The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-10-25
A Students Labor for knowledge.

A Students Labor for knowledge.
a Correspondent oi the y. Y. Times, recently
visiting the Cornell University, describes, among
other interesting particulars. q conversation held
with one of the students. The interview gives n
good Indication Of the qualities of the young
man, who is a sample Of a great many in the
Cornell and other institutions OF learning, who
are obtaining an education under what the world
would call adverse circumstances. Bat although
the labor is hard and the depriyations great, they
form the furnace of trial, to refine the intellect,
and produces a mental and moral state of sterling
purity and value.
81 looked around for some student who could
inform me as to the progress made 10 the speciality
of Cornell-the selfsupporting part OF the
system. At last, by good chance, L came upon a
room where a young fellow of twenty-three was
studying Sanscrit. Having been in India Tor
many years, | was interested in his studies, and
we commenced an animated conversation upon
philologic roots. We criticised MAJ Muller,
commented upon Bussen's theory Of the Pelasgic
people. and heartily agreed upon the absurdity
of studying Greek and Latin, which were dried
sponges, out of which everything good had been
taken by our ancestors. incidentally ! learned
that this most accomplished gentleman was sup
porting himself by laboring on the farm. lie
generally worked three hours a day, and six
hours on Saturdays, and had already got through
his appointed laDOT ir llidl CdluIudy. J. dchCu
him if this manual labor Of ploughng, &c, did
not stupefy him, contract the brain cells, and
make his apprehension duller. lie replied that ii
did not. because he had been brought up us a
farmer, and had nothing TO learn when he came
TO the college. He WAS taking the agricultural
course, but had become interested in philology,
and one Of the professors, who knew Sanscrit,
had become interested in him, and had given
him lessons in that perfect language, though
Oriental studies are not in the curriculum.
[ said suppose yours is an individual case?
Student-Yes. as regards the philology, but
not for the farm. There are % OF us who work
on it.
Correspondent-Docs it pay your expenses?
Student-It pays mine, but then / worked
steadily during the long three months vacation,
which ended in September. ! can 90 easy now if
feel inclined.
Correspondent suppose the hardest part OF
the work is done Ivy laborers employed for that
purpose?
Student-No; at al. There are only two
transfers hired on the farm, and all the other
work is done by us. 1t this moment we're lay
ing down a series OF drains, and this is very
heavy work indeed.
Correspondent-Did you do that this morning ?
Studcnt-Yes, for six hours.
Correspondent-And did you not feel stupehed
or tired out?
Student-Not ~ all. [ dislike the work, and
was very glad to get back to this, but J was not
tired.
Correspondent-Are there any other methods
of earning ones support here besides the farm ?
Student-Oh yes. II you can print, you can
earn more in the press room than on the farm,
and soon there will be lots os work IN the machine
shop. The men are going 70 make copies Of
Olliyer's geometric models.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES that?
Student-Wby, a Frenchman Of the name Of
Olivier made a set Of models TO illustrate all the
problems of geometry. \ set was purchased by
the State Of New York, and is, / think, at
Albany. They are going TO make copies Of these.
Twenty thousand dollars were given, | believe,
for the first set that he had made, but our fellows
here can make them for eight hundred.
Correspondence see. Well, but men who
can't handle tools will not be able to do that sort
of thing.
Student-Certainly not. Skilled labor is at
the same premium here that it is sewbere.
Observation-Disclosures can the men do who
have only their manual strength?
Student-Well, they can work on the farm, or
they can grade the square.
Correspondent-They can do that, but then do
they?
Student-As a general thing they attempt it,
and finding it rather rough, give it up in despair,
and 60 home.
Correspondent-Well, but that was hardly
what Mr., Cornell designed, was it?
Student-No; be expected that the college
would give work to every one that cared to take
it. Of n kind that he could do. l suppose that
this will be done in the future by outsiders, but
it can never be accomplished by the college.
Correspondent-Something in the factory way,
you mean. suppose something that will utilize
the grand water power that is running to waste
so picturesqely in the gOrges.
Student-(Laughing)-I guess so. ] have
heard that Mr.. Cornell has some such scheme in
his head.
Correspondent-But even then, perhaps, the
men could not earn enough to keep them. Letus
calculate a little. / have been through some fac
tories in Auburn lately, and | learned the rate Of
wages current there. Such work as unskilled stu
dents could do would be paid at the rate of seven,
say eight dollars a week for a day of twelve hours.
Now, how MANY hours can you average Of work
throughout the year?
Student-About half a day if l work steadily
through the vacations.
Correspondent-Very good then that will only
be four dollars a week throughout the year for
everything.
Student-That would be quite sufficient. My
expenses are only three dollars a week, and L
earn enough over to keep me IN coarse clothes.
Correspondence beg your pardon for the
impertinence of the question L am about
to ask, and | beg you 70 believe that the spirit
that dictates it is not one of mere curiosity. Are
YOU living in this fashion from necessity. or do
YOU perhaps wish TO show that it can be done by
those who have no resources?
STUDENT do it from necessity, am very poor
Correspondent-Sir, from my heart ! honor