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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1887)
p o THE HESPERIAN, ma into a consideration ol this question. The bar of the state that large and influential body, comprising a great portion of the most enlightened and valuable citizens of the state, would be drawn into closer relation to the University. They would acquire an interest in its work and prosperity that they do not now possess. Its sphere and influence and usefulness would thus be greatly en larged and the University would then and not till then, fulfil all the requirements implied in its name. That it would greatly strengthen this institution as a whole there can be no doubt and it is equally beyond question that the aid it would acquire from association with the other col leges, is perhaps the most important factor that would con tribute toils success, while all of the departments of the literary college would be tributary to it to a certain extent, yet there is one in the subject matter whose work and in the excellence and thoroughness of the same, the college of law would find a vast fund of nourishmsnt and strength. Certainly no better and more necessary foundation for the study of law could be had than is furnished by our present historical department which has been developed and perfected until it ranks second to but very few in the United States to day. I might attempt to show how such a step would result in the elevation and advancement of the bar of this state, how in directly the state would be benefited since our politicians and legislators are di awn largely from this class. My intention however was not to enter into an elaborate argument or dis enssion of this subject but simply to hint at the light in which this matter was viewed from a students standpoint and as we to-night look back upon that which has passed and taken its place in history, and, as we bid farewell to the 16th and most prosperous year of the legal existence of the University, it certainly is but fitting that a question involving such mo mentous conccqucnces to its future welfare should be raised. With the rapid advancement of the state, the University should not merely keep pace, but it should lead the van. The tide of progress which has brought us into the closest communication with the remotest counties carries back each year to the doors of this institution a constantly increasing number of students. It is rapidly becoming a state institu tion in the completcst sense and must bear the responsibility of serving the state to its fullest capacity. May the time then be not unnecessarily prolonged, during which Nebraska compclls her citizens to wander beyond the confines of her domain, to seek in other states that which she herself should furnish them. The last of the students on the program was D. T. SMITH. I wish simply to give some idea of the students' work in our laboratories. The scientific student has not completed his work when he has learned the theory of chemistry, the classification of plants, or the principles of mechanics. The student in chemis try has a desk assigned to him in the laboratory. Here he finds reagents and apparatus with which to carry on his work. He is given a substance to study. It may be of known com position and he is simply to study its nature by separating it into its elements, and uniting the elements into other forms; it may be a rock that has never been analyzed, and he deter mines the kinds of elements and proportion by weight of each, entering into its composition. "Hestudies the nature "of the different elements, but he uses his eyes and hands as well as his mind. He learns the theory of chemistry, but at the same time, the art of chemi cal manipulation. In botanical study the laboratory is a no less important (ac tor. The student might learn from books the different ord ers of plants and the characteristics of each. Hut this is on ly a small part of his work. He has his table in the labora tory. His outfit consists of a microscope, a scalpel and other tools for handling plants and making sections ol them for mi croscopic study. He may be working with a flower, a leaf, or a stem; it may be with the vegetable life in the water taken from some stagnant pool, or cultures that he himself has made. Here he draws, describes and classifies the plants or parts ol plants that he handles. He doc more: with his cultures and his microsropc he studies their life history and their bearing on the important question of biology. At first he but repeats the experiments and investigations of others, but as soon as he has learned to handle his instruments and grasped the idea of scientific investigation, he takes up subjects that have nev er been studied before and enters upon his work with the cn thiibiasm of the explorer of a ncwlrnd. In the geological and physical departments the same idea is as far as possible carried out in the work. The student is to do, and not study simply what others have done. But there is a work of the student in the science depart ment hardly entered upon as yet. This work is in the line of original investigation. The scientific student will not have severed his connection with the University when he receives his diploma. During his course, he will come to feel that the laboratories and apparatus arc in a sense his own and when in his future researches he comes upon problems that can only be solved by their use he will naturally turn to his alma ma'tcr as the place to do his work. Thus the University will be come the workshop of the master workman as well as the ap prentice. The accredited schools of the state characterized through Prof. W. W. Drummond of Plattsmouth, the accrediting system as introduced and perfected by our present Chancel lor, as a most satisfactory one. The Prolcssor is an interest ing talker and succeeded in arousing those who, from the unus ual length of program, had become listless. The common schools, as represented by Prof. Wm. Valentine, county sup erintendent of Otoe, claimed their share in the work of pre paring the Nebraska youth for higher education. Our State Superintendent, Hon. Geo. B. Lane recognized the position of our University in the state school system which he represents and pledged his assistance in furthering our interests. His excellency Gov. Thayer as the originator of the bill introduced into the U. S. Senate creating our endowment of 146,000 acres of land, expressed his deep interest and regard for the University. After a few remarks by the Chancellor, perhaps the most appropriate exercises ever held by students or faculty, were ended. HALL HAPPENINGS. A man Was drowned In the slush Down by the East gate! Messrs. H. W. Lichty, '84 Myron Wheeler, and Dave Mer cer visited old friends last weel; You will now listen to a lecture by Prof, Frankforler on Wind.' " It is needless to state that his material for experi ments were already at hand.