The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-07-11

4NHoiOh III tLO DNSih
ming of their scholastic career. By thu
present system the boy is dragged TO colv
lege filed up with Latin, base ball, Greek,]
boxing, integral calculus, rowing, mora
philosophy and draw poker, and having
been graduated in all these sciences, il
sent out into the cold world armed onlyI
with a few blazers, his innocence andI
some cigarettes, to fight LIES battles and
choose profession.
This is clearly wrong. IL his VOCATION
is to open clans or drive mule, he needs
comparatively little of the classics. In-I
credible as it may seem, one of the best
clam-openers | ever knew had never|
opened a Latin grammar, and a Greek
verb was the only thing l ever saw himI
decline.
Most of the authorities are now dis
posed TO agree that q good bow-leggedl
boy, who is destined by fate to carry al
tape-measure over his arm, sell gingham,
bobbinette and things and yell "cawshP'
every few moments in languid voice toI
little girl in red jumper, does not need
more than a smattering OF spherical
geometry and the lighter shades of meta
physics TO enable him to grace his sphere.
The choice OF profession is a serious
matter and misstep once taken may
lead to dreadful consequences. Many a
man who was deceived in early life into
thinking himself carved by Providence as
a tragedian, would now be happy andI
commendable if he had at once taken outI
a license TO peddle collar buttons, mouse
traps and bronchial candy. He might
now own seventeen railroads, telegraph
company, steam yacht and a rancidl
reputation instead Of frittering away his
time for 50 a week as color-sergeant of the
Roman army, with the privilege of five
months vacation at his own expense in
the summer.
According to the rules to be adopted in
England, boy entering college will be
probed until his vocation is discovered,
and will then be educated in the branches
OF knowledge which will fit him for it.
The benefits of this system will be in
calculable. Novelists, for example, will
be compelled to learn spelling, English
language, grammar and morals, ard to in !
sert interlinear TRANSACTIONS of all French !
expressions that they may decid, TO use,
not for publication but as a guarantee OF |
good faith.
The course for critics will be somewhat
severe. Those destined to critiise music
will be examined for deafness, and in or
der 10 get diploma must be are 10 ulS-
tinguish the difference betweeA a mezzo-
soprano and bull fiddle.
Critics of the drama will be taught to
distinguish between good play and one
which is bad, and to understand that an
appointment as dramatic critic from a
managing editor does does not necessarily
carry with it knowledge of art, of litera-
ture or OF the public taste, and that where
the box Office and public clamor for seats
declare that the play is good the opposing
critic may just as well braid his ears, re-
tire thoughtfully into himself and change
his tune. The proper way, 70. criticise a 1
play is to be non-committal until the box
office receipts are known. This may not
be scientific but it is practical and will be
approved by most theatrical persons of
intelligence and discrimination.
Students DESTROYS of becoming artists
will, by the proposed English system, be
given an opportunity OF observing that
the portrait OF blue cow feeding in
pink field with brown sky and lemon
colored clouds overhead is not quite in
accord with nature. The COW being a
domestic animal and not freak of delir-
ium tremens, too great care cannot be
taken in Inning her beauties with accu-
racy. Many noble work of art entitled