Kansas University Weekly.
71
LAST MONDAY, the anniversary of Washington's birthday, was peculiarly observed by all the Patriotic Societies of the country. They met to discuss the idea of founding a national university. The following paragraph will explain the main feature of the general celebration:
"It is proposed to bring before as many persons as possible on the coming 22d of February the thought of a national university, and to read portions of Washington's addresses to Congress and the claims of his will relating to the subject in order,—to use Washington's own words, 'to set the people ruminating on the importance of the measure as the most likely means of bringing it to pass.' Washington bequeathed to the nation 500 shares of stock, then worth $25,000. for the foundation of a national university. This sum at simple interest would now amount to nearly $200,000. It
has been estimated that a faithful guardianship of this sacred trust until the present would have yielded a sum not exceeding 41/2 million dollars. Should not the American people recognize and bring to realization this hope of Washington before the 100th anniversary of his death, 1899?
The need of a central, greater institution of learning is still just as urgent as in the early days of the republic, but perhaps no more coqent arguments in its favor have been advanced than by Washington himself."
Boston papers and societies are most enthusiastic in urging the expediency of founding a national university, and are making every effort to disseminate their enthusiasm. A national university would have resources which no other school could hope ever to command; and its degrees would be valuable, accordingly.
Literacy.
Wool-Gathering.
A TYPICAL DISCUSSION IN BUZZARD'S ROOST.
They used to tell all kinds of stories in Buzzard's Roost, but tonight Booth in his dramatic way related a story that was solemnly forcible. It was about a man whose soul had been pledged to the devil before the man was born. The man complained of the injustice of this compact and persuaded the devil to come to this agreement: that the man was to have four years in which to show himself worthy of paradise, and if he failed he was to submit to the will of the devil. Well the four years were nearly up and the man had not quite proved his worthiness. And there the story ended.
A pensive sadness fell upon the group.
Then Booth said, "Well, boys, I've had nearly four years in college. Commencement Day like the Day of Doom is coming with impartial tread, and if I don't get something to do pretty quick the devil will claim me as his own. Ah me! does college education pay?"
Everybody had hoped that this question
would never be forced upon Bohemia. But Scribe said,
"After one has tasted the sweets of college life it is sad to abandon it forever, but I believe that a man carries away from college much solid good. Let him take a course in nineteenth century literature and he'll see the folly of wasting time on empty current literature while so many literary treasures are unread. He will leave college knowing how and what to read."
"A course in philosophy is what a man needs," said Grubb. "Literature is well enough but a knowledge of one's self is worth more. When you realize that space and time and good and evil exist nowhere but in yourself then your college education more than pays."
"There may be no space and time," said Daub, "but there's something out here that seems mighty like it. Philosophy is good mental drill but it's impractical. It makes a man a sponge to soak up the wisdom of others. The world requires active, not passive men.