C4 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF "WISCONSIN. 



CHAPTER II. 



CEREBRAL HYGIENE AND ECONOMY IN - STUDENT LIFE. 



§ 1. The Student's Obligations to the State. — In view of the 

 foregoing it ought not to be necessary to make apologies for 

 urging observation of the laws of cerebral hygiene and economy 

 by the student in his daily life, as a member at present of an 

 educational community, and as a leader of social progress when 

 his preparatory training shall have been completed. But it 

 is not infrequently the case that college youth manifest little 

 interest in that which has the appearance of relating to their 

 immediate well-being, physical, moral, or intellectual^ it is in-> 

 deed esteemed at times to be a mark of superiority to show 

 indifference toward things of this character. It is not appar- 

 ently believed in a serious manner that the attainment of the 

 highest degree of perfection in respect of all the elements of 

 personality should be the supreinest concern of every individ- 

 ual whether within or without the university. But even if 

 a student cannot see that it is a duty he owes to himself to 

 promote in every way possible physical and mental vigor and 

 balance, yet as a factor in the social whole and maintained 

 during his educational career by the state in the hope that 

 he may return to confer blessings upon it, to be a guide in 

 morals and to make less rigorous the struggle for physical 

 existence — these considerations make it obvious that there ia 

 absolutely no course left him but to conserve his energies and 

 employ them to the best advantage, that he may repay the obli- 

 gation due the community that has favored him. In the sup- 

 port of the university the state provides means for a few of 

 its members to receive the benefits of the broadest education; 

 it has then a just right to demand that every individual so 

 favored shall profit by these opportunities to the fullest possi- 

 ble extent. If for any remediable cause, as dissolute living 



