DePauw University - Mirage Yearbook (Greencastle, IN)

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Editorial. at To the faculty, trustees, alumni and students of our Uni- versity, to the college world in general, and to friends of education everywhere, the class of ,QI presents, with pleasure, the present issue of the MIRAGE. We realize that the silent but steady revolution in our college management, the magnifi- cent success which has characterized these changes, the grand prospects for future growth, and, above-all, the changes yet to be made in order that our University may attain its proper position, are subjects worthy of our highest literary endeavor. Many of the matters to which we refer, and of the measures which we advocate, are by no means local in their application. False systems of administration, false methods of instruction, exist in every university. In fact, we believe, there are very few in which so many of these frauds have been exposed, and shams brought to light and abolished, as De Pauw. She has been a pioneer in cutting out and clearing away practices and customs, the outgrowth of false 'theories with which our entire university system has been cursed. She has led the wav in opposing those ideas by which arbitrary dictation was substituted for rational control-ideas productive of artiiicial polish and shallow learning rather than genuine intellectual vigor and strength, and rewarding cringing subserviency to petty rules and despicable toadying to men in authority instead of true merit and brains. She has been one of the first to discover the reason underlying and guiding the policy of a true university, and to insist that faculty and students, methods of instruction and rules of governmen, shall conform thereto. This work of reform begun so earnestly on part of those who have the true welfare of the University at heart, and car- ried on so successfully in the face of the opposition of those 5 . . wt ,

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f Truly a remarkable career,-at 17 a country school teacher, at 20 a professor, at 26 president of Brookville College, at 33 president of Moore's Hill, and at the age of 47 called to the presidency of one of the largest and most magnificently ad- vanced Universities in the nation, recognized everywhere by educational men for the soundness of the educational principles to which he adheres and the ability with which he advocates them. Without the advantage of a college education, by his in- tense personal application he has attained a breadth of educa- tion equaled by few. Master of Latin, Greek and modern languages, mathematics, philosophy and political science, En- glish literature and oratory, it has well been said of him that he can go without preparation into any class room and come near- er to being at home on the subject treated than any man in the United States. But not only an able educator, Dr. John is a clear, forcible and eloquent speaker. Possessed of a rich strong voice, ofin- tense magnetism, of wonderfully keen and logical analysis, his comprehensive mind, his broad culture, his varied scholarship, his inspiring thought, all combined make of him the leading orator of Indiana and one of the Hrst preachers of the nation. But above all eulogy of rich and varied talents, of scholarly attainments, beyond the qualifications ofthe instructor, the lect- urer, the orator, molding and directing, giving color and life and form to all, stands a model Christian character. Absolute purity of motive, a sweet temperment, a deeply reverent spirit combined with those sterner elements of character that make of him H a mountain of granite, a veritable intellectual and moral Gibraltar -elements which all men admire and respect and emulate, go to make up the characteristics predominant in the new president of De Pauw University. H Take him for all in all he is a man, the right man in the right place, and we as students are proud of HIM.

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who have represented the false ideas of the past, is yet by no means finished. Yet we believe that in this work of progress our University stands one of the first in the country. If, there- fore, in the preparation of this volume, devoted to the welfare of our University, it should become our duty to criticize curric- ula, methods of teaching, and to hold up to view shams and hollow pretences, let it be understood that this springs from no petty spite, no personal grievance, no spirit of anarchy on part of the editors, but is a plain statement of the sentiment of the students of De Pauw. Concerning the nature of the College Annual it is necessary to say but little. From a mere compilation of statistics this publication has grown to be the recognized method of expres- sion of the sentiment of the students upon all matters relating to the Unive1'sity. We would call especial attention, however, to some of its new artistic features. Instead of the customary fraternity designs we have at great expense and trouble, and through the support and encouragement of the fraternities, in- serted fraternity plates including the portraits of every fratern- ity lady or gentleman in the University. We take pleasure, also, in presenting engravings of the several University build- ings and portraits of the deans of the various schools and the departmental professors. Many new features will also be found in its literary and artistic work. To our many friends among the students we would say: If, as the annual compliments of the season go around, you find that H the wheel has turned full circle, and you are there, do not raise your voices in condemnation of the editors, or in frantic appeals invoke not the vengence of the few would-be gods among those in authority, who would lend a sympathetic ear to you plaintive wailings, but like men remembering you are not without imperfections, and seeing yourselves as others see you, profit by it, repent and pay penance for past misdeeds by purchasing extra copies of the MIRAGE. As a matterof course the MIRAGE failed to appear last year. No rational man even suspicioned that it would appear. Ex 1ll'hl70 wiki! veml. Unlike the mountain in ancient proverb, the .unfit