The Free lance. (State College, Pa.) 1887-1904, January 01, 1895, Image 8
quently with longer vacations and poorer facili ties the time was not thought wasted. At present the College can be reached from any point in the State by a single day’s journey. But to be present at the opening chapel, this trip must be made on the day previous, and this produces a considerable loss of time, and an unwelcome shortening of a not over extensive vacation. This' state of affairs is of course not desirable, and the students usually get around it by coming late, thus producing dissatifaction to all concerned, and causing a great deal of trouble which might be avoided by a little regulation. If the hour for opening or registration would be changed from the forenoon until six in the evening, everybody would have an equal opportunity to get back, and it would be safe to say that the number of stragglers would be materially decreased. Another argu ment in favor of an opening hour later in the day is found in the fact that even under the present system, nothing is gained, while a great deal of confusion and necessary explanation is caused. Very little work is done on the first day of a term, and it is always of such a character that its loss would not be felt. Most colleges at the present time open late, in the day, and considering our peculiar location, it would seem both advisable and beneficial for State to do likewise. FEW things are absolutely useless. Even bal loon sleeves have their good points. In rural districts, on resuming the dance after refreshments, they serve to brush the crumbs from Uncle Silas's whiskers. WE have always considered Dame Rumor as fairly reliable authority, but when she circulates the report that our faculty are considering the advisability of abolishing exami nations, her reputation for veracity "in these parts” is cancelled. Her statements are no lon ger to be accepted without hesitation. THE FREE LANCE. * * THERE is one thing that can be said about examinations, State College side, walks, two flunks, and the grading system ; they are not as bad as if they were twice as bad. - A GLANCE AHEAD. Now that the discussion of the foot ball season of ’94 has about closed, and the "ifs” are all ex hausted and the “might have beens” worn thread bare, it would be a good thing for us to look at the future and dwell a few minutes on the possi bilities of the coming season. By this we dp not mean the probable make-up of the team nor the victories and defeats that next autumn may have in store for us. The utter foolishness of attempt ing to make such forecasts has repeatedly been demonstrated, not only in our own case, but at many other colleges. Yet there is one feature of the season that it is not only possible, but emi nently proper —we almost said necessary—to dis cuss at this time. We refer to the schedule of games to be played. There is hardly a college of any standing in the foot ball world that has as much trouble in secur ing dates as we have. Our isolated position up here among the mountains makes it difficult for us to arrange meetings with other teams, where other poorer but more favorably situated institutions can have all they desire. During the season we do not play half as many games as we should, simply because we can not arrange the dates. It would even be difficult to fill up our schedule with .local athletic clubs, and small one horse teams, if we cared to play them. We do not wish to meet such elevens, except'a few at the be ginning of each college year for practice, and the result is that sometimes three or four weeks will pass right in the part of the fall without our boys playing a single match game. The events of this season just finished encour age us to hope that it will be the last under which we shall suffer this inconvenience. The great trouble has been that, outside of this State, we