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THE HESPERIAN.
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the fraternities are fast losing some of their most cher
ished characters, and are becoming openly mere soc
ial clubs from which all nonsensical mystery has been
stripped. This may be but the beginning of the end.
We hopo so.
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time-honored, and sometimes dishonored, in
stitution of per cent grades in the University of Ne
braska. Its abolishment is without doubt a progres
sive move. The evils of the system were many and
apparent. It may be that the best substitute has not
yet been found. The making of five grades, desig
nated by significant words is open to some of the same
objections the per cent system was. However when
once the old order of things is done away with, further
change is easy. If the new plan works badly, reme
dies will be applied. We may congratulate ourselves
on having a faculty which is not afraid to make inno
vations if it deems them wise and best.
selfishness, prejudice, dereit, misrepresentation, all
these have their part in causing the lively intrigues
which always characterize college elections. All these
vices arc in mild form and pass under different names
but they are present, and a college course does not
eradicate them. Nothing short of a general moral
regeneration will purify politics.
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d$- GAIN the season has arrived when the members
Jky of the various state societies come to the Uni
versity to attend their annual meetings. Horticultur-
alists, agriculturalists, bee-keepers, and members of
the State Historical society in turn meet for different
purposes. But each meeting makes some of Nebras
ka's best citizens better acquainted with the work of
the University; its needs and aims. Then, too, the
professors are enabled to give much aid to the socie
' ties by reason of their knowledge of the scientific
side of many questions. Students who are interested
in the different pursuits can hear interesting papers
by specialists, and can see how science is applied to
practical vocations. There are good results to both
sides of the arrangement to the University and to
the societies and we hope it may long continue.
Anything which makes the people of the state know
more of the University is to be encouraged.
'HOSE who go forth from colleges and univer
sities, having mastered political economy and
ethics, and having analyzed the past mistakes of all
governments and political parties, should provide a
constantly purifying element to the politics of our
country. That is a very pleasing theory, and we
heartily wish the facts supported the truth of it. But
they don't. One-has only to watch the course of any
college election to see why. We venture to say that
a student election will develop more schemes and
schemers than a presidential election, considering the
number engaged in it. This simply shows that politi
cal maneuvering and scheming arise from the elements
of human nature which mere superfical study of
abstract principles will not do away with. Ambition,
H1LE writing these last editorials of the pres
ent editor-in-chief the last college editorials
shall ever write 'we feel moved to express a few
personal feelings that arc roused by the the thought of
parting from the old Hesperian. In ceasing any
occupation which has commanded one's earnest
thought and attention; in leaving the old home the col
lege, the old friends, many strong emotions fill one's
heart and mind. But the world has grown familiar
with them through the frequent valedictory sighs which
greet its ear. We shall weary you by no analysis of
our regrets. We shall pain you by no exhibition of
our tears. But before wc take our leave of the paper
which has been so much in our thoughts for the last
four years, we wish to declare our affection for and firm
faith in, not only this representative of the college
press, but the college press as a whole. We have read
the ridicule of the grown-up newspapers; we have
heard the gibe of the unappreciative college man, but
we merely pity. the short-sightedness of the one, and
condemn the disloyalty of the otl er. We do not
believe in the justice of either. The witty editor scoffs
at the immaturity of which his own prefection is the
fruit. The time was when his own ideas were as crude
and his own literary style as faulty as any college edi
tor's in the land. But that did not keep him from en
tering the profession of journalism. He simply prac
ticed on the suffering public until he could think more
clearly and write more smoothly. Now the difference
between these sneering editors and the journalistic re
cruits who go yearly from their college papers into the
ranks of newspaper men, is just this: the latter enter
their profession better prepared to take it up under
standingly, to learn it quickly, and to practice it in
telligently than were those same scoffers when they
began their newspaper career. It is fashionable to
ridicule the idea of a college man becoming a good
newspaper man. There are many editors who seem to
think the only proper preparation for deep, broad
thinking and lucid writing is in handling the ink-roller
and the composing-stick. True many good edi
tors have "risen from the ranks," but their success
might have been greater if their minds had been
broadened by intelligent study under wise direction;
if nature, as disclosed by science, and literature could
have thrown side-lights on questions they dealt with;
if they had viewed political issues not merely in the
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