THE HESPERIAN.
ing, and the members arc to be congratulated for the excel
lent manner in which they performed.
The University delegation to the Inter-State Oratorical Con
test consisted of Miss Roberts, Miss Russell, Ham Eddy,
Frank Wheeler, Elmer Pierce, Lou Storrs, John Mockctt, Ar
thur Anderson and G. W. Gcrwig. They left here Wednes
day afternoon and, after a turbulent trip, reached Lawrence
at midnight. The boys say there is no use trying to tell what
kind of a time they had; words fail to describe it. It seems
as if they almost took the K. S. U. by storm. The party got
home on Saturday, more dead than alive. All that could be
got out of them was "You-bctchour-lifc-wc-did."
OPINIONS.
Emboldened by the fact that you deigned to publish our
contribution to your last issue, Mr. Editor, we beg an oppor
tunity to present a few ideas in which we hope to show that
we sympathize with you in your work. Our sympathies you
certainly have; whether or not you agree with us in our opin
ions will appear later. The subject of our remarks is "the
work of a college editor." You arc of course aware of the im
perfections of your paper, what editor Is not? You doubt
less have heard complaints from all sides, from students to
faculty and sister universities. You are arraigned because of
the careless style in which your editorial and review work is
cast. This or that particular part or column is pointed out as
of special merit, the remainder dubbed as of no particular im
portance, or, less charitably, as a disgrace to the institution
which has the name of being its supporter. Your paper is
characterized as an unnatural growth; it is said to represent
neither the student body nor the true spirit or genius of the
college. Do we make a characteristic complaint? Well wc
too have served our time as an editor! But it is useless to
continue piling up the complaints made; you have heard them
nil.
Now let me say in your behalf that though each of these
complaints has more or less sufficient ground, nevertheless,
you as editor 6f a college paper, have abundant justification.
Wc arc sorry to find this disposition to criticise their college
paper among the students themselves. We should much pre
fer to sec them disposed to encourage you, Mr. Editor, not
only to speak charitably of you but also to deal charitably with
you. Instructors too seem to be ashamed of your imperfec
tions, and quietly forsaking you, deal a blow which we know
is hard to withstand. This is seldom given in open criticism,
but is none the less destructive because of its indirectness.
They overlook the fact that i takes time to write a polished
article just as it takes time to prepare a forensic for the exam
iner. They, and the students as well, forget that your time
is as fully occupied with the regular work as is theirs, and
that the college paper is thus the product of an overworked
and consequently inactive brain. Your valuable time is free
ly given, and it is but just that instead of criticisms your in
structors and fellow students should aid you by contributions
both literary and pecuniary.
The boast is often made by this and that one, that he will
have nothing to do with so poor a publication as your paper
has sometime been. You, Mr. Editor, have reason to pity such
nn one rather than to cherish any feeling of enmity. The time
will surely conic when a file of your paper will be worth "more
cash in hand" than your would be scomer can possibly com
mand. This may be putting the case too strongly, but it is
true that a file of the HESPERIAN will sometime be one of the
most valuable things that a student of the U. of N. may ever
hope to obtain. Wc need but cite as proof those who have
preserved their college papers, as at Yale or Harvard, for
which papers most fabulous offers arc made by less thought
ful fellows. This University is destined to live and to have a
place among the first in the land; and with all its imperfec
tions the Hesperian will be the most valuable and most
truthful record of these its youthful days.
V
It is no small annoyance to the literary societies to be com
pellcd under whatever circumstances to close their sessions at
10:30 o'cloek on Friday evenings. Ecpccially is this the case
when owing to the change of season the hour of commencing
is sometimes delayed. For all ordinary occasions 10:30 is
ample time and rarely is there a student so unreasonable as to
complain; but when, owing to some unusually important bus
iness, it becomes necessary to prolong the session a few min
utes it is nothing short of insult to be ordered, at a minute's
notice, out of halls that are rightly called our own. Whether
the "orders" are from high or low authortiy makes little dif
ference. Often the societies have courteously adjourned prior
to the appointed time to accommodate janitors who were
wearied with unusual work. They ask in return that similar
courtesy be shown o them. Especially should this accom
modation be granted when the societies are supposed to pay
'or all the gas they consume over a certain amount; all under
that amount they have a right to (by a vote of the regents) and
may demand. It is our opinion that there's "a nigger in the
fence" somewhere.
In other colleges there yet remains somewhat of that fatria
potestas which was formerly supposed to be delegated by the
parent to the schoolmaster. I had fondly hoped that no such
spirit would ever find lodgement inside the walls of Nebraska
University. It has been our continual pride to point to our
school as a place where manhood has been awarded somewhat
of judgment and womanhood a measure of discretion I had
supposed that so much of the spirit of the New Education
was among us that it should be unhesitatingly granted that
manhood and womanhood are best developod by a large meas
ure of individual responsibility. Nor am I prepared to say
that there is any openly expressed desire to bring personal
indcpcncnce under stricter supervision. With all due respect
to the powers that be it must, however, be said that a disposi
tion has appeared in high places to distrust,- suspicion and su
pervise the actions of the student body here. So insiduously
has the feeling crept in and so cautiously has it been express
ed that it seems doubtful whether those to whom it belongs
would themselves admit its existence. Hut the distrust at
present existing in the minds of the students of the Universi
ty, though indicating, perhaps, an extreme seusitivcnss, is
proof that there exists something to raise that sensitiveness.
As one who in a measure voices student opinions I am com
pelled to recognize this. I would, moreover, express addi
tional regret that the greed for power has aimed its efforts at
the one center of social life in the institution the literary so
cieties. I speak the student sentiment when I say that these
societies fill a place in our educating force which, without
them, would remain unfilled. I feel too that their prosperity
depends upon the degree of freedom from external control
granted them. The students of Nebraska University believe
that the moment when any attempt shall be made to bring
the literary societies of the institution under supervision will
mark, a decline of their usefulness. Wc nre sorry that occa
sion exists for such remarks but when the occasion exists I be
lieve the bcttci way is to meet it frankly and openly.
Sans Detour.
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