THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
r'
It is a little surprising that our museum is not put
to more practical use. The five thousand specimens
of Nebraska flora which' look so well in the catalogue
might as well be growing in their native haunts for
all the good the students get of them. Botany clas
es come and go and the howl goes up that there are
not,thirty-five species of plants to be found in the
region; while a little study of the vast collection so
carefully preserved under lock and key, with the key
lost, would do more to disprove this statement than
a half dozen of text-books. As the case now stands
the names of about fifty of the commonest weeds are
handeddown from class to class as a priceless legacy.
An unusually fine collection of rare woods is a feature
of our museum which is never known to be men
tioned in any class; yet a little illustration by means
of their markings, of the facts of structual botany
would discount all wood cuts ever invented. While
speaking of unused educational machinery it may be
well to mention that the three or four compound mi
croscopes which the institution boasts are never used
except by the curious who ask for the privilege. We
go through Biology without the microscope, we go
through Botany without the use of specimens, we
close the text book of Geology after having the priv
ilege only, which every citizen of Nebraska has also,
of examining the stones in the museum. Zoology
has no more todo with our stuffed groups of birds than
has Civil Engineering. The Student suggests that in
stead of complaining of our lack of advantages, the
professors use and require the students to use the ma
terials they have. Students do not come here mere
ly to be allowed to study but to be made to study to
the best possible advantage.
western title of "Sombrero." Wo think that all Hie stu
dents acknowledge Unit It is u monument of painstaking
industry nud onthiniasm on the part of the oditor.
Many disadvantages had to bo labored with. Slnoe the
"Sombrero" is the first annual over published at the Uni
versity many of our students were groping nbiul' in a
dense fog of ignorance as to what an annualjwas. Some
thought that it was u bound filo of the State Democrat,
others imagined thai it was much k Un "keep off
the grass" notice that bedecks o-u- iom.tn n- anything
which would bo compared. Then u.u , nnney niul
brains (not counting jokes and cheek) were wofully want
ing lo the editors. Notwithstanding nil these dlsabill
tiustho Vol. IofUio"3jmbrcr.t" h n.v ii tho .uiricjl.
As the Drifter was in the habit of rjmirki.ij lo tlu
casual passer by when he wis soliciting subicriptloiu
for it: "The Annual is a pamphlet onunfhunlrol and
twenty pages, printed on sup-jrsextr i toned book paper,
fully illustrated bv our bjU ui'ive tale it. oiUining
chief mutters ol interest which Imvo occurrel in the
University during the past year and, in shortfuriiisiilng
a complete compendium of the life of each and every
student from September 12th 1893 to June llth 1884."
"Please send In your minuy by tin spuj.lijst mens'' ol
eic. We would review the publication if it were u t too
large u subject to baudle in s.iu: limited space.
'.
When this number of the Studknt reaches the suscril
ers the school year of 1883 i will bn u thing of the past
Tlic boys and girls will bu sc-iltciiug to their homes and
preparing for the summer campaign in tho territory ot
bookngency ami desert of farming and rusticating. The
year has been at; eventful one. Two fraternities i ave
been established in our universi.ty. Both have come lo
stay. The Pulladiau societv has held its first oratorical
content and th first regular joint meeting of the societies
bus passed off smoothly. Thus two precedents have
been established which will produce gjod results in the
future. To be sure there has not been so much reckless
fun this year as in the past, partly owing lo the advent of
our new Chancellor aud partly to ihe disintegration of the
old clans that were responsible for all the deviltry per
petrated about the college. The first "annual" has beeu
pushed through with commendable energy and excellent
success. Altogether the year has been one worthy of re
inembiuucc and pleasant recollections.
Commencement exercises passed oil' pleasantly nN
though the hall in which they were held was slightly .n
conveutenl. The graduating class made itself as con
spicuous as usual, and the honorable Faculty and Itc
genls preserved the co volitional solemnity and dignity,
thus making u great big impression on the parents, re I us
tives, friends, acquaintances aud other accompaniments
if the students. It looks like an old custom to torture
the graduates, the audience and every one elsejby a lot of
old idensjprcsci ted in u second class) whining rhetoric
and which canuol be of any value either as expoiicutsiof
the competency of the graduates or as au honor to the
University. It looksjtro;much like a vain thow, u needless
ceremony. There was an anxiety among the Seniors Ato
refrain from troubling Ihejiopulace with their orations
but they were reslraiuedfroin their philanthropic inten
ti.m by Ihe blood-thirsty Faculty. May the class of '85
inaugurate the new order in which the '84s failed.
The Annual is out nlhibt. It rejoices in Ihe strikingly
Prof. D. F Easterday is worthy of the highest com
mendation lor what he is doing to raise the musical stand
ard of the University. The band is remarkably im
proved and an entirely new organization owes its being
to Prof. Easteiday. We refer to the Orchestra. The first
public appearance of Ihe home talent was at the com
mencement exercises of tho year just passed. Thobojs
acquitted themselves nobly and won the approbation of
all heavens. The musicians of the University arc being
developed rapidly. A good rousing Glee Club is one of
the first tilings lo be looked alter in tbe fall. Tho circle
will then be unbrokeu.
The amount of new clothes, canes aud gencral'dudes
queness" displayed by our students at this epoch is re
markable. All seem to be desirous of making t lie most
tremedous impression possible upon the numerous visit-