thorough training he will give them must gain the
coveted prize. When we think of our record last
year ;—how five of our men went down to Swarth
more and captured five ftrsts and a third, one of
them being disqualified and thus deprived of his
points although he won the event ; when we com
pare this showing with that of the other colleges
and think of what might have been, had not our
best man who was sure of two firsts and two new
state records fallen sick just a few days before,
those who were there and saw our boys working so
nobly cannot help feeling that the cup was al
most within our grasp, and that it should be ours
this coming spring.
It is possible that the meeting will be held
here. It is certain not to be held at Swarthmore,
and the two next best places are Dickinson and
here. 'Our grounds are in every way superior
while we can raise fully as large an audience as
Carlisle. The principle argument urged for hav
ing the meeting at Swarthmore last Spring was its
close proximity to Philadelphia, affording a large
audience, but the large audience that did assem
ble was barely halt' as large as the one that last No.
vember witnessed our boys down Bucktell on Bea
ver field.
If the sports should come here, we could, as
Swarthmore did, run in thirty or forty men and
win almost by sheer force of numbers. But we
must not depend on this, and our every effort
should be bent to making a team that can go
down to Dickinson and hold its own against both
Swarthmore and the Western University, where
the chances for all three of us are equal.
This will take steady work and lots of it, but
the end will amply repay it. In football this year,
we bid fair to stand second to none in the state
but the U. of Penn. Why shall we not also stand
there in general athletics ? Let's all put our
shoulders to the wheel, and try.
One of the most important and necessary things
for any college team to possess is the unanimous,
deep rooted, and whole souled interest and en-
THE FREE LANCE.
couragement of the student body. One of the great
reasons why our football teams are so successful is
that the whole will-force and tense, expectant,
nervous energy of the college goes out to
them and seems by some occult means to reach
them and add new strength and new determina
tion. The whole mass of students is possessed of
an intense interest, enthusiasm, and patriotic love
for the men who battle for our Alma Mater. Such
is the feeling we should arouse for general athletics
this year. The boys should throw their whole
heart and soul into the work and then, when the
time comes next May, stand ready to welcome the
victorious team home as they did when we held
the University down so closely in football.
Four of last May's five—the four who took the
five firsts are still here at college, while the sixth
whose going was prevented by illness and a dozen
more men of recognized ability are still with us.
The incoming class is an unknown field, but from
its appearance it should yield fine material. Why
then can't we start in early and work up the nec
essary enthusiasm ? Let's have some athletic mass
meetings and broach the subject so that by the be
ginning of next term the movement will be well
under way. Let's stir up such interest that the
midwinter sports will be the most successful ever
held both in numbers and in records. Don't lose
sight of the fact either that all points made at that
event count on the inter-class cup. If we wish to
do ourselves justice, we must win that cup, and
the only way to do it is to start the ball a rolling
in the immediate future.
\
— OW is the time to drop old customs and as
sociations and establish new ideas and new
...
movements. The new men, eager to take
part heart and soul in any college life, should not
be permitted to become accustomed to the non
existence of a glee club or a banjo club. They
should not be allowed to believe that the literary
societies were languishing, and above all they
should not be laughed , at for evinceing enthusiasm
* - *