THE HESPERIAN.
gretted. In the future systematic work must be done
in this line, and no plan seems to promise better re
sults than that of keeping up class organizations after
graduation. In a sister University, where difficulties
similar to our own have arisen,. every class appoints a
permanent historian, or secretary, whose duty it is to
correspond regularly with each member. This class
officer can thus furnish at any time thoroughly reli
able statistics. With the steady increase in the size
of our graduating classes comes the necessity for- the
introduction of this, or a better, system of recording
the joys and sorrows, the triumphs and defeats, of
those who have left the Alma Mater to engage in the
real business of living.
The Republican State Convention, which convened
in this city on the 13th inst.,'was an uneventful gath
ering, as the offices to be filled in the coming elec
tion are not of sufficient political importance to
, arouse a great amount of enthusiasm. The University,
however, had interests at stake. That these interests
were carefully guardedMs shown by the fact that con
vention, without a dissenting vote, renominated Reg
ents Chas. H. Gere and Leavitt Burnham, men who
have for years been connected with the Board and
whohave always shown an active interest in, and
friendship for, the University. When an assembly
of five hundred men from, every county of Nebraska
shows its appreciation of the needs of the University
and its unquestioning confidence in the officers in
charge of the same, as was enthusiastically done in this
convention, we begin to feel a strong hope that the
politician will soon cease to have aught to do with
the management of this institution. Through weary
years we have fought in the convention and the leg
islative hall the demagogue who hoped to turn the
University into a manufactory of political capital.
We must fight him in the future, but convention,
like the one just held assure us that we have reached
the beginning of the end.
One of the perplexing questions connected with
college life is the management of the literary and
social societies. The necessity of keeping the mem
bership strong numerically leads to the "working"
or "spiking" of new students; and this has undoubt
edly become the most prominent of all the evils that
beset the student body. This phase of society work
causes the loss of more time than does laziness. Jt
results in inumerable broken study hours and not a
few restless nights. In our own community the evils
of the practice are noticeable, though we believe
are as yet in thebudding stage. In other institutions
where the organizations are more numerous and the
competion more fierce, the opening -weeks of the year
are marked by a strong struggle that could neither he
more bitter or ludicrous. We trust that the young
men and women of this western university will ap
preciate the fact that there is a taint of dishonor in
the action of the "professional spiker" whether he la
bors for a literary society or for some other organiza
tion. His friendship is largely affected and will not
long continue after a refusal to join; his arguments
he knows to be one-sided, and his entire course is
that of a crafty politician. He may secure "exped
ience" and "knowledge of human nature" in such
work, but he is not developing a high degree of man
hood and not fulfilling the purposes for which a man
should attend the University. Let the professional
worker for the society interests be banished and the
law of natural selection" receive a trial.
MISCELLANY.
The Senior now is enquiring anxiously what he can find to
do in this mad Bedlam of a -world, after he is graduated from
his "alma mater." A perplexing problem, and one not easi
ly solved. He had hoped in his Freshman, Sophomore and
Junior years that some very desirable position -would be offer
ed to him, nay almost forced upon him, immediataly after
completing Senior-hood. Hut alas, -when he reaches that
point in college every opening, yes every crack and crevice,
frowns upon him behind double-barred gates of triple-plated
brass, guarded in addition by a veritable Cerberus.
The dreams he had in childhood as to what he should do
after attaining manhood ,are quickly dispelled and tlie im
perative question what he can do, and immediately, presents
itself all too vividly before him.
There are probably five teachers for every place, so the
outlook is not enconraging in this direction. Business is
over-done. It takes ten years and a fortune to get estab
lished in law. The piospects of an M. D. about as flattering
The only ray of hope comes from the railroads. "With
powerful and influential friunds one might get a chance to
kill -weeds, mend ties and shovel sand on a section. This
position would be easily lost if there was any competition.
The disheartened Senior begins to think that although it is
supposed there is a niche for every one in lhls world, his
must have been filled up. His condition of mind is truly piti
able. He knows he is expected to do something, but what
that something shall be, he is in as great a maze about as
Mr. Dick in "David Copperfield," the execution of Charles L
The Philosophy of "blessed be nothing" begins to be at
tractive to him. He wonders if Prince Gautama was not a
Senior, and to escape its perplexities formulated the doctrine,
"Nirvana.1' This seems reasonable. For who would not
gladly enter this state to be rid of ugly visions ever present to
taunt his pulsillanimity? Verily one is even challenged tipon
his right to live, and expected to give voluminous reasons to
prove it, a task very much like replying to an after-dinner
toast; admitting of various results.
"Well if one has overrated himself, he might as well admit it
when made palpable. There is a wholesale destruction of
ideals and hopes, but these being bodilefas, cause 110 faerious
delay in the affairs of the world or the universe. He himsslf
still continues to live also. In fact a man seldom dies from
blasted hopes, disappointments, unrequited love, all the stories
.of"Lauras" and "Beatrices" to the contrary.
The stern thing -which life requires is somethln,; more ihaa
idle dreams, feeble scntimcntalism. There is a liigher field
