UNIVERSITY COURIER.
13
learn the answers, parrot fashion, and regard outside investigation as so much waste time. The spirit of jealousy and deceit which often attends such contests, when it does exist, is exceedingly harmful.
A factor of over-work also attends the system. Generally it is those who should be held back instead of being pushed on, that are stimulated by the rivalry and often under the undue pressure brought to bear has tired nature given way, and a wasted life has been the result.
To one other class, the teacher, is the prize system unjust. Let him go into a neighborhood where prize giving has been in vogue, and he is expected, by both pupil and parent, to continue the vicious practice. If he rebels he is hastily pronounced miserly and at first loses an influence which it may take him weeks of patient toil to regain. Besides, our teachers do not receive wages sufficient to warrant them in hiring their pupils to study. A good teacher should not find it necessary to buy influence in a district by giving prizes.
Even the practice of making each pupil a present at the end of the term is vicious in so much as to compel the teacher who follows to do likewise. Teachers, as a class, should be more independent than they now are in dealing with a school upon which has been fastened the prize system. The practice of giving credit cards each day for work done more properly comes under the grading or marking system and will be spoken of in another article.
Now, having spoken of the evil arising from offering prizes, let us look at the other side.
Prizes are often offered as a means of advertisement. Certain individuals or firms wish to advertise themselves and so offer prizes to the neighboring schools. This is purely a business transaction and should be so regarded. The larger and more wealthy the school the more costly the advertisement. And it is generally this same principle which induces the "prize teacher" to advertise himself.
The scholarships in our eastern colleges being more fixed in their character produce a far different result from that resulting from the prize system.
CHAUCER'S INFLUENCE ON THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
Until his day, and perhaps never since, has any one man had so much to do in giving a language stability and prominence. And this not so much because he was versed in all scholastic knowledge of his day, raised to a position where mind controls matter, but because he took an active part in every-day affairs. We find him a private in Edward's army, then one of the King's train, a pensioner, a place holder, a deputy in parliament, often sent on important secret missions, at one time in disgrace and under arrest, afterwards restored to royal favor, selecting for his companion in life a maid of honor, which conferred upon him social position and an entrance into the long coveted court society.
A man of such varied experiences and energetic characteristics must necessarily exert a powerful influence in whatever direction he bends his energies. The secret of Chaucer's success may be attributed to his familiarity with every phase of society, and his activity in public affairs. No poet before or since his time has mingled so actively in such varied scenes of public life.
His great work, the "Canturbury Tales," was the product of a matured mind. Although the plot was
borrowed, the vividness with which he delineates twenty-three distinct personages, giving to each a just representation of their position in real life, has left to posterity a clearly drawn picture of all shades of society existing in the fourteenth century. His influence upon the literature of the day can hardly be over-estimated. He gave it a fixedness and elevation never before attained. Spencer styles his writings as "the pure well of English undefiled." Certain it is that for purity of style, elevation of thought, and manner attractive, Geoffrey Chaucer was the first bright star in our constellation of poets. It is even doubtful if Shakespeare could excel him in delineation of character. Uncertain it is that he ever received a collegiate education, but we have proof that he possessed a thorough knowledge of the classics. His writings are rich and racy and wonderfully free from those blemishes which prevade the writings of his day.
To the genius of Chaucer we may attribute the establishment, on a firm foundation, our present use of the English language.
EXCHANGE.
We do not wish to be considered hypercritical in venturing a few remarks concerning the make-up of some of our exchanges. From the appearance of a great number it would be inferred that their chief mission is to be exceedingly "funny" and to dissect and reprint the stale and hackneyed jokes that have been going the rounds of the college press for the last decade. This vain attempt on the part of so many exchanges to imitate the prolific pen of the Oil City Derrick man has called forth the deserving criticisms of all those who believe that a college paper should in a degree represent the institution to which it belongs. We know that in making these remarks, a score of exchanges will rise in their indignation and hurl at us the withering sarcasm of their fiery pens. Making all due allowance for the "exuberance of youthful spirits," and believing that a certain amount of space devoted to fun is all well enough, yet it is evident that this is too often carried to a ridiculous extreme, in which case a college paper becomes a misnomer and is of as little benefit to an institution and its students as is the Upas to the way-faring man who seeks rest beneath its branches. Just as the world forms an opinion of the character of an institution of learning from the intelligence of those who leave its walls, in the same way an opinion is formed from the nature of the paper or magazine supposed to represent the intelligence of the students of that institution.
To the student interested in American archaeology the October number of the Kansas City Review of Science and Industry is invaluable. Built on broad principles the Review does not confine itself to any particular branch of scientific research but monthly presents its readers with various scientific contributions from the pens of some of the ablest scientists of the United States. Every western citizen, no matter what may be his vocation, and more especially every student, should possess this most excellent and interesting of western magazines. We read with interest the report of the thirty-first annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, by the editor, Theo. S. Case. The paper on "Affinities Between Ancient Customs in America and other Continents," by Dr. J. W. Phene, F. S. A., F. R. G. S., F. G. S., of London, is full of interest; likewise the paper on "The House-fly as a Car-