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Kansas University Weekly.
the Legislature. Invite them to pay you a visit, entertain them while they are here, and have the satisfaction of knowing that you have done something to advance the interests of the institution which is doing so much for you.
It is the thing just now to make fun of New Year's resolutions. The newspapers are straining themselves to be funny on the subject. True the custom is an old one, perhaps even old fashioned, but the jokes are almost as old, and have been repeated ad nauseam. To be sure there is an abuse as well as a use of New Year's resolutions. But the custom on the whole is good, its effects are usually good, and it might well be carried out by everyone in sober earnest.
THE TOPEKA Capital is moved by the trouble in oratorical circles at Washburn to call for the abolishment of oratorical contests. The fact that every year or two somebody is caught plagiarizing seems to the editor of the Capital sufficient grounds for doing away with college oratory entirely. If this principle were carried out in all the affairs of the world; if everything which has evils connected with it were abolished, what would there be left? When an institution good in itself is found to have become somewhat corrupted the sensible thing to do is not to cry out for its destruction, but to endeavor to bring about reforms. The Capital seems to recognize the need of training in oratory for it says, "Among the statesmen of the country, orators are sadly lacking since the war." A following sentence expresses the same thought, but draws a most startling conclusion: "when experienced and disciplined men are so deficient in oratorical ability as to excite general comment how absurd college contests appear." More logical, at least, it would have been to say, "how vital is the necessity of encouraging these college contests in every way, that the next generation of statesmen may not be so sadly deficient in public speaking." But the Capital thinks that the college student is not capable of originating great ideas, and is thereby forced to plagiarize. The first part of
this statement may be true. But let a student choose some instructive subject, let him go to the masters of thought and get their opinions, let him weigh these opinions, and express his conclusions in the best language he can command; even then, though few of the thoughts be original, he will be greatly benefitted by his work, and he is in no true sense a plagiarist. The place of oratory can not be taken by debating; the orator is debater on both sides and also judge. His oration he aims to make a work of art; there is inestimable worth in this. Because a few men throw honor to the winds and attempt to take an unfair advantage in the contests is no reason for abolishing contests. There are a few who will never learn that honesty is the best policy. Certainly, however, those that have been caught plagiarizing would subscribe to the old maxim, and those who have stolen and not been caught we believe would do the same.
Beginning with this issue the WEEKLY will be sent to all the High Schools in the state. To this large body of new readers the WEEKLY wishes to introduce itself as the modest and veracious chronicler of events at the University. It hopes to make many new friends throughout the state, not for itself only but for the institution which it strives to represent.
The University extension movement seems to have been a failure. The purpose which it was designed to carry out, i.e., that larger means of culture be brought within reach of people engaged in the occupations of every day life, was in every way a worthy one, but for some reason the movement did not accomplish its work.
M. S. U. took fifth place in the State Oratorical contest. The orator who won talked on Progress, and as this is a subject which is lately attracting some little attention among Missourians, especially those living near the Kansas line where the contest took place, it was decided to give him the prize.