THE HESPERIAN.
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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.-
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sey for scarcely a year, but has been improved wonderfully.
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