THE WEEKLY University Courier.
The largest College Journal circulation in the United States.
PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY MORNING BY THE COURIER COMPANY For Kansas University Students.
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"Where are your conversationalists?" asked a prominent educator of the writer of this article, when the University and its students was the subject under discussion. "I have known several University students who were good writers, but have failed to meet a good talker." The criticism seemed at the time to be one of those hasty judgments which people are always so ready to make; but conversation with other students reveals the fact that the criticism is more general than I had supposed.
A prominent attorney of this state, after meeting a University graduate in a Normal Institute, said: "He appears to be a bright student; but it is a disgrace for any institution to send out a man who pronounces his words so miserably. The University teaches students to grunt and mumble words instead of talking."
These criticisms are perhaps extravagant, yet I am convinced that there is so much truth in them that neither faculty nor students can let them pass unnoticed.
It is a fact that students in recitation form the habit of speaking in a suppressed voice, often pronouncing their words so indistinctly that few in the room can hear what is recited. The student begins a full answer to a question, but as soon as he reaches the "test point" in the sentence, the professor throws in the final clause, and the student closes his recitation with an approving grunt or whisper, dependent upon the amount of air present in his lungs when relieved from duty.
What is the cause of this defect? It is not weakness of lungs. It is lack of energy. Students most enthusiastic in study have not enough energy to talk. It is a sad fact that the higher the class the poorer the recitation as regards both pronunciation and completeness of sentences. There seems to be a cold indifference that represses the natural man and makes him a reciting machine. If a student presumes to give an answer with an inflection of voice that indicates that he is at all interested, a weary smile passes over the faces of his classmates, who seem to pride themselves on the fact that they know enough to let the professor do their thinking for them.
A prominent student—a senior—said the other day: "I wish we could discuss some of these questions in the class. But there is no use in attempting it; the class will think one is a "crank," and the prof, will think he is impudent; so I generally keep still." This explains why we have so few good talkers. The students are taught not to talk. The student who tries to fan the opposition is called a crank and pedant. The first attempt at a clear, distinct sentence is rung down by the chest-nut bell.
The time has come for a change. We need enthusiastic men—students who have the courage to be in earnest and talk in earnest. The weary, dreamy reciting posts should be rung out.
There is an organization located in the city of Lawrence, and which has its branch in the University, that does more in furthering the cause of religion among the students than any church in the city—and we might add, than all the churches combined.
We refer to the Y. M. C.A. and the college branch.
Say or think what you will, in this busy world of ours it is the practical that wins in the long run, and it is this practical side of our natures which the Y. M. C. A. grasps and by which it holds us. It appeals to us directly, interesting us in its works, in spite of ourselves.
In the many ways in which it guides and helps the student over the hard places of his college life, and in the many ways it interests itself in his welfare, it gives him a better, kinder and nobler idea of his fellow-men and of the religion which is the basis of the work the association accomplishes.
In its reading room; in the amusements it provides therein; in the pleasant, homelike character of its parlors, it provides a place for the student to spend his leisure hours, and where he is always sure of a welcome.
Long may it live, and continue the Christian deeds in which it is engaged.
Class spirit is something that the University students have been sadly in lack of. Last year there was but one class party, and that would not have been but for the kindness of one of the young ladies of the class in throwing open her home to them. Now this year if the classes would only take our advice and lend their energy toward class spirit and unity, and not to wrangling, as they did last year, they would prosper more, and there would be more friends and fewer enemies in every class. The Seniors are now considering the subject of plugs, which they will never have unless each one concedes something and does not try to run the affair in the interest of his fraternity. Our advice to the Juniors and Sophomores is to do "mortar boards." They are not only studious looking, but they will also create a class spirit
which we hope to see some day take deeper hold on every class in our University.
There is a branch of the great organization known as the Salvation Army holding meetings in G. A. R. Hall, in Lawrence. The workers in the "good cause" are several old men, unkempt and ignorant, and several females, whose appearance on the rostrum is far from showing that modesty and deep humility which one would suppose to be in accordance with the religious work in which they are engaged. Their sacred instrument with which they lead the sacred (?) singing, is that instrument which one is apt to associate in his mind with the negro minstrels—the tambourine. Their audience, or congregation, is composed almost exclusively of the idlers, the curious and scoffers. Very few people, we might say none, attend for the purpose of witnessing a religious meeting, or with a sincere belief in the manner in which the army conducts its work.
Their mode of conducting these meetings is as novel as it is senseless. One of the members gives what might be called a sermon, but which is more a passionate, fanatical appeal, with little or no thought or logic, and mixed with bad grammar. The remainder, meanwhile, keep up a hysterical laughing or sobbing, and now and then crying out encouraging words to the sinners in the audience and the speaker on the stand. Occasionally in the lull of the speech they will spring to their feet, and with a wild waving of the arms, begin a common hymn or some doggeral of their own composing, accompanying themselves meanwhile with the tambourine.
What a scene is one of these meetings, for this, the nineteenth century! What a disgrace on our boasted civilization! What a mockery do they make of religion! What a sacrilegious method have they for the carrying on a religious work! They claim that they are working for the salvation of the world; they may sincerely believe that they will accomplish it in this way; they may be people of deep religious feelings; they may be Christians in a true sense of the word; yet to what a course does their ardor and fanaticism carry them. What irreligious, unchristian actions! What a lever is their actions in the hands of the scoffer!
For religion we have but the highest regard; for pure, merciful, loving, Christian religion; for the religion which imparts itself upon every action of a man or woman; for religion which is for every day, every hour, every minute; which regulates every thought and every transaction; which makes every one a loving, selfforgetting brother to his fellow man; for a religion which makes the world happier in every way, will we take our stand. But deliver us from the religion of the Salvation Army.
Within a short time the National Woman's Suffrage Society will hold its annual meeting in Topeka. All the prominent women of the Union will be in attendance. Belva Lockwood,Susan B.Anthony,Mary Livermore and others of equal note and intellect will lend their aid to making it one of the best meetings of the kind ever held.
Most of these ladies live in the
eastern states, and must necessarily pass through Lawrence on their trip to and from Topeka. The University is ever alive to the interest of its students, in providing lectures, etc. Now why not engage one or more of these ladies to stop off and deliver lecture in the University hall; not necessarily on the subject of Suffrage, but on some subject of interest to all. The expense would not be at all great; perhaps nothing more than the expenses of the lecturer while in the city. And certainly the outlay would be more than repaid by the lecture. Even though it be respecting their hobby womans' rights, it would be interesting and well attended. It appears as if we might well get along without some of the dry, uninteresting, incomprehensible lecturers, and lectures which are so often placed in our course, to be able to obtain a few lecturers of national fame, who would deliver interesting lectures.
Consider this well, ye of the faculty.
It has been wisely said that a man has three characters. One that he thinks he is, one that the world thinks he is, and one that he really is. Perhaps this is nowhere more true than in college and of new men. After a year or two of college life a college student's character is apt to be pretty well known. But in an institution such as the University, with so many fraternities, the worth and ability of those just entering is too often misjudged. The fact that a man is but indifferently clad, is no reason to suppose that he has not good taste and a bright mind. That he is so frequently so held has been the cause of the rise and fall of many a Greek letter chapter. Nor upon the other hand, must a man be considered invaluable because he appears "smooth." It is in this case that both others and the man himself are prone to arrive at very erroneous conclusions in regard to the man's character. The school or the men, when judging a gentleman or a student by the clothes he wears, makes a sad mistake. Clothes nor ancestry can not make a man. A father may be capable of occupying the highest position, and his son be entirely wanting in brain and character. Sooner or later the students who typify the world of later years, will find out better, and family or no family, clothing tailor made or ready made, he will occupy the position his ability commands.
Estes Park.
Imagine, if you can, the feelings of a Jayhawker as he rolls for the first time over the western plains bound for the "Rockies," where he is to spend eight short long weeks. Long in the sense that they will form an epoch in his life, and short because they will pass too soon. Yes, they are past; our expectations have been fulfilled, and are passed into indelinite memory, and 'tis now, they say, we are enjoying our trip to Colorado.
On our way the view of the plains was no mean thing, but excuse me from a Forty-niner's experience with them. I am almost tempted to say "if you please" in four languages, as the boys used to at Hotel-de-grab-and-chaw, when they asked for the potatoes.
Our first view of the mountains was obtained about 6:30 A.M. Tuesday, we having started from Lawrence at 11 A. M. Monday morning; at first, seemingly a long, low bank of cloud, which gradually resolved itself into its true nature and form. A beautiful background for a beautiful city. "Denver!" sings the conductor, at 7:30. Here we are busy transferring baggage, buying tickets, etc., till 10 A. M., when we take the Denver, Utah & Pacific R. R. (it takes its name from the fact that it is only five times as long as it is wide, and it is narrow guage, too) to Lyons, its terminus, in the edge of the foot hills.
Immediately surrounding Lyons the foot hills are long ridges composed of tilted strata of a red sandstone of very low formation. This sand-stone formation extends about two miles in from Lyons, and from there, there is nothing but granite rocks. At Lyons there are extensive quarries, as this stone is an excellent building material. Having two hours to wait here for the stage and eat our lunch, we put in our time looking around the city (consisting of two saloons and a depot), and the Jayawkers actually find a real, live, wild pine tree. From Lyons we are taken by stage thirty miles through the mountains to our destination, Willow Park, a division of Estes Park, lying at the very base of Long's Peak, and half surrounded by the snowy range.
All the party were in a mood to enjoy the ride, and this, together with the fact that the drive was really fine, made it one of the most enjoyable events of the summer. The stage-road from Lyons winds up the valley of a beautiful mountain stream, the St. Urain, for several miles, then takes a tortuous route over a divide into Estes Park, which is an expansion of the valley of the Big Thompson. The belt of hills is here about twenty-five miles wide, getting rougher and higher as we go from Lyons, and often on reaching the summit of a ridge we could look over the lower hills behind and see higher, rougher ones ahead. But where is the snowy range that seemed so close to us when we were approaching Lyons aboard the D., U. & P. R. R?. At every turn and from every eninence for twenty-five miles we had looked for it in vain, when at last from the divide that separates the St. Urain from the Big Thompson a group of peaks of about 14,000 feet altitude bursts suddenly into view, with Estes Park in the foreground. From this divide we go at break-neck speed down into the Park between two massive rocks, rising 1,000 feet above the Park—Mts. Olympus and Pisgah. Estes Park is owned by an English syndicate, of which the Earl of Dunraven is a prominent member. This company also control a large hotel near the entrance, in the eastern end of the Park. Besides this hotel there are four ranches which furnish accommodation for tourists—Sprague's, in Willow Park, Lamb's, on the way to Longs Peak from the hotel, James' and Ferguson's, each of which will accommodate from 75 to 100 guests.
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