ness and exhilaration in such employment that makes one echo Van Dyke's sentiment: For the long breath, the deep breath, QUITTING Growth necessarily implies progress from a lower condition to a higher, and it is no shame to an institution if it has not yet reached the highest standard, provided it be traveling the road of upward progress. Our western institutions of learning are still in that class and have yet many notches to climb before they can stand on the same level as the older ones in the east. One thing, however, which is bound to hold back our colleges from reaching the proper standard is the habit the students have of leaving early in the spring with the work unfinished and also of entering late in the fall. Such a thing is unknown in eastern colleges, a man enters when the term opens and stays till the last exam is over, unless in the meantime he is dropped for poor work. No college whose students are present only six or seven months can attempt to compete with or equal those whose students do nine months work. There might be some excuse if intenser application or more concentrated efforts characterized the seven months of residence, but there is no sign of that. And the fault is not entirely that of the students,-it would almost seem as if the faculties encouraged them to desert early in the year. One of the commonest remarks to be heard at this time is, "O, I can get full credit for a year's work, the faculty will give it to me. There's no use staying for the last month." They get the credits and the idea is fostered that it is unnecessary to stay the year out. Both for the sound growth of our institutions and for the best interests of the students, it is time that a more decided stand were taken by the faculties against this evil, and a higher standard of continuous work adopted by the students. |