The Free lance. (State College, Pa.) 1887-1904, December 01, 1889, Image 6
'T'HE failure on the part of a great number of our students, to attend college and other meetings is, certainly, a thing that cannot be too strongly criticized. The pervading character of a free college spirit should make every man feel that business to be transacted is business in which he is interested and, as such it should receive a part at least, of his time. There is nothing that is so derogatory to our mutual advancement as the “lukewarm easy going” habits that we have fallen into. Enthusiasm is what is needed and the only way it can be had is to have well attended meetings. This idea that “ there will be enough there without me ” must be given up. The Senior should not begin to lose interest already nor should the Freshman think that he has no voice in college affairs. When meetings are called let every person be on time and ready to give his whole and undivided attention to the subjects under consideration for college matters are students' trusts and, as such, should be taken care of by him. WE hardly know how to make editorial comment upon our record at foot-ball this season, but we feel safe in saying that it has not been as brilliant as might have been expected. Never since the game was inaug urated here has there been so much interest taken in it by the students at large. With good support and plenty of material to work upon the season’s work was commenced under what seemed to be exceptional circumstances. The training, though somewhat curtailed by the condition of the gymnasium, was well con ducted and promised the good results which were realized in the first game of the season, THE FREE LANCE. with Swarthmorc, in which our team showed superiority at every point. After this game the work was continued with the expectation of playing four or five games with eastern colleges, but for some unforseen reason the number was reduced to two namely, one with Lafayette, in which, while beaten by the score 26 to o, we feel we did ourselves credit; the other with Lehigh University, about which we cannot say more than that it was a great farce and to justify this statement we need only to call attention to the score of 106 to o, as compared with that of the game with La fayette, when Lehigh and Lafayette were so .evenly matched this season. These two defeats resulted in the almost entire suspen sion of training, and every one felt that our season had closed, but a game was arranged with Bucknell University for Thanksgiving day, and the fact that we won, scorei2too, in our untrained condition is sufficient to show that the team can play good foot-ball. By winning this game we were enabled to close even, with two games won from colleges of our own rank in sports and lost two to those of a higher standing. As a whole we cannot flatter ourselves, for the remembrance of the crushing defeat we received at Lehigh forcibly reminds us that our work in these lines needs better organization. A MONG the other wants of our institution, we are greatly in need of a course in min ing-engineering. We are well aware that there is a great pressure felt in our various depart ments now, both in lack of space and of equip ment; and to add to these another distinct and separate course, under the present condition of affairs, would not only result in increasing