The Free lance., October 01, 1887, Image 7

IT was a pleasing sight to the old
students on returning to their
alma mater , to see about her so many
signs of prosperity. The old building
has been much improved in its outward
appearance, and the electric spark now
courses it way through the halls and
rooms on the latest mission assigned it
by the genius of man. The founda
tions for the new Chemical and Physi
cal Laboratory and the Botanical Con
servatory are completed, and prepara
tions for the erection of the superstruc
tures are being rapidly made. The
great increase in the number of stud
ents is also an auspicious fact. Many
of them, too, come from sections (of
this State) which have heretofore been
inimical to this college, but which have
of late shown a more relenting spirit.
We feel safe in prophecying a
brilliant future for the P. S. C. The
elements of success are now every
where at work, and we would not be
surprised if in no distant day they
should so operate on some generous
man’s heart as to bring forth from him
a liberal endowment. The invariable
rule is, that for an institution to render
itself liable to be so dealt with, it must
show unmistakable evidences of a long
and prosperous career, for the future
at least, if it has not had it in the past.
We now feel strong and healthy
enough to stand a pretty liberal dose
of that rule. Who will be first to ad
minister it ? Don’t be afraid,
THE FREE LANCE.
THE beginning of the college year
is an important event in the life
of every student.
To the students who are returning
to college it is a time when, after the
invigorating effects of vacation on their
health and vital energies, they can be
gin their studies and daily exercise in a
way which will be the most conducive
to their general improvement. They
can do this to advantage, because they
have had at least one year’s experience
in college and know where to make
improvements in their schedule, but
unfortunately this is something which
tries all of us. When we come back
and commence, or try to commence
work, we just then fully appreciate our
vacation, and the preparation for a re
citation is a drag, and experience teach
es us that if such a feeling gets control
of us we must make a strong effort to
overcome it or our work for the year is
impaired to a great extent. The new
student at college always finds it a place
where he has many things to divert him
from his studies, and often allows him
self to drift into careless habits which,
in less time than it takes to convince
him that his ways are wrong, ruins his
whole college career, and more than
that, taints his after life.
To avoid this we would advise
every student to make a systematic di
vision of his time, set aside certain hours
for study and recreation, and with at
least eight hours foe sleep, for the stud-