THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
But the work in the classes dragged; the professors
roused themselves and scolded, and held examina
tions, and assigned longer lessons, and made them
selves ridiculous in various ways;, but the outcome,
was, of course, that the number of hours had to be
reduced before good work was obtained. We would
like to ask those who have lately been instrumental
in inflating our course, if they think that there has
been no chance during the past year, to make more
effective and complete the work done in each separate
class. Has not the instructor in Latin complained
because the term was so short that it was impossible to
read as much, or as carefully as he desired? Have not
the history classes passed by much directly connected
with the subjects they have studied, that it were well
they should have had time to learn? Is not the same
thing true in mathematics and the natural sciences?
Why, then should it be thought better to insist upon
studying more things rather than upon the more thor
ough mastery of the things studied? Because certain
students are willing to study harder, or are content to
study more superficially, or are able to study more rap.
idly than the majority, is no reason for thinking that a
vote of the faculty can transmute all the class into
students like those that have heretofore been the ex
ceptions. Rhetorical drill etc. are, of course, to be
added to the regular course, but aside from these we
believe that for the freshman and sophomore years at
least, the old plan of having three studies, each of
which recites five times a week, is the best one yet
discovered and that "whatsoever is more than these
cometh of evil."
During the clash of impertinent and impertinent
arguments that followed the State Oratorical Contest
at Hastings, an excited wrangler from York assumed
that somebody had claimed that Scott was official
ly connected with Doane merely because he was a
Congregationalist, and then declared that it would be
as allowable to say that every infidel in the state was
officially connected with the University. The name
of an infidel school was given us in the evil days of
old when there were certain pig-headed persons in
the faculty who preferred being prominent to being
useful, and who found it a more congenial task to
raise a row than to raise the standard of college edu
cation in Nebraska. Newspapers of the state that had
records to make as scourgers of all who drew salaries
from the state treasury, took up one side or the other
of the controversy whenever they had nothing else to
snarl about. Toward the last, when the newspaper
squabble had degenerated into a kind of exag
erated tom-cat concert, and when the regents had ex
cused from further duty all of the professors that
showed an inclination to be belligerant about nothing,
most of the papers, except the Omaha Bee, sobbed
themselves into silence. But, such an impression did
the disturbance make upon certain weak minds that
they have never been able to disconnect the words
"Bigotry" and "Infidelity" from their thoughts of
the University. Just which disease it is that ails it
they do not know, but they are morally sure that
something is the matter. Our esteemed friend from
York only based his retort upon the same foundation
less assumption that upholds the prejudices which so
many entertain against this school. Not only
the denominational schools, but even the partisans of
the Peru Normal, have repeated the same stale charge
about our lack of piety. We would joyfully confess,
indeed, that we are not very strong as regards theolo
gy, we never dismiss classes to engage in levival
work, and our Chancellor and the professors have
better business than chasing us into some partic
ular church each Sunday. The christian organiza
tions, however, which students themselves maintain,
are, we believe, as vigorous here as in any of the
neighboring colleges. The fact is that we are just
what a state institution ought to be as regards such
matters. There is nothing done officially, but much
is done voluntarily, and the atmosphere is liberal as
well as christian. After having heard so much about
the "paternal influences" thrown about the students
in the denominational schools, we were surprised in
our very enjoyable meetings with their representativ
es in the Oratorical Association, to encounter more
tobacco and profanity than we had found among our
own members in many a long day. We cheerfully
acknowledge that it is rather amateurish to write
such an editorial as this. The more dignified plan
would be to let our opponents enjoy as best they may
their half willful misconceptions of us, and turn our
own attention to the comparatively simple task of
growing beyond the reach of their malice. This also
is a thing that shall be done in the near future; but, in
the mean time, there is so much of the Old Adam in
our composition that we cannot help resenting their in
solence. AN ATHENIAN SAGE.
Awarded ftrst place at tho Chase and Wheoler contest.
The fifth century before the Christian cm will ever bo
mcmorablo as one of the most brilliant epochs in the
history of tho world. In that century, in tho sunny land
of Greece, a civilization whs developed whoso match
less grandeur and exquisite beauty is the continued mars
vel of mankind. Wo shall remember the fifth contury
for many thing. We shall remember it for its galaxy
of great nan.es: for Pericles the pilot of the Attic state;
Au'iPhldias whose muster-hand beautified the columns
