have always been the main features of the literary societies. At this day in a country like ours no man can hold a prominent position among his country men who is not able, not only to write so that he may be of interest to the gen eral reader, but also to speak extempore at some length. IT might be well to speak now, seeing there is an opportunity for it, about the dangerous manner in which snow balling is liable to be carried on. It is true that we all naturally seek for en joyment, those sports which are slight ly associated with danger ; and there is probably no sport as tempting as snow balling is in its season. If it must be done, let it be done in a manly and re fined way. There is probably no more danger in a snow-ball match than there is in a game of foot-ball. But let it take place away from the buildings and main walks on the campus, where there is no danger of injuring disinterested persons. There is much danger of doing injury by throwing snow at a person who is not on his guard. It will be remembered that the injury to the eyesight of two persons last year, (one a permanen't injury), was clone in this careless way, both of the injured persons not being participants. All such practices as charging on the students coming out of the frontdoors at meal time, and at the post office just after the changing of the mails, THE FREE LANCE. thereby causing every body to "run the gauntlet," should be looked upon as unmanly and beneath the actions of col lege students. • Crime has a perennial existence ;it cannot be extirpated. From the days of Joseph . . in the prison of Pharoah down to the reign of Tweed on Blackwell's Island the world has had prisons and prisoners. In ancient times little or nothing was done for the reform of the lower or criminal classes. Crimes against life or property were lawfully avenged in blood, or moneyed payments were made the basis of reparation. Treatment was entirely punative, never reformative. But as Galileo said "The world moves." It grows better every day. The dying gladiator saw death in the down turned thumb of the ap plauding multitude, while the hardened criminal turned his grateful eyes glistening with tears, to kiss the shadow of John Howard of England, as that great and good man passed out of the Russian prison cell. Perhaps no greater evidence of the advance in civilization can be given than is fur nished by a review of the revolution in the treat ment of criminals. All advance in Christianity, in humanity, is epitomized in man's better treat ment of his fallen brother. But a few centuries ago in England over a hundred crimes were punishable by death ; to-day there are but three. Mark the change. Faith, Hope and Charity *walk the corridors of all the prisons in our land. The Bible is in every cell. Sunday schools are formed in every penal institution in the United States ; and teachers from the wealthiest and most cultured classes arc to be found Sabbath after Sabbath, unfolding to these unfortunates the word of Life. Wardens as keepers are humane ; Boards of Pardon listen to appeals and set un- PRISON REFORM.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers