THE HESPERIAN.
UNIVERSITY of NEBRASKA,
Vol. XVIII.
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA; JANUARY i, 1888.
No. VII.
THE HESPERIAN
(HESPERIAN STUDENT.)
Issued semi-monthly by the Hesperian Publishing Associ
ation, of the University of Nebraska.
C. F. ANSLEY, Editor-in-Chief.
ASSOCIATES:
G. W. GERWIG, '89. - - Literary.
O. W. FIFER, '89. - - Sketches.
T. S. ALLEN, '89. - - Comment.
H. PETERSON, '90. - - - Local.
E. P. BROWN, '91. - - Exchange.
MORITURI, TE SALUTAMUS.
BUSINESS managers:
D. D. Forsyth. - - - - E. fc. Holmes.
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EDITORIAL NOTES.
But one number of Studies has yet appeared,
and of course we can not presume to judge of the
ultimate success of the publication by the reception
of its number. But it is encouraging to think of
the fact that wherever science is s.udied in earnest,
Studies is given a place among the very highest grade
of this kind. The greatest of the German Sanskrit
scholars has said that Professor Edgren's article de
cides the long-disputed question as to the eighth
verb-class; and previously the same authority had
opposed the view maintained by the professor. So
Number r, Volume 1, marks the date of an import
ant change in the study of Sanskrit. The leading Ger
man publication in the department of Physics, accus
. tomed to giving space to abstracts only of even the
best papers in its line, is to publish a literal transla.
tion of large portions of Dr. Brace's article. Dr.
Fontaine's work is in a line of which only a very
few are competent to judge, and it requires time for
even the best qualified critics to prepare their report.
Now this is.but the first number. Those of 'the future,
ii we may judge by some of the papers already in the
hands of the committee, promise to maintain the pres
ent standard of the publication The world is learn
ing that original scientific work of the highest value
is to l)e expected from the West, and notably from
our own University.
Only a short time ago, all of us were cal'ed upon
to undergo the ordeal of examinations. Probably
no two weeks of the term were so tiresome as the
one week of examinations; and yet all this work ly
professorsjand students accomplished practically noth
ing whatever. Each student was given his "standing"
as compared with other members of his class. Some
were humiliated; the vanity of some was flattered;
and the great majority were merely bored.
We are supposed to be enjoying the "still air of
delightful studies." Ve are trying to gain ability to
think to the best advantage; and we are trying also
to add sdmc degree of culture to our natures. If
these are not our aims, they ought to be. It is
ibeyond the province of a college to teach how either
(to acquire a fortune or to splurge with the greatest
fcffect. Sordid and selfish aims are diametrically
opposed to those of a truly cultured mind. Now it
occurs to us that the examination system must tend
'to increase one's natural selfishness. The spirit of
the thing is competition. Occasionally there is a
student who is pleased with high grades because they
'will give pleasure to "the folks at home." But if
the student has lived as he should, his parents will
need no such evidence to tell them that he is not
wasting his time. The most of students everywhere,
we believe, strive to excel in examinations merely
for the sake of being duly talked about and of being
given an opportunity to splurge. This disposition
exists, in a greater or less degree, in everyone's make
up. If it be turned in the rigl t direction, it is
praiseworthy ambition; if in the wrong direction, it is
the source of many of the most disagreeable of ,per
sonal traits. The tendency of examinations is iin
the latter direction exclusively.
The custom of striving after marks is harmful to
the memory also. Students will commit dates by
the dozen with the full expectation of forgetting
every one of them a week after the examination.
This is not a habit to be encouraged. The memory
can not retain everything, and nothing useless should
be thrust upon it. The process will weaTcen it, in
stead of strengthening. A few facts are 'to ibe com-