The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-06-03

qualntance with dactyls and spondeeg
might not divert the shoemaker's needle
from well.ordered stitches, and familiar.
ity with astronomy might, conceivably,
aid the former in his weather forecasts;
but; as Mr.. Huntington has pointed out,
such acquisitions involve an expenditure
OF time and money out OF all proportion
to the probable return. "The years
from fifteen to twenty one are too valu.
able for such waste,' he said. "They
are years OF keen observation, indvidu.
ality and confidence. In many cases
quite~too many-thsy are spent with
examining the mind with knowledge that
is not likely to help young man in the
work he is best fitted to do"
Some may protest, in retort, that at
this comparatively early period in
youths life it is not yet obvious what he
is "best fitted to do Possibly not; but
it is at least highly probable. painfully
probable. that he is not best fitted to be
lawyer, doctor, professor, architect or
writer. And it is to prepare for career
in one or another Of these or similar pro.
LESSONS that nine out OF ten American
youths are sent to college. In the very
nature Of things they are untitled by es.
pecial attributes for any considerable
achievements in these callings The ar
gument OF mere numbers is against their
being Of the elect. In TIE vast majority
OF instances they have already proved
despite their youth that chance, or fate,
or the diety, or what you will, has de-
MED them the graces that make success
in such occupations even matter Of
possibility. As one OF my colleagues
observed in recent issue OF this journal
there is curious delusion prevalent
that the main body Of college students
10 made up Of the youth Of the nations
best families, whereas, "in point Of fact
the average undergraduate is hopeless
young loafer, Of whom his family is glad
to rid themselves for the four years Of
an academ mic course" Even many OF
those who may justly claim to stand out.
side OF THE large class-young men
whose chief failing is self.delusion and
pathetic exaggeration Of the worth Of
mediocrity-go, in the end, to prove the
justice Of Mr.. Huntington's courageous
assertion. This very earnestness snd
sincerity adp to the import of the lesson.
On this point some valuable information
has been furnished by the editor of one
Of the great dtilies, who set out to
controvert, by examples, Mr.. Hunting.
tons hostility to the indiscriminate cul-
ture Of the community's ruck. He put
three advertisements into morping news
papers. One was for a college graduate
as private secretary, at salary Of Sl5
week. The second was for a married
man as bookkeeper. at similar wage.
The third was for carpenter. Forty
eight answers were received to the first
advertisement, sixty.seven to the second
and four to the last. Applicants for the
SIS secretaryship included graduates
from Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Prince.
ton. Trinity College, Dublin; from Ok.
ford. England. and from the great Ger
man universities.
Mr.. j. Little, president OF the board
OF education, has hesitated to endorse
Mr.. Huntington's views. As a profes.
sional educator hope he won't count
this libelous-h he objects to cry down his
wares; but he is willing to relate recent
OF his own and to let the les.
son transpire OF itself. He had occasion
to advertise for an assistant bookkeeper
as well as for a mechanic. The book.
kaanara nOaitiOn WAS worth onl,, &.or,,