The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-07-13

WOrk ucmauUS ouOrC, SacrlHce, UuIy,
above all, duty to ones self. With
what degree of fidelity the individual
members of the circle pursue the pre-
scribed course of reading is almost |
wholly matter of conjecture, since
there has been constantly increasing
among the members to ignore
the regular courses of reading, when
selecting topics for class reports, aud
today it is the rule, and not the excep-
ton, for members to violate that por-
tion of paragraph three of the bylaws
which reads:
'Members selected to read class
reports must cOnfine their SUBJ
ject matter strictly to the branch
of the regular course of reading
for which they are to report"
The reprehensible element of pla.
giarism has been not the least of the
difficulties with which the circle has
had to contend, from time to time, and
section two of the bylaws has been
violated times innumerable. 1t reads:
"Any member who copies an ar
ticle from book, magazine or
newspaper, and reads it before the
Circle as his own production shall
be deemed 'plagiarist' and the
president, after having fully salts
fed himself that said article was
thus copied, is hereby empowered
to cause such members name
to be stricken from the rolls"
With each known violation the
circle, through its officers, has elected
to court further imposition by offering
principle as sacrifice on the altar of
harmony. But recent and more fla
grant outrage perpetrated on the
circle clearly indicates that drastic
action is necessary if the body is to be
safeguarded against further imposition
thhR~ ~alsnslssss .hese .aAf0 Af0FSsxaakNsNie~
TINS of congenitaf lncapacity, who are
imposters by nature. At their very
best they are neither more nor less
than the unscrupulous jugglers of
other mems ideas, and they deceive
themselves only in their efforts to
deceive others.
simultaneously with the founding
of the circle, the Rev. J. II. Albert,
then Protestant chaplain of this insti-
tuition, was unanimously elected critic,
position he continued to ill for more
than nine years, during all of which
time he gave the circle his unqualified
approval and was its most enthusiastic
supporter. Following his transfer to
another pastorate, in January 1899, the
circle was put to the necessity of select
ing critic from within the organiza-
tion-a plan that has not contributed
to it's well-being.
I do not wish to be understood as
intimating that there has been dearth
of the critical faculty among the mem
bers. 1t is not in this respect that they
are lacking-not at all-for the body
has never at any time been without the
presence of members who were fully
capable of discriminating the goot
from the bad; of discovering and ap
preciating the one, and condemnins
the other. And the fact that the circl'
has, during late years, been seriousl,
handicapped for want of impartia
criticism is, in my opinion, ATTRIBUTABLE
. to quite another. cause.
It would seem that when man ex
changes the rights to jingle his smal
change and carry night key for tn
more restricted privilege of the "Gre
Brotherhood" he inherits with tn
> change a peculiarly hyper-sensitiv
!, nature, and the member-critic's intu
: tive knowledge of that fact oftentime
, causes him to abstain from exercisin
8 the duties of his office without fear @
r favor.
: The Pierian Circle is to be congratr
: lated on the number and quality 9
J. it's friends. 1t has been fortunate i
d having selected only able and consc
entious men to preside over it's dest
a MES, and doubly fortunate in the
{ those so selected have received til
a earnest cooperation of the authoritie
Q the circle having, at all times, bee
y accorded the greatest possible latituc
q consistent with the well-being of Il
institution.
II The late J. j. RandalPs services
IS the circle are materially enhance
It when we remember that even the a
=, tempt to found such an organizatic
70 partook much of the nature of doub
"a full experiment, since it was defini