328
EDITORIAL.
UNIVERSITY COURIER.
A SEMI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS
THE STUDENTS
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS.
EDITORS
PERLEE R. BENNETT, '86...Fortnight.
AGNES EMERY, '84...} Literary.
H. F. GRAHAM, '86...}
GLEN MILLER, '84... Editorial.
J. B. LIPPINCOTT, '85...} Scientific.
G. M. WALKER, '85...}
E. E. RITCHIE, '86... Views.
CHAS. METCALFE, '86... Normal.
J. E. CURRY, '86... Swaps.
NETTIE BROWN, '86... Personal.
W. Y. MORGAN, '85...} The Corridors
NETTIE HUBBARD, '85...}
BUSINESS MANAGERS.
C. D. DEAN,'84. W.H.JOHNSON,'85.
All communications for the Courier should be addressed to the managers.
Subscribers will be continued on the list till ordered off.
TERMS.—$1.25 per annum.
Entered at Lawrence Post Office as second class matter.
X This mark opposite your name shows that your subscription is due. See the managers.
SHARP SHAM.
Verily, Emily Faithful's list of modern shams is daily increasing. Nowhere is it more visible than in our schools. No, we forget ourselves; there are no schools now; they are all academies, and institutions, and conservatories, and colleges, and universities. Every one of these country school houses—beg pardon, we meant suburban colleges—is presided over by a "professor." Every one of these "professors" (hired to teach forty youngsters for three months) is a "superintendent—" very few are as low as "principals." But the last evolution is certainly the most nauseating. A few years ago every school wound up with an "exhibition;" now they are all having "commencement." If these are "commencements," God pity the "endings."
We have just laid down a newspaper report of one of these "commencements." This "commencement" was in a village of some six or seven hundred inhabitants. The children—no, that's not it—the "graduates" delivered their "orations," (probably written by their parents) in a "most admirable manner." The school board and their families occupied exalted positions on the "rostrum." The president of the board presented the "diplomas" in a "masterly speech." Then a resolution was adopted, beginning with "Whereas, on the education of the people rests the foundation of our government;" and ending in praising the "professor" for "the high standard to which he has brought the educational interests of the city." At the next meeting of the board he was reelected "superintendent" and his salary increased. He is now preparing for an "alumni reunion" for next year's "commencement," when he hopes to have his salary doubled.
The horrible pressure of the semi-annual examinations is beginning to be felt once more. The voice of the shrieker for grades is heard in the land, wailing, muttering and sweaing by turns. It has always seemed strange that the ninety per cent. system was not given a longer and fairer trial. Its effect on the students seemed good, and it is believed by many that in the long run it would have proved a decided success. After the fossilized class-officer system was abolished, it looked easy to ship this other fossil. But somehow it still manages to cling to its native rock. We hope an enterprising geologist with a sharp hammer will come against them right soon.
Again we must remind some of our subscribers that the business managers of this great religious semi-monthly are desirous of interviewing them.