The Free lance. (State College, Pa.) 1887-1904, June 01, 1891, Image 14

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    ed in your society. There appear to be a care
less indifference on the part of the members as to
the pleasure of any but themselves. And also, a
tendency to contempt of form seems to be creep
ing into the Societies. Now all this is wrong, for
by avoiding these very things, you are robbing
yourselves of the most beneficial influence of a
Literary Society.'
THE NEW ATHLETIC GROUNDS.
The ground has been broken for a new track,
and everything seems favorable for having our
athletic grounds in condition for the foot ball
season next year. These grounds will consist of a
quarter of a mile track, within which will be
placed our foot ball and base ball fields, and three
tennis courts at each end. The track will . be
fifteen feet wide, except on the hundred yards
stretch, where it will have a width of eighteen feet.
It will be made of a foot of rock on the bottom,
with a covering of half a foot of cinders, which
will make it second to none in the State.
The area within the track, except that portion
occupied by the tennis courts, will be sodded.
Besides having the grounds graded, we will have
a fine grand stand with a seating capacity of five
hundred. Under this stand will be a room, heated
by steam, with a shower bath, and lockers for
keeping the suits of those men who train regularly
on the field.
Now that the track and good grounds are a cer
tainty, all that we need to make a good standing
in athletics in general is a trainer. We have as
good material as will be found in any college,
which, if under the supervision of a competent in
structor, would develop so that no one need be
ashamed of the records of his alma nutter.
The General Athletic Committee is busily en
gaged in preparing the grounds for Field exer
cises on Tuesday, June 29. It is, however,a source
of regret to all that they have been so hampered
by a lack of funds that they have failed to get the
running track in condition.
THE FREE LANCE.
GRIFFITH JOHN THOMAS, M D., 'BB
Griffith John Thomas was born of Welsh pa•
rents and came with them to this country at an ear
ly age. During his career at the Pennsylvania
State College he became one of the six charter
members of the Gamma Phi Chapter of the Phi
Gamma Delta fraternity. After lea - ving the col
lege when he was graduated he became a student
of the Medico-Chirurgical College of Philadelphia,
from which he was graduated with first honors of
his class in April of this year. He was then given
the choice of positions as resident physician at
either the Blockley Hospital in Philadelphia, or
the Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg. He chose the
latter and filled it successfully until his death which
occurred June 9th, '9r, it having been caused by
blood poisoning resulting from an operation which
he performed upon a patient. Brother Thomas
proved himself to be a zealous and careful student,
giving great promise of future usefulness that
would reflect honor • upon the fraternity. He was
industrious and ambitious only as a Christian man
striving to accomplish work of a permanent good.
The memory of Brother Thomas, as it rests in
the minds of many of the present active members
of the fraternity, is that of an interesting compan
ion, warm friend, and beloved frater. As an evi
dence of this the Gamma Phi Chapter has adopted
the following resolutions :
Resolved, That in the death of our Brother, we
have lost a true friend much endeared to us by a
genial and generous disposition, and the fraternity
an ardent and zealous supporter.
Resolved, That we extend our sympathies to his
bereaved relatives, and that the emblems of our
fraternity be draped for a period of one month,and
that a copy of these resolutions, with an obituary
notice, be sent to the Quarterly for publication
and be placed on the minutes of this Chapter.
GEO. M. DOWNING,
JOHN H. Yocum, Cost.
GEO. C. BUTZ,