Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (June 2, 1884)
THE HESPERIAN STUDENT must be wrong, and he thinks he is justified in using anything to crush out the enemy. Some discussion has been raised among some of our contemporarses as to the province of a college journal. The question never came to our mind before; it is too deep and profound for us to attempt any de cisive answer; If it is intended to be a dhill for those wishing to learn journalism, it seems to us not necessary to confine ourselves exclusively to Univer sity affairs. If it is intended to be simply an organ of the University, then it ought to be made to fulfil its object. Of course the political and literary world will greatly suffer, if the latter course is taken. We have no doubt that the article sen t out in the Stu dent on Blaine positively will deter the state dele gates from supporting him in the National Conven tion. It is shutting off the country at large from the only ab'e and exhaustive species of journalism in ex istence. 13ut if the University demands it so be it. As one of the societies has the motto, "Society first, character, reputation, morals, money, classes sec ond," so in the same spirit we submit to the Univer sity. We have seen threats from various quarters of "painting the town red," and even hints that such a deed had been accomplished at some remote period but there seems at present to be a mania for a kind of painting that leaves the lurid glare of the red town far in the rear. Such combinations of colors that nature intended to keep asunder as are inflicted on the pedestrian of the Lincoln streets have never be fore been known to civilized man. The pea greens and the blue greens, the yellows and the combinations of horrors to which no name has been given make a walk through the streets of Lincoln one long agony. What wonder if men will turn to burglarizing when the day is made so hideous that business almost has to be suspended. We need another visit from Oscar or some other apostle of aesthetics to teach us that "loud" colors are essentially vulgar in houses as well as in dress that the unobbtrusive is the attractive for all time that every person's aim should be not to moke himself noticable but the reverse. A whole year has passed and still we havenoProfes sor of Natural Sciences. Verily the Nebraska educa tional machinery resembles the mills of God in that it grinds slowly however incomplete the analogy in other respects. It Is all very well to be careful in making decisions of such importance but enough time is as good as all time and we think a full year's delay is unnecessary. Another class must go out of the University who wouldn't know a Uintatherium if they should meet him and to whom Pterodactyls are an unknown quantity. How are these young people to carry on the battle of life when they are unacaquainted with the domestic habits of the Mcgalausaurus? Are the youths and maidens of Nebraska to be mocked with a half-knoweledge that doesn't enlighten them on the exact place of the Fozoon Canadense in the scale of existance? How will the Alumnus of '84 wither when his admiring con stituency who have come from the back counties to see him graduate make of themselves living interro gation point before the wonders of our museum. It is not alone that he does'nt know the correct names of all these natural curiosities but that he has no stock of big words on which he can draw as have those who take a thorough course in the natural sciences. Let us have a change. Now that examinations are coming on it seems appropriate that an editor who has no examination yet to come and who will therefore not be obliged to put his preaching into practice, shall advise those still in the "slough of despond" as to the best course to pursue. Our first and most important advice is don't cram. Any one can invent a better history than he can write after a night spent in crowding the memory; and it is much better to put forth a new theory of equations than to mix conic sections with Sturm's Theorem. If one goes to examination with his head clear he will write a better examination even if the extent of his remaks is limited to "I don't know," than if he prepares by stuffing himselflike a Thanksgiving turkey; because in that case he gives a clear and concise statement of a fact which in the other case is equally clear aud not so well put. Another important suggestion is to get your ideas from your mind rather than from your cuff or your neighbor; for the one may be discovered by the Prof, and the other may be removed to a far comer of the room. Do you if possible get into a chair rather than a sloping seat; it takes mental concentration to write an examination, and if too much attention be required by the physical equilibrium the effects will be seen in the examination paper. Don't ask ques tions of the Prof.; nine times out of ten you will be told "do as you please about it," and the other time you won't be told anything. Moreover the faculty are hired to propound questions, not to answer them and such interrogation is therefore an imposition. Keep in mind the command "Do as you would be done by" and as you hate to have him ask you ques tions don't ask him any. Finally keep cool and take plenty of time; you have all' the time there is and will get more credit for three or four hours without any result than for an hour's work that amounts to something.
