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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1886)
THE HESPERIAN. I 1 feeling that the main object of a college course is to give to a man external rather than internal character, that the diploma and the'name of graduate are worthy objects of four years' work. The question of discipline stillagitates the college world. Readers of The Hesperian will remember that some months ago notice was made of the sus pension of six Seniors from the Ohio Wesleyan Uni versiy for attending a Shakespearean play in defiance of the regulation prohibiting attendance of theatri cal performances. They were re-admitted under dis cipline and afterwards, on application, were admitted to DePauw. The first mentioned school is naturally, if not justly,Jindignant, and the question as to whether one college or university shall admit students dishon orably dismissed from another is added to an already vexing question. When different colleges fix stand ards for behavior so notoriously various it is a some what impudent thing for each to say to all the rest "You shall accept our ruling." In the present case for example, some of our colleges not less famous and well attended than Wesleyan University have regular courses in Shakspearean literature. Such schools would be inconsistent did .they condemn stu dents for doing exactly what they encourage their own students to do, and merely out of respect to the judg ment of an inferior institution. The Hesperian is not greatly given to quoting scripture, nor will it commence now; but it would enjoy making a practical application of tha t place where it reads that he who goes into a feast and ele vates himself to a high position in the start shall assur edly come down, while that one who takes a low seat will be called up higher. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in college life and especially in the closing term of the year may its working be re. marked. Among those who enter with us from year to year are some of both classes some who are mod est and unassuming, and ot hers who seek from the start to attract attention to themselves and who, if they are given less notice than older students, take immediate offence. The old rule has hardly an ex ception, however, and on looking over the ranks of college leaders we can find scarcely one who was of the "cheeky" stamp. Attention needs to be called to this fact, especially among students, too many of whom are apt to think brazen faced effrontery the only essential to success. It is not so. "Patient merit" may have to to take some spurns from the un worthy but its final recognition and success are inev-itable.. MISCELLANY. THE UNIVERSITY AND SCIENCE. The advance made by the University in the direction oi sci ence has been so marked during the past year as to merit spe cial and extended mention. In no department of the whole institution has more progress been made than in that of bot any, and a brief visit to the working-room and herbarium is a revelation to one who has not kept himself fully informed of the work already done and now under way. The present quarters are cramped almost beyond endurance, the entire her barium with its library being confined to one of the smallest rooms in the building while Room No. 26 is used as work-shop, recitation room, office and library. The courage of those in terested in this department is sustained only by the fact that elegant and commodious quarters arc promised on the com pletion of the new building. The Department of Botany is properly separated into two divisions: (1) The Laboratory, containing microscopes and ap paratus, material for study and books of reference. (2) The Herbarium, containing specimens of plants and plant products and also books of reference. It has been asked by a number of persons why the books used in this study are not placed in the central University library. The answer will be found in the fact that it is necessary tolivide even the botanical lib rary, the books of each division being placed in the room nearest the other apparatus. Books in botany arc tools are to be used as often as are the microscopes, ann hence must be stored in the room where the work is actually done. In glanc ing over the collection that has been made in the past few months one is struck with the fact that many of the volumes are rare, nearly all are expensive, and that although small, the library is a very carefully selected one. In the general li brary there are about fifty volumes and in the Botanical library at least three hundred. The number may seem small, and doubtless is, but there is not a useless book in the entire col lection. Among the notable sets noticed in a hasty glance arc the following: "De Candolle's Prodromus" with index and the supplemen-. tary volumes of Walpers and Muller, and the Monographs forty-one volumes, costing $145,00. A complete set of the "Annales des Sciences Naturelles" one hundred volumes, costing $210,00. "Bryologia Europxa" seven volumes, costing $100,00. Harvey's "Phycologia Britannica" three volumes, costing $42.00. "Goodale's Wild Flowers of America" one volume, cost ing $27,00. Eaton's "Ferns of North America" two volumes, costing $22,00. A complete set of the Reports of the American Pomologi cal society seven volumes, costing $55,00. Sullivant's "Mosses of North America" two volumes cost ing $32,00. Michaux's "North American Sylva" five volumes, cost? ing $70,00. Boott's "Illustrations of Carcx" four volumes, costing $121,00. Pringsheim's "Jalirbuccher fur wissenschaftliche Botaink'f sixteen volumes, costing $140,00. Bentham's "Flora Australiensis" seven volumes, . costing, $39.- - twt- TVij ThT V n i tim tine fentmA th ntjrttnn rf TmfWce Af KM sey for scarcely a year, but has been improved wonderfully. 3 '