
fraudulently scourinc ndvauco sheets of
questions and making their examinations
from tlicm.
Tuition fees, per year: Syracuse $00,
Cornell $75, Bowdoin and Rochester the
same, Dartmouth $80, Brown $85, Wil.
liams $00, Ann Arbor $30, John Hopkins
$80, Vassar $100, Yale $150, Harvard
150. Amherst $300. Nebraska University
free.
A change of form and arrangement
would greatly improve the Vidette-Be-porter,
the organ of Iowa University.
The contents nro sensible nnd rendable,
but the paper is mado up in such miser.
able taste that one glance Is enough to
cause a headache.
Oil. when will Freshmen change from green
To some other brilliant line?
Oh when will Sophomores cease to tell
Professors what to do?
Oh, when will Juniors quit the girls
And net like little men?
Oh, when will Seniors nil ngrco
On class elections? When? Ex.
IIobaH Herald believes "colleges row
dyism" to be much less of nn evil than is
generally supposed, and that "hazing in
moderation is a benefit and not nn Injury
to n majority of Freshmen who receive
it." Such Ideas nre not often advanced
by colleno papers, yet there is some truth
among the fallacies and misrepresenta
tions in Ihe IleraUVs discussion of the
matter.
The Oornellian, of Cornell Collego, Ml .
Vernon, Iowa, reprints from the Student
the correspondence relating to Lieut
Webster's detail at Nebraska, and adds:
"Lieut. Webster spent three of the "six
years" at Cornell, and his many friends
will be chid to know that ho still main-
tains those manly characteristics and
soldierly attributes which so endeared him
to the students of tho department over
which ho had control and made so com
plcle a snecess."
The Albany Argus calls for reform in
our universities and colleges. The col
leges of tho United States," it says,
"should be divided into two classes. Ono
should comprise univcisitics, in which
nil undergraduate work should bo abol
lshcd The other should comprise such
work exclusively." It thinks tho time
bns come for the establishment of a dis
tinctively American university for post
gr. dilates, nnd asks Harvard and Culum
bin to give practical shape to this idea.
?rc
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