the college to hear him from that standpoint alone. But besides this we would emphasize that the lecture is for the benefit of the Athletic Asso ciation, and, if for no other reason, that should warrant the attendance of every man in college. In the past either through carelessness or for some, in most cases surely, inexcusable reason, there has been a sad neglect, on the part of the students, to attend these entertainments given for the bene fit of college organizations, and in some cases the audiences have contained a majority of outside people. Such a state of affairs surely should not con tinue. Every man in College should consider it his personal duty if possible to patronize all such efforts on the part of our college organizations, especially the Athletic Association, to strengthen their finances and thus materially aid in their prosperity. * lc THROUGH the efforts of the General Ath letic committee, with the hearty co-opera tion of President Atherton, the Board of Trustees have at last. granted us the grounds and funds for the construction of the long expected track. The civil engineers of '92 have made maps showing the difference of elevation of the field and laid out two separate sites, and it is ex pected that by June our track will be no longer a mythe, but a fact. This will certainly be a great stimulus to P. S. C. Athletics, and for it THE FREE LANCE most heartily thanks our Board of Trustees. * * :I ACCORDING to announcement we have very good reason to congratulate ourselves on the opportunity that will be given us this 'session of hearing a decidedly instructive and in teresting course of lectures. It has been a great misfortune that we have had so few lectures in the past, and we should hail the coming course as a sure indication that our college is falling intolhe line of progress in this' direction as it has been in THE FREE LANCE. all others. These public lectures are important means of imparting knowledge to the student. Everything is in favor of the student securing the greatest possible amount of information in a pro portionately short space of time. The mind is far more retentive of that knowledge which is im parted verbally, when it is voluntarily in a state of inquisitive desire after that particular knowledge which is being imparted, than when it receives impressions from the written page either volun tarily or because it is required by rule. The stu• dent attends these lectures of his own free will. He goes because he expects to gain information. If he does not come out wiser it is not his fault, but that of the lecturer. The course which will consist of talks on the different Departments of our Government is one that should interest every one, and the body of students should need no urging to show that they appreciate this opportunity by giving a full at tendance to each lecture. THE relation which an Alumnus holds to his college is one that deserves more consid eration than it receives from both the Alum ni and the students. It is often made to appear in the attitude of each to the other as if there were nothing in common between them. NJW there is a broad and distinct line between the student's life and that of the graduate who steps out in the world to assume his permanent position as a citizen and useful member of society. But as the preparation is the all important func tion in the final result, so there should be a closer relation between the students and the alumni, and the opportunity for keeping up the relation lies in the college paper. Every thinking student is in terested in what the alumni are doing. What student is it that does not experience a sense of pride in being able to point out the success, the positions of honor and responsibility, gained by the alumni of his college ? Does he not expect to be of the same number in the future? Are there not good omens of the possibilities in store
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers