426  A  Prerequisite  Law.        '  {^ggfc*^ 
son  that  the  knowledge  which  comes  in  the  fragmentary,  hit-or-miss 
way,  through  working  in  a  store,  requires  the  expenditure  of  so 
much  more  time,  and  is  so  imperfect  and  full  of  gaps  that  it  is  folly 
for  a  young  man  to  attempt  to  compete  to-day  with  the  college 
graduate,  who,  in  addition  to  his  education,  has  the  practical  experi- 
ence in  a  drug  store.  Here  and  there  it  is  possible  to  find  a  young 
man  of  exceptional  ability,  who  has  brains,  health  and  ambition, 
who  can  acquire  an  education  by  the  aid  of  books.  Elihu  Burritts 
are  still  to  be  found,  but  they  are  the  great  exceptions,  and  the  only 
excuse  possible  for  any  one  failing  to  take  advantage  of  the  easy  and 
systematic  method  of  acquiring  an  education  by  going  to  college  is 
the  absence  of  the  necessary  money  to  carry  him  through. 
It  must  not  be  supposed  that  every  man  who  attends  college  is 
necessarily  better  than  every  other  man  who  has  not  had  this  advan- 
tage. There  are  those  within  college  who  have  money  and  who 
waste  their  opportunities.  Education  is  sometimes  possessed  by 
those  who  have  a  modicum  of  brains ;  but  given  brains,  education 
and  ability,  and  "  in  the  bright  lexicon  of  youth  there  is  no  such 
word  as  fail."  But  this  proposition  may  be  safely  stated  without 
fear  of  contradiction — it  is  impossible  for  any  one  to  attend  a  college 
of  pharmacy  without  acquiring  some  knowledge.  He  is  much  better 
off  from  having  learned  something  than  he  who  has  the  same  ability 
and  stays  out.  Our  pharmacy  laws  have  accomplished  great  results, 
but  they  are  defective  from  the  fact  that  an  examination  is  made  the 
sole  test  of  one's  ability.  A  young  man  comes  up  before  'a  State 
Board  and  passes  a  few  hours  in  the  examination-room,  and  if  he  is 
lucky  enough  to  have  the  questions  suit  him,  he  passes  with  flying 
colors,  and  that  man  goes  forth  deceived  by  the  belief  that  he  is 
henceforth  equipped  for  the  duties  of  his  position.  Throwing  his 
books  away,  he  plunges  into  business,  and  chuckles  over  the  fact 
that  he  must  be  smarter  than  many  college  boys  who  have  had  to 
spend  money  at  a  college,  and  both  have  been  handed  the  same 
kind  of  a  certificate,  for  the  examination  has  been  the  sole  test  of 
merit. 
And  still  this  is  not  intended  as  a  criticism  upon  the  work  of  the 
State  Boards,  for  they  have  no  other  course  to  pursue  under  our 
present  laws.  They  must  depend  upon  examinations,  and  a  wise 
step  has  been  taken  in  this  State  by  increasing  the  length  of  these 
examinations  and  requiring  a  practical  examination  with  the  mortar 
