The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1896-07-17
The Show business Carried to an Ex-
trene by University students.

The show Business Carried to an Ex@
treme by University Students.
There is sentiment rapidly spread,
ing and taking root in che minds of the
alumni % the different universities of
this eopntry antagonistic to the excess
sive amount of show business in which
the students of American institutions
Of learning are permitted to indulge.
The feeling, says the Buffalo CONNER
cial, is growing that the only legitimate
field for the exercise and eXhipition Of
the physical, intellectual and musical
accomplishments of these young men is
to be found in the university athletic
grounds, the university theaters and
society halls. In other words, the
alumni and large body of thoughtful
people not directly connected with the
various seats of learning are coming to
an agreement that the college youth is
altogether too much in evidence outside
Of the college yards, either for his own
good or the legitimate prestige Of his
particular alma mater.
OF course, the conditions under which
the rowing matches are held make the
selection ON a somewhat retired and
neutral course like that at New London
fit and proper; but the football, like
the baseball matches, should be con-
fined to college grounds, with the
avowed intention of reducing the num-
Der and improving the character of the
spectators, reducing the expenses and
minimizing the publicity and spectacu-
lar features of the competitions,
Another desirable result of this policy
would be the elimination of most of the
gambling and very demoralizing 'sport-
ing" elements tl.at inevitable gather
around events hike the great football
matches that fill the columns of the
newspapers for several weeks every
autumn. Certainly the students them
selves would undergo less excitement
and suffer less distraction from their
legitimate college work if the scale on
| which their athletic rivalries are tested
were effectively reduced, When these
| rivalries become matters of national
concern they naturally tend to become
dangerously intense and injurious to
health and morals.
We think this policy of restraint
should also be applied to the practice
that has now become universal among
the colleges of sending out troupes of
young men organized as glee, banjo
and mandolin clubs to give public per-
formances for money in the leading
cities during the holiday recess. These
lads travel about the country in special
cars, give ten or fifteen concerts in pub
lie halls and undergo a succession Of
social attentions" calculated to im-
pair the constitutions of seasoned men,
to say nothing of immature youths who
are supposed to be resting and recuper-
ating from the strain of three months
of hard work at their lessons and lec7
lures Essentially their performances
are not to be distinguished from the
professional shows, and when they bes
come an annual affair they are as tires
some as they are surely tax on the
good nature of the local alumni, be-
sides being an unwholesome experience
to those who take part in them.
A Pet Always Amusing and Which Lives
as Long as His Master.
As o household pet the parrot with
justice ranks a paramount favorite
Possessed Of brilliant plumage, endowed
with speech, he is gifted with intel
hgence and understanding almost hu
: man. The parrot, properly cared for
D says the New York Observer, lives from
t fifty to one hundred years, and thus
r with his increasing wisdom and roper
toire of words, can be passed from
s father to son as a valuable heirloom
S That he dies young under the too lov
ing care of his foolish masters, who in
v sist upon overfeeding him, and expos
r ing him to draughtsan sudden change
of atmosphere, is but another reminds
', that the care of pets demands intel
Z hgence as well as affection.
h Tle African gray parrot and The
}" Mexican green are the two standarC
.e favorites. They are excellent talker
c. and whistlers, and learn to sing bot
|, words and music of popular ballads
1t The proper time for the instruction
10 parrots is the three hours immediatel.
10 following sunrise and the three befor
sunset. They must be taught with tn
4, utmost patience by n constant repet
ID ton of the same phrase, and should b
le rewarded by a bit Of apple or fruit fror
to the mouth The best work is don
after the birds affection and confdenc
RI are gained Occasionally a bird wi
IS remain persistently dumb and stupi
>" for eight or even ten months, and theI
ly to the surprise of its delighted teache,
to break out into speech and song, chucl
a ling with vicious delight at the merr
to trick it has played.
A CuriOua rnDtfn Eusfoun