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THE STUDENTS JOURNAL.
of work and the general character of her students. It is hazardous to speak of such things after so short a residence here as two months. However I will say a few words, reserving the right to take them all back in the future if I find it necessary.
In spite of the absence of the girls, whose presence is supposed to be so essential to the cultivation of good manners, the student here is more uniformly polite and much less of a rowdy. Perhaps it would be more correct to say there are fewer students who are rowdies or impolite. As regards more sterling qualities the advantage (I speak now of the undergraduate only) seems to be the other way. It is true you may see him here at all hours of the day busily reading in the library and taking voluminous notes; but he seems rather to be busy than to be working. He seems less enthusiastic over his work, less wrought up over the great truths of history or science which he learns. He is less eager to discuss them with his fellows. Perhaps it is because of this that he is less likely to be carried away by one idea.
I have wondered at times whether the much greater amount of system, or if you like, machinery, which one finds here, especially in the undergraduate courses, is really due, as at first it seems, so much to the large numbers of students in each class, as to a real relish of mechanical methods on the part of the students. There are some students, you know, who do not seem to think they are doing their work properly unless they are "grinding"-taking notes for instance. They enjoy their work because it is work and would never be guilty of mistaking it for play.
They rarely get so much interested in a book, unless it is exceptionally easy reading, as to forget to take notes on it. Such students, perhaps, are a little more numerous at Harvard than at K.U. But I must repeat, these are but first and hastily formed opinions.
The School of Fine Arts.
During the vacation the headquarters of the dean of the School of Fine Arts has been moved from Music Hall to the University. The old gymnasium has been fitted up for the purpose, and here will recite hereafter, the Freshman and Sophomore classes in Contrapnutal Harmony, the
Junior and Senior classes in Musical Composition. The Seminary for teachers and the large class in Musical History. The University vocal class will hold its session hereafter in the chapel on Thursday afternoon instead of on Friday at Music Hall. This chorus of 70 voices will soon be available for chapel exercises on Friday morning as they are nearly through sight reading, and have had an extensive drill on voice culture. The school by thus going on the hill will be brought more in touch with the University than ever before, and the result will be greatly to the advantage of both. The young ladies will see more of real college life and have the benefit of the library; and the chapel will have the benefit of available musical forces in the presence of Professor Penny and the choral class. Music Hall which has been so overcrowded will now be used by Professor Preyer director of the Piano department, Professor Farrell director of Voice culture and Violin departments, and Professor Clark director of the Painting department.
The grand piano now in Chapel is to remain there, having been secured for the use of chapel and concerts only. It is the one used by Professor Perry of Boston on his recent concert tour in the west.
And now for the pipe organ-A series of Faculty concerts are to be given in University Hall for the purpose of raising money, and other plans are being made. It is to be hoped that it can be secured for the Annual Spring oratorio which ought to be given In the chapel this year.
A decided effort is to be made to get the University Pipe Organ this spring so that it may be used for the graduating recitals in organ playing, oratorio work, and the Commencement exercises.
The Glee Club Quartette is to sing in Chapel once each week at the close of their concert season.
Next Monday evening the Oratorio Society will begin its regular season at Music Hall. The works to be taken up are "Gounod's Reception" which was so successfully rendered last season, and also Mendelssohn's "Hymn of Praise." There will be no expense to join the society this season, and all singers of the University are cordially invited to be present at the opening re-