The Free lance. (State College, Pa.) 1887-1904, March 01, 1892, Image 6

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    edge of electrical work as it is applied to-day, one
must have a good fundathental knowledge of me
chanical engineering, the college has seen fit to
add to the electrical course here a post senior
year. The schedule of work, as it stands in the
new catalogue, takes in the study of many sub
jects of great value to the electrician, but which
hitherto, owing to the shortness of the time allot
ted, were compelled to be omitted, such as ther
mo-dynamics, machinery of transmission, differ
ential equations, steam engine tests and a large
amount of mechanical drawing. Indeed the work
of the first four years of the course is almost iden
tical with that of the Mechanical Engineering.
This will give the student a sound and useful
foundatior upon which to base his electrical stu
dies in the last and fifth year. The course leads
to the degree of E. F. and B. S. In order how
ever that those students who are unable to take
the full five years work, may follow a course of
electrical studies, curriculum occupying four years
and similar to the old course in Electrotechnics
has been provided for the graduate in which at
tains the degree of B. S. This change has excited
much favorable comment among the friends of the
college and it is thought that the new course will
without doubt be a success.
THERE has been considerable talk among the
students lately in regard to the feasibility o
starting the playing of La crosse the com
ing term. The game is undoubtedly a fine one,
and has been lately gaining a strong foothold
among American colleges,. Originating in Cana
da, it has lately come into high favor in the Unit
ed States, and will no clo:ibt in time hold its own
with base ball and foot-ball. A game requiring
great endurance, hard running, and quick work
all around, it would be invaluable as simply a
means of training our foot-ball team if for nothing
else. They could by playing LA crosse during .
the spring, develop their sprinting and indeed
their whole muscular powers in a degree that
THE FREE LAIICE.
would be valuable during the coming season and
would tell greatly on all their work. Again,
there are a number of men among the students,
who, not being interested in base ball, might
well take up the game and derive much enjoyment
and benefit from it. Cricket, owing to the long
time required to become askillful player and also to
its lack of dash, finds few votaries among students
and is never likely to gain any foothold at P. S. C,
La crosse, however, which has all the rush and
exciting 'work of foot-ball, can be played in the
spring and when once started would no doubt find
high favor here. We have excellent grounds to
play upon, and a competent instructor to teach us
its points, and all we need is for some body to take
the initiative. If the students take the matter in
hand vigorously the attempt would undoubtedly
be a success.
COMMENCEMENT thoughts have already be
gun to agitate the mind of the Senior.
Every Senior class recognizes what an im
portant factor it is in this great yearly event, and
each one tries to impress the admiring public with
the force of their individuality. One class may
take one means of doing this ; another will get up
a totally different scheme, if possible, to convey
the idea of greater originality. So from year to
year we get some slight variations in cominence
ment programs.
The question that is being discussed now in
many of the different colleges is how to eliminate
the monotonous fogyism of past tradition from
our graduation exercises, and yet substantially re
tain the main outline of the usual commencement
exercise. Some colleges have gone so far as to do
away with public graduation exercises altogether.
This we believe is going a step too far, and we
question if it will ever become popular with the larg
er number of colleges. Parental pride and ambition
are strong factors in th 6 existence of educational
institutions, and they will not allow such sweeping
actions to step in and rob them of the visable