The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-07-22
and deeper wilson,.

and deeper wilson,.
The university Of today is alert to
all the problems Of social ard political
development. The poorhouse, the Jail.
the caucus, the legislature, the army,
the discordant demands Of freedom and
order--all these call for closest atten.
ton of the university student. There
are just as many classical scholars TO-.
day as there ever were, but they 70
longer bar the way to men OF other
powers and other tastes. The classics
no longer close the door to other forms
OF culture. He who writes Latin verses
still finds his place in the university,
provided only that his verses are good
enough to be worth writing. But he
no longer occupies the sole pace Of
honor or even the front seat in the
lecture hall. The man who knows
steam engines has an equal place 10 the
university and an equal share in the
honors Of scholarship. With the advent
of realities spurious honors disappear.
1T is not for the university to decide
on the relative values OF knowledge.
Each man makes his own market, con-
trolled by his own standards. 1t is for
the university to see that all standards
are honest; that all work is genuine.
To do this it must cast of many Of it's
own shlms OF the past. Its titles and
privileges, its prizes and donors, it's
distinctions and degrees, it's caps and
gowns and chaplets Of laurel berries
all the playthings and millinery Of it's
youth it must cast away with its full
maturity. These prizes OF learning are
but baby toys to the man of power. To
send forth men of power the university
exists.
ITO the university we must look for
the promotion Of true democracy. Its
function as a part Of public edu cation
is to break up the masses that they may
be masses no more, but living men and
women, to draw forth from the multi
tude the man. The mass is the real foe
OF democracy, for the slave in sll ages
has woven his own lash. Where men
are driven or sold like sheep, there the
tyrant rules. 1t matters not whet Ter
the tyrant be king in velvet and satin,
or ward boss in SLOUGH hat and striped
waistcoat-when individual intelligence
does not rule, men are governed by
brute force.
THE great service Of toe state uni
versity, the capsheaf Of the public
school system. is that it carries the
university into democracy without i'm.
pairing the essential qualities OF either.
1t furnishes plain way to every stu.
dent, the highest as we'll as the 10 west
from the commonest schooling to the
training that gives the highest power.
So long as the grass does not grow in
the path from the fal mhouse to the
university, to borrow Ian MscLsren's
phrase, 90 long is the republic safe. So
long as the people can become enlight.
ened and wise, rich and poor alike, 30
long shall government of the people,
by the people and for the people endure
upon the earth.
Wisdom, virtue and religion alike it
is the province OF the university to
cultivate and intensity. 1t can accept
no shams in wisdom, still less in virtue
or in religion, but life without these is
the greatest sham OF all. The uni.
versty can cure the body Of petty vices
aud childish trickery by making him a
man, by giving him higher ideals, more
serious views Of life. 1t may win by