years our sn►all town will not be capable of
holding our commencement visitors. But all
things increase in ratio, and in that tune, Stata
College will not he found wanting.
Tit E result of the State Inter collegiate con
tests on Beaver Field, May nineteeth, was
disappointing to State College students
and suppot ter . The blame, however, is not to
be attached to her team. Her men proved
themselves to be g od athletes and plucky fel
lows. Slate's team has al A ays been made up of
winning men, the great drawback being its coin
ptratively small size. Such was the case on
May 19th. The weakness was nut in the men
themselves bu m their scarcity. The winning
team was much larger than State's and was com
p° ed of men determined if possible to retain
their claim of being the best athletes of the
State of Pennsylvania Swarthmore's men ex
hibited that pluck and energy that distinguish
es them upon the foot ball field. Their college
is compost(' largely of girls and the team works
for the honor of their college and the smiles of
their sweethearts The best athlete, the most
favored of the fair sex.
However disappointing our failure may be,
it does not say that the task is impossible. A'
little perseverance and the cup may yet rest
within our walls. Some may say that this is a
rash assertion, but look at the meetings of the
last two years : meeting of '93, State lacking
only one point of having as many as the college
that took second, and this with four men ;
meeting of '94; State second and twenty-three
points to spare. With such records two years
will see the highest number of points credited
to State College.
Many comments were made upon the senti-,
meat that enabled men to race under such un
favorable conditions. "I don't see why the
boys are willing to race in this rain," was often
heard. But every college man pre.Pt could
THE FREE LANCE.
understand that it was the patriotic love for
their college that enabled them to do it.
It is the same seeing that calls fur renewed
effo,t on the foot ball field, or that stirs the
heart. of the pitcher when he knows that he has
to retire his opponent's best batters in one,
two, three order to win the game. A man's
love for his college would lighten his feet on
the heaviest track, and heal the severest
wounds receive I when battling for her honor.
Such is the college spirit of to-day, and may it
never cease to stir the hearts of all college men.
THE inferior entertainment on the eveuing
of the ninth inst. brings forcibly before
the student body the condition of the
literary societies, and shows how important it
is that they should be maintained. Our college,
aiming as it does to give a good technical edu
cation, permits of little time for literary work.
It is none the less impOrtant, however, and it is
the duty of every student to take advantage of
all opportunities presented. The authorities
recommend every student to become a member
of either of the societies, and seem to depend
upon them as giving training not obtained in
the class room or outside of the society halls.
It is not needful to dwell in detail upon the
benefits derived from addressing an audience
of sympathizing yet criticising fellow students.
The advantages of public speaking are too nu
merous and apparent to need more than the
mention. Every student and society member
should determine before another year has
passed, to see the societies once again in a flour
ishing condition. Only a few years ago their
meetings were a credit to the students and
their institution. The meetings now when hold
are little better than a farce. They are not
worthy to be called literary and offer no in
ducements to visitors or to future members.
Why this change for the worse? What has
oa:used this degeneration ? Are not the students