IT is to be hoped that the Central Inter-colle
giate Press Association Convention held
in Philad’a, Nov. Ist and 2d, has proved very
beneficial, both as to the'plans proposed and
adopted for the advancmeent of the work and
the enhtusiasm diffused among those present.
Few branches of college work have made equal
strides of progression with that of college
journalism. It has grown within a very few
years from an infant movement to a great and
profitable success. From being sickly, insig
nificant, struggling sheets, depending for their
support upon the generosity of the students,
they have become large, newsy, well edited
journals, actually paying for themselves, and
in some instances having a small credit bal
ance over. We prophecy for our college pa
pers a bright future. The time is not far
distant when their editing and publish
ing will constitute by no means the least
part of college education and training.
And not only this, the editorial and literary
productions of many college journals already
put to shame those of some of our largest and
most prominent newspapers. In the day when
college journalism will reach the height of
prosperity which it deserves and which it
surely will attain, who can estimate what pon
derous ability will be displayed within its col
umns ; and who can limit the vast influence
of that same ability, in a land where college
sentiment is already becoming such a power
ful factor ?
r PHE subject of dancing has been again
1 brought before the students, and this
time with double force on account of the re
cent indulgence of this pleasure by most of
the college men. If the trustees could justly
‘ THE FREE LANCE.
appreciate the many pleasures cut off from
the students on account of the location of the
institution we are sure they would no longer
withhold their consent to the occasional use
of the gymnasium (?), or rather, the armory
for dancing. ‘ln ye olden time,’it is said,
dancing was allowed and produced the worst
imaginable results on the morals of the stu
dents. It is also said, by equally as good
authority, that the moral tendencies of the
students was so bad at the time that none,
who thoroughly understood the character of
the institution, would allow their sons to at-
tend. It is to be hoped that the authorities
will made a thorough investigation since the
matter has been brought before them so per
sistently by the body of students.
WHY is it that we are not using the gym
nasium ? Why is it that, after so much
talk, nothing has been done ? We desire to
remind those in charge that the students are
becoming impatient about it and as winter
approaches, with no better prospects for it
than we had at this time last year, all are
more or less concerned. The money, twelve
hundred and fifty dollars, was appropriated by
legislature to purchase and place in the armory
the Sargent system for athletic training. The
appropriation was made in the spring but
nothing has been done with it. As the bill,
as passed, specifically mentions the manner
in which the money was to be expended we
cannot see what has caused the delay. There
is no more pressing need of the students than
the use of gymnastic apparatus. The phys
ical self cannot be kept up without it, and the
mental powers are entirely dependent upon
the condition of the body —as strong or