Nobby Cutaway and Sack Suits at Steinberg's Clothing House.
The Weekly University Courier.
The Largest College Journal Circulation in the United States.
Published Every Friday Morning by the
Published Every Friday Morning by the COURIER COMPANY For Kansas University Students.
CHAS. LYONS, President. O. B. TAYLOR, Secretary.
EDITORIAL STAFF:
FRANK G. CROWELL, EDITOR-IN-CHEF.
(TECHNICIAN)
JOHN PRESCOTT,
F. C, KEYS,
H. F, STERBINS,
H. F, M, BAER,
W. R, ARMSTRONG,
NAN, LOVE,
LILLIE FREEMAN,
GRETET HUNNICTTI
BUSINESS MANAGERS:
EARLE L. SWOPE. | WILL A. JACKSON
From the Press of P. T. FOLEY.
Entered at the post-office at Lawrence, Kansa as second-class matter.
An idea is prevalent among the students of different institutions, and the students of the University of Kansas are not free from this erroneous impression, that college journals are run in the interest of the few and that there columns are used to promulgate and enhance the interests of certain cliques, factions and fraternities. The "Courier" has not escaped this censure and the editors often hear the remark that it is partisan even at the expense of the best interests of the University and the students. In selecting our board of editors for the present year, The Courier Company endeavored as far as possible to have representatives from the various departments and one from each of the various fraternities and the Non-Greek element. It endeavored as much as possible to avoid placing on its editorial board any merely nominal editors. Was it successful? Of the teneditors on our staffs, three or four do all the work and receive the unjust criticism of the other editors and the public in general of partiality. In our salutatory we invited the students and professors of the University to contribute to this paper anything which would be of interest to the public, or views in regard to University and educational affairs in general. Few contributions have been handed as, and the very persons who have neglected to accept this invitation are leudest in the condemnation of college journals, and on every hand send out the cry of partiality, prejudice and mismanagement. If partiality means the support of our friends and the condemnation of our enemies, the expression of our honest views and convictions, the enhancing of what seems to us to be for the best interest of the University and the denouncing of any mismanagement and folly on the part of the powers that be, and the students, then we admit we are partial. We, however, claim the Courier to be the students paper, its columns always open for the expression of their views, and as their paper, it should receive the support of the students and the friends of the University.
It may be encouraging to those who have sometimes felt themselves "deprived of opportunities" because they could not "go east" to college, to read the following from the pen of Professor E. J. James, of the University of Pennsylvania: "It is a fact, I think, which will not be denied by any one who has suffered for four years at the hands of the average college instructor, that much, if not most, of the teaching done in our colleges is of an exceedingly low grade. It will not compare favorably with the teaching in our best preparatory schools, and is certainly far inferior to that performed by the best trained teachers in our elementary public schools. I remember distinctly the sensation of disappointment, almost of disgust, which I experienced on entering Harvard College, to find that the average instructor and professor with whom I came in contact was so decidedly inferior in teaching ability to the better master whom I had known in the preparatory school.
"The fact is so patent that he who runs may read, that of the twenty-five or thirty men who compose the faculty of our larger colleges, scarcely one-fourth can be reckoned as good teachers, using the word teacher, not in the sense of drill master, but in that wider and truer sense in which Agassiz used it when he signed himself 'Louis Agassiz, teacher.'
One of the most important reasons for this state of things is to be found in an almost total lack of any preparatory instruction in the art and science of education on the part of those who are to fill our academic and college positions. The remedy is to be sought in the establishment of chairs of pedagogy in our colleges and universities."
The young man entering college thinks that success in after life is assured, and that the possibility of failure does not exist. The young man leaving college finds the avenues of commerce crowded, the professions full to overflowing, a dozen applicants for every situation, and begins to realize the fierceness of the struggle for life. At this juncture he asks himself what he is fitted for? What he can do better than before his college career? What indeed? The question has been a sad one for many a bright young man.
Menial, manual and laborious work he feels himself above. It galls his pride to accept a clerical position at a salary far below what is paid men with less than one-quarter of his education and mental acquisitions. With these false ideas and feelings of false pride, he meets disappointment on every side, and loses much valuable time in fruitless endeavor. The general public are largely to blame for this false and foolish idea of college graduates. The prevailing idea is that it is a disgrace for a college man to be found in an ordinary mercantile position. People think that the four years spent in college have been wasted, if a graduate does not immediately begin to earn more money than young men of his own age, who have not had his educational advantages. They expect that a man will come forth
from college, even as Minerva from the head of Jove, armed cap-a-pie, ready for the battle of life, and are always prepared to sneer if he does not. Naturally enough the graduate wishes to meet and satisfy public expectations and is disappointed and wounded in pride when he cannot. But is there reason for this expectation or this disappointment? Look about you and see how the business of the world is conducted and find your answer. This is preeminently a commercial age, an age of invention, manufacture and gigantic financial enterprises. Such an age demands a man skillful in one thing. It divides and sub-divides its labor into thousands of branches, and trains men to expertness in every branch. It is not reasonable to suppose that the man who has spent four years in the seclusion of the college can at once compete in the business world with men thus trained and experienced. He too must begin at the bottom and acquire expertness through the same tedious routine.
There is another hindrance to the success of college men even more permissible than the one just spoken of. It is unquestionably true that in college a young man acquires tastes and habits to which a life of severe toil is repugnant and odious. Thus it happens that we so often see college graduates seeking for positions where there is large remuneration for a small amount of work—in other words "soft snaps." Idleness is the result of the vain search. For it is a rule, with but few exceptions that a man receives no more than he earns. In the jostle and push of business life nearly every man is rated according to his abilities. No matter where a man starts if he possesses the requisite energy and merit he will undoubtedly be rewarded accordingly. Nor can anyone be long in a position for which he is incapaciated. Failure to recognize this fact is the cause of so many college men being out of employment. There is work enough for all. Desires are in excess of the means of gratification, so says the political economists, and as long as this is true there cannot be too many workers. The college man must go to work just as other men, take the best that comes to hand and rest assured that as they make themselves valuable to the world, the world will repay them. But you will ask, is a college training of values, save as a means of culture? While this is undoubtedly its greatest value, it has also its mercantile, or if you please, mercenary value. Without a good foundarian a solid structure cannot be built, and experience proves too clearly to require further demonstration, that a careful college training is the best foundation for a well rounded and successful life. It is true as Rev. Mann said in his opening address "that commonly the millions have been amassed by the comparatively ignorant, by men of sharpness without culture and even without refinement," and yet the educated have been as a rule more successful than the ignorant and have belonged to the fairly well-to-do class among whom is found the greatest happiness.
NEVER before has there seemed to be such a scarcity of good boarding places, accessible to students. The hotels and restaurants are too far from the University and from that part of the city in which most of the students room, to be convenient or suitable. The number of clubs which have been formed seem unusually small. In fact it is coming to be a matter of considerable difficulty for old as well as new students to find places, at all convenient to their rooms, at which they can board. It is a little strange that such a difficulty should exist in a city of this size, but, since it undoubtedly does exist, some means must be devised to obviate it.
It is probably true that a majority of the students room in the southwestern part of the city around the foot of the hill. The number of boarding houses and clubs in this neighborhood, with their present capacity, is insufficient to comfortably and satisfactorily accommodate the students.
In view of these facts, we believe that, if some energetic person with some experience in this direction, should take hold of the matter and supply the deficiency, he would not only greatly benefit and convenience the students but also make it very profitable to himself.
We believe that a restaurant, arranged somewhat as follows would satisfactorily meet the wants of the students and would be quite profitable also: Let a house be built near the foot of the hill if a suitable one cannot be rented, which shall contain a large kitchen, a parlor or waiting room, and several medium sized apartments which may be used as dining rooms. In each of these apartments let not more than two tables be placed, each of which will set four or six persons. These rooms should be divided into several classes. Each of these classes should command its own price according to the grade of the board served in the rooms belonging to it. All grades of board should be cooked and served with equal neatness and care, and should differ only in degrees of plainness or variety. A system following the above plan, which has been but briefly sketched, might have some defects, but it would also possess some advantages which would at least recommend it for consideration.
The division of the dining room into several apartments, accommodating only a limited number, would avoid the unpleasant confusion and the noise which is always so annoying in large dining halls, and it would thus enable those who were best acquainted and congenial to assemble always at the same table.
The division of the dining room would also facilitate the serving of different grades of board; for it is always unpleasant to have more than one class of boarders together in one room, for reasons which are obvious.
The object for serving more than one grade of board i, that it would accommodate and meet the wants of a greater number, than if all the tables were set alike. Some students, the more favored in regard to worldly goods, want and are unsatisfied if they do not get better board, than
is required by others. While there are those in turn, either from lack of means to pay, or from habits and tastes previously acquired, desire, even demand plainer food. Both want their meals served with neatness, and in an attractive and convenient place. Both are willing to pay for that which they get, but they want to get that for which they pay, and for which they are willing to pay.
It seems impossible that a good house established on some such plan as the above, calculated to meet in the highest degree the wants of the greatest possible number of students, and managed with good common sense, could fail of success. We understand that some one contemplates starting such an an establishment, and if this be the case, it is to be hoped that he may be successful.
Oratorical Association
THERE were a great many typographical errors in the last issue of the Courier. While it was the fault of the proof reader,it was because he was rushed on the last day on account of the editors waiting till the last minute to hand in their copy. We trust that this will not be the cause in the future.
According to the constitution of the Oratorical Association the regular annual meeting for the election of officers and for the transaction of business relative to the contest should have been held on Oct. 18th. This meeting should have been called by the secretary, the president being absent, and if this officer should avoid the performance of this duty, the board of directors should at least take enough interest to post a bulletin for a meeting. Probably never since the University has been a member of the association has such little interest been taken in preparing for a contest. A state of indifference, of lethargy and somnolent energy in relation to oratory has infused itself among our students and a state of torpor has been reached which is much to be regretted and must be eradicated. What is the cause of this state of things? The unwise removal of chapel rhetoricals. What has been placed in its stead? Nothing. Where is our professor of elocution? He has not yet made his appearance before the students and they much in need of oratorical training, are we deprived of this privilege. We see from this condition of things that a state of indifference of our students toward oratory would naturally follow. The secretary should immediately call a meeting of the association and, should be attended by all students. A new and vigorous feeling for the success of our contest should be aroused.
When disposed to grumble at our gymnasium facilities, we may perchance take comfort in the following:
The cheapest and simplest gymnasium in the world—one that will exercise every bone and muscle in the body—is a flat piece of steel notched on one side, fitted tightly into a wooden frame, and after being grea ed on both sides with a bacon rind, rubbed into a stick of wood laid lengthwise of a saw-buck. $ N. $ Y. Medical Times.
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For Boots and Shoes go to Menger's.