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-