110
The Courier Review.
GOOD BOOKS includes more than the sombre colored text books. We do not minimize the importance of the latter however. Study thoroughly even absorb the instructions of the school book, for it contains the principles and elementary truths of a certain branch of knowledge, but do not become a text book fossil and think all knowledge secured between their backs. Study some living issues as well. An article on Coxeyism will mix well with the lesson in political economy, or a story of the day will be refreshing after an excavation in Greek. A college course should teach you to read, reason and reflect, it should develop your observation, judgment and self-dependence.
THE PERFORMANCE of certain moral obligations may become just as much a matter of habit as going to meals and being a part of the general scheme, not appear to encroach on time that belongs to something else. It is impossible of course, for one to engage in every form of activity that he sees about him. The line must be drawn somewhere and the whole matter becomes a matter of relative importance. Answer the question as to the relative importance of all these lines of activity and then work consistently along the course established. Thus there will be, in the later backward glance, no aching void but rather a sense of satisfaction that comes from a right use of time.
PREPARATION FOR any calling must keep pace with the times. An officer who seeks promotion in the army simply because he is proficient in military tactics as employed forty years ago would fail, and with good reasons. Likewise a science teacher though well versed in his department twenty years ago, would find himself seriously embarrassed in an attempt to teach natural philosophy as laid down by recent text books. The same is true to a greater or less extent in those lines of work, and we as students should be watchful, lest living too much in the past we imbibe to much of its spirit and find ourselves outstripped in the race of life when we leave the University halls, for the simple reason that we are not familiar with present conditions and requirements.
SOMETIMES we are inclined to place patience at the top of the list of virtues. Especially is its importance made manifest in the relations that exist between instructor and students. The successful instructor is, first, one who is able to inspire in his students admiration for his superior attainments, and not less important who has the grace to kindly lead his pupils and never to fretfully drive them. K. U. is very fortunate in having on her faculty a number who are thus gifted with that rare patience which tends to bring out whatever in the student, is worthy of being developed. On the other hand, the progressive student is he who possesses in a considerable degree the faculty of patience. In its very derivation the word scholar means one who is willing to devote time to the mastery of that which he has in hand, and this implies patience.
THE COLLEGE student, while in contact with people and things, is oftentimes made the mark for every aim at information. He has been away at college for four years, and now the neighbors, good, kind souls, who have never been privileged as he, expect to see him return a prodigy, a being transformed in the mysterious college mint. A question is put to him and he is expected to reply without a moment's pause, even if it be to account for some inexplicable phenomenon. His admiring friends consider him as having been a sort of sponge while at college, continually receiving facts and information, and supposing him to have been "full" at graduation, expect him to emit knowlege as freely as the above mentioned article does water. If the student hesitates a moment, or is utterly unable to answer, the older people are puzzled, while the younger ones, enviously hoping within themselves "to go to college," but disdaining to betray such feelings, turn exultingly away.
I do not care to vote, she said,
I hate this suffrage rant,
But I don't want some horrid man
To tell me that I can't.
I'll just provide the text as it is.