4
h & HESPERIAN
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firmly in ihc mind of the student, since by his own manipu
lations he has brought about their proof.
In botany the beginner is at the outset put at original in
vestigation and observation, the learning of technical names
being deferred nntil such time as their application is fully
understood. The work done is mostly field work and at the
close of the year or term the student has a clearer idea of the
subject and a greater txste for it than he can possibly get from
the antiquated manner of teaching which unfortunately is still
in vogue in many of our high schools, academics, and, possi
bly, colleges.
The student of structural botany is provided with a micro,
scope and needed apparatus and, though assigned certain in
vestigations, is encouraged to go outside of these as much as
possible. Similar methods are used in physics, engineering,
zoology, geology, etc.
Nor arc the sciences alone in this improvement of method
History, at least as taught in our University, makes each stu
dent an historian. He is taught, not to memorize one author,
but to compare all those in his reach and from their often
conflicting statements to sift the truth. He is taught not to
accept a thing upon the assertion of one man, though he be
world-famous, but to go further back, find his authority and
test it. He learns to trace back to their causes events of his
own and other times, pursues the theoretic law of history as
did the alchemist of former ages the philosopher's stone.
History is not to teach him a dry and dusty collection of dates
strung on a string and told off as the beads of a rosary. It is
a living, breathing organism in which a diseased spot here or
weakness there produces its cflcct, though remote, as surely
as if it were a human body and a human disease. It is to him
a chain of cause and effects stretching through the ages,
along which the vital force of one man, one act, passes as
does the most mysterious of fluids along the sunken wirc,pro
ilui'ing results as sure though not so easily controlled.
It is that education which makes one realize the grandeur
of creation and the sublimity of human life, that expands a
man and brings out all that is best in him. It is to this that
modern education is tending. Ict us then who ate to benefit
by improvements be alive to our advantages and quick in
adapting ourselves to such innovations as arc made necessary
by the rapid progress of education. At first thought it may
seem that when the student does nearly all the work for him
self, pursues his own investigations, and summarizes for him
self, there is not so much necessity for highly qualified in.
structors. But we must remember that when a student is
thrown mostly upon his own resources he is .more liable to
make mistakes, to waste his energy in futile endeavor. The
instructor must be then not only, as formerly, well learned in
.his specialty, but sound in judgment and ready in tact. He
must know when to aid and when to be silent; when to en
courage and when to hold in check. In a word, he must
know exactly how to so direct the student as to yield the
greatest possible result for the least outlay of time and study.
Neither will it suffice him to close the book of his pa ocular
branch, considering himself perfect. He must be up with the
times, open to the investigation and acceptance or rejection or
each new theory and discovery. He must read and writcj be
come himself the hardest student of the class he leads.
CONTINENTAL MONEY.
Among the hundred perplexing problems that out revolu
tionary sires were forced to consider, the question of supply
ing the soldiers and country in general with a medium of ex
change proved most troublesome. Even now, when we look
at it through the lapse of one hundred years, we can scarcely
understand how they bridged over the stormy tide of war, re
taining even as much credit as they did. What a shadowy
semblance of national power they must have been to the
other nations of the old world! They were thirteen colonies
bound in a loose confederacy, each one regarding jealously
any movement that might be made cither by the Continental
Congress or any of the neighboring states, each one fearful
lest they should be deprived in the slightest degree of their
much prized privilege oT "State Rights." Hut the British
regulars had arrived and resistance must be offered or slavery
would result. The Federal troops were crying loudly for ra
tions, but there was neither gold or silver to pay for them. In
this extremity the convention assembled at New York in 1775
recommended to the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, a
scheme of issuing paper money. It was eagerly seized upon
and some $3,000,000 of paper money came from the mint.
This was hailed with delight by the straightened colonists.
Hut soon depreciation in the value of the paper money began.
Leading financiers had little faith in the new money or the
ultimate success of the colonists. Congress, with its shadowy
power, could do nothing but increase the issue, and vainly at
tempt to regulate prices. The additional issues served only
increase the depreciation. Congress at length saw the ncces
sity of limiting the amount to be issued and fixed it at $200,
000,000. In 1779 this amount was reached, the depreciation
being 30 for 1. The paper continued in circulation till De
cember, 1781, the depreciation at that time having reached
1,000 for 1.
Much criticism is offered on the conduct of Congress in is
suing continental money, but it should be borne in mind that
power of Congress depended entirely on the will of the
people, who were themselves without any plan of action, ami
at the same time unwilling to trust the ruling power to their
representatives. The fact that the paper money carried them
through the period of war should excuse it, and wc doubt if
any other means could have done it as well.
THERE'S MANY A SLIP, E'IC.
"Tommy, Tommy, O Tommy, where arc you?" I shouted
at the top of my voice.
"Ahem, ahem!" sounded softly from the top of the stairs
and looking up my eyes met a vision of loveliness composed
of gold hair, baby blue eyes and a cloud of blue and white
batiste.
A smothered exclamation and a. gesture toward the patlor
door had the effect of reducing my shout to a whisper, as I
asked, "Who is here?"
"Mr. Kavanaugh. He is" with mamma now. Hope he
didn't hear your racket."
"Can't help if he did. Evidently you've prepared your
self to 'come, see and conquer,' all at once. You will do it,
too you are looking lovely."
A slow blush suffused my sister's cheeks and served only
to heighten her childish beauty. Ida never blushed a fiery
crimson all over her face as I do. In tact she never did any
thing that was not strictly correct and according to the most
aesthetic ideas.
"I don't suppose Mr. Kavanaugh has been ajl around the
world and seen the most beautiful women for nothing. If lie
wanted to marry he wouldn't come to this poky place to look
for a wife."
"Das macht nichts! He might find her all the sanw. But go
in for all the honor of the Wards I wish you success. O,
Ida, is that his carriage at the door and did you look at his
horses?"
Where is Tommy? O Tommeel
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