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THE HESPERIAN.
5HE Haydon Art club, of this city, is doing much
unselfish work for the popularization of art.
All friends of higher culture should take advantage
oi the lectures and exhibitions they offer. Especially
should the students of the University seek by means
of these things to broaden their minds, and to enlarge
their artistic appreciation. Through the kindness of
Miss Moore, the students are always granted special
rates to exhibitions, and special invitations to lectures.
Many students have improved the opportunity to see
the present exhibition the original drawings of illus
trations for the Century magazine. But many, that
would be benefitted, have not attended. In these days
when illustrated magazine literature is so widely read,
and when predictions arc made that, in the future,
reporters will use pictures instead of words, it is well
to learn all one can of the processes of illustration.
It an interesting, a fascinating, study, and one not
easily exhausted. The first step is set before one in
exhibition now occupying the sedate chamber. We
would recommend every student to attend.
ID it ever strike you how artificial the bond of
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In very few cases does human nature lie neav the sur
face. It takes long study and much intercourse to
determine the true character of an associate. Even
when you think you know him perfectly , some new
situation will "bring out characteristics you never
dreamed of. Thus our friendshsps, as a rule, are
constantly on the ebb and flow. Sometimes a friend
ship is seen which seems to last unchanged for years.
But if the hearts of the two friends were searched, it
would be found that the relations of each to the other
have materially changed at different times. How
fiequently do we hear, "We used to be great friends,
but ." It is impossible in the early days of your
college course to choose a set of bosom friends that
will prove the most congenial, and the most helpful
all through -your college career. Yet this is the
fraternity idea. If you join a fraternity soon after
entering college, you may get a new "brother" oc
casionally, but so long as the original set remain in
school, they must be your intimates and confidants.
During one's college years, is when the greatest
changes of mind and character occur. The changes
in your own tastes and inclinations should be grounds
sufficient for liberty in the choice of bosom friends.
Consider also the changes that will occur in your first
associates, and it is evident that some change in the
personnel of your friends is probable, if no artificial
influence interferes to prevent the free play of natur
al selection. The oath of a fraternity, by check
ing personal inclination, restricts your liberty, pre
vents your forming many friendships that would
help to broaden you, and ties you down to friendships
that may become irksome as your mind and charact
er develop, or as the character of your sworn friends
alters for the worse. Moreover, friendship that must
be strengthened and held in place by an oath, is a
mockery ol one of the most sacred sentiments.
CEpHE number of journalutic ventures in the Uni
&J versity has been increased, but not from the di
rection expected. The Sophomores have sought a
vent for their surplus enthusiasm in the publication
of the Sophomorian,a. monthly, four-page newspaper.
So far, it is published without money and without
price, simply for the excitement and exhilaration of
publishing a paper. While it may be true with news
papers, as with men, that they do not "live by bread
alone," yet we have grave doubts of the ultimate suc
cess of a paper sustained solely by the spiritual diet
of enthusiasm. While the Sophomorian might not re
ceive a very high mark under the professor of English,
and, on the contrary, would prove a bonanza to a
compiler of a slang dictionary, it does contain many
bright things. We would recommend more care in
composition and expression, as being likely to lesult
in more benefit to the editors, and more enjoyment to
the readers. Since both The Hesperian and the
Sophonwrian are engaged in the great work of enlight
eniug and edifying mankind, we extend fraternal greet
ings, and a cordial invitation to call again.
OCIAL culture is undoubtedly one of the many
things to be secured during one's college course.
But the pursuit of this branch of education must be
guarded and restrained by strong common sense.
The natural tendency, especially with young people,
is to go to excess in social enjoyment. Studying, for
the most part, is done under compulsion, either from
external circumstances, or from desire to attain some
particular object. Social enjoyment is sought for it
self, and contains in itself the incentive for further
pursuit. School-work and social enjoyment are thus
continually in opposition. The latter constantly
tends to monopolize the attention of those thatinduljje
in t extensively, and the former, having in itself few
attractions, is neglected. This is the tendency even
when nothing but individual inclination is at work.
Add to this natural tendency the force of strong or
ganization, and it produces a deplorable condition.
Yet this is the condition wheie the fraternities are pre
dominant. A prominent fraternity man in this insti
tution declared, last year, "It has been demonstrated
that the social life of the University must be in the
fraternities." If by this declaration it was meant
that without fraternities the highest social culture can
not be attained, the statement is untrue. If the speak-
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