Baltimore City College - Green Bag Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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A Word to the Wise. advice, NE might be tempted to say, after a cursory examination of college year-books, that the place of the teacher in these publications resembles very closely that of Polonius when Hamlet reports him “At supper; not where he eats, but where he is eaten.” And it is not, I think, an absolutely -g settled question what his functions are when he enters their columns as a contributor. I suppose $Ait is perfectly legitimate for him to occupy upon this ,as upon almost all other occasions, the natural and customary atititude of giver of advice, to rehearse in his most professional manner the elementary but fundamental principles upon which future honorable and successful careers are to be based. This is sufficiently conventional to satisfy the most exacting, and it has the additional advantage of being economical. For there is no commodity of which the average teacher has a more abundant supply than he shares that possession with the rest of the race ; and there is nothing which the average graduate needs less; so that the capital of the one is left practically unimpaired, while the sense of obligation of the other is not inconveniently oppressive. It may be, too, a sense of duty dictates the utterance of a few parting words of wisdom, and a certain unwillingness to occupy other than a strictly dignified attitude when old relations are to be changed, must be confessed. Some considerations, however may be urged why a departure from this traditional treatment might be tolerated. It appears to me that the character of the book itself would seem to justify such a departure. A college year- book is vitally and essentially a students’ production. Within it, matters which take their interest entirely from the associations and relations of college life, surveyed from the students’ point of view, are portrayed and discussed ; there is the local smack of person and place which gives delicious relish to intimates and participants, but is “flat, stale and unprofitable,” to the rest of the world. Coupled with this, a certain latitude, really a considerable license, is to be taken for granted. Criticism is a matter of course, and all foibles, wherever found, are legitimate material. For once the student holds his mirror up to nature, and if the reflection seems at times a trifle distorted, it is the squint of a merry, fun-loving nature that is responsible for what may look extravagant and uncouth. There is no real bitterness in the satire, whatever maturer opinion may judge regarding the taste of its expression. Here is 9

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OUR HONORARY PRESIDENT.

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conferred that very desirable vision prayed for by Robert Burns, “O wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us.” And that the sight is not always an agreeable one, goes without saying. In such a record, then, of purely local happenings, in the unrestrained expression of sentiment, opinion, criticism, with its accompanying display of the natural boisterousness belonging to the superabundant vitality of youth, the staid figure of the professor, uttering his philosophical maxims, or dispensing his professional knowledge, seems to me somewhat incongruous. Connected with this phase of the subject is probably the question, “Should the teacher make use of the golden opportunity given him to set such an example of moderation and sobriety as may influence the general tone of the work?” It is naturally not to be conceived that he will take any part in the fun-making, save as an objective element, but I do not believe that it is his part to endeavor to shape the policy or to influence the standard of these publications in any active or positive way. I do not believe that there is any pronounced sentiment in favor of such a course. It is true that a limited censorship has been practised, that a certain restraint has been sometimes im- posed, when expression has verged on violence, but this has been in the way of prohibition only ; there has been no attempt, and there should be no attempt to dictate or inspire the work of the students in these year-books. Since then, there is a certain incongruity in preaching in these publications, and a decided aversion to at- tempting to change their character, there seems really but one more available course open to the teacher-con- tributor. Shall he lecture? Shall he use the opportunity here afforded for a technical dissertation upon his special work? There is really no very weighty reason to urge against such a course, and it would seem to be a natural solution of the problem. There is no element of reproof that comes rather ungraciously from the invited guest; there is independence and dignity in this attitude. But to me it seems that matter of even this sort is out of place in productions of this kind. I can readily see that the discussion of any new feature such as affects the College work as a whole, such, for instance, as the adoption of the elective system of studies, would be perfectly appropriate. It has the right local flavor, and goes to make a part of the affairs of the students as students. It is of material interest to them in their college work, and intimately and vitally concerns their college careers. Its success or its failure are legitimate material for discussion, since its very existence depends upon opinions regarding its usefulness and its advantages. To introduce here, however, a technical subject and treat it in a technical manner, while it is no violation of the proprieties, does not seem to me an exact appreciation of “the eternal fitness of things” ; whatever the merits of the subject, whatever the excellence of treatment, whatever the amiability of the audience, the atmosphere is an io