FOR the last two or three years, the classes,
upon their advent to the Senior year, have
expected that they would be excused from
military exercises. The present Seniors have
more nearly approached the realization of this
dream than any previous class. After the battal
ion had been thoroughly organized and reached a
reasonable state of perfection last term, the com
missioned officers were required to drill only once
a week ; and since the Harrisburg trip, at the be
ginning of this term, they have not drilled at all.
with the exception of important occasions. This
good luck is due to the fact that it is impossible to
supply two hundred students with rifles when
there are only one hundred and fifty to distribute 1
With the organization of a signal corps some two
years ago, everybody was thought to have been
provided for, but the indications are that, with as
large an entering class next year as the present
Freshman, matters will be more crowded than
With such a state of affairs, what could be bet
ter policy than exempting the members of the
most advanced class from drill. This is quite a
common custom among institutions where the
students have increased beyond the equipment of
the military department. Or because of a similar
reason, the exercise is often made voluntary with
the Senior, or Senior and Junior classes. We
venture to say that there would be rare cases where
the volunteers were so numerous as to exceed the
accommodations at hand. It would seem advisa
ble for the proper authorities to look into the
matter, and if found necessary, to grant a release
to such men as may have drilled regularly for three
years. We do not mean to speak of this as an ex
emption from an irksome duty ; for the students
freely acknowledge that the drill is benefi
cial, but simply wish to call attention to a matter
that must have been apparent to all.
THE members of the Senior class, in several of
the courses, have about completed arrange
ments for taking an extended trip during
THE FREE LANCE.
the first part of next term. This way of becom
ing acquainted with the practical workings of
plants or processes distinctively connected with
the students’ researches must commend itself to
every one. It is impossible to conjecture a better
way for a student to spend a week or ten days, of
his last term in college, than in visiting plants di
rectly connected with the bent of his studies, and
having everything explained to him by one who
has an intimate knowledge of the subject by mak
ing it his especial study. In any of our large cit
ies there are many industries, interesting alike to
engineers, chemists and physicists,'as well as nu
merous works especially interesting to the men
connected with any of these courses. This way of
rounding off a technical education is heartily en
dorsed by all of our professors, and all Seniors
should, if possible, make the tour.
CAP and gown 1 O, ye shades of Vulcan and
the Cyclopes, where are we at ? Turn not
away from thy votaries in ‘anger and dis
gust, but we beseech you hearken unto our cries
and cause to shine on us the inspiring rays from
thy soot besmeared countenances. Let not thy
wrath descend upon us. Witness our struggles for
the right, and give us strength from thy right arm
to withstand our brethren who would willingly
cause us to insult thy sacred memory. Think you
for an instant that they can succeed ? Can we
thy loving disciples and followers, having just fin
ished a careful apprenticeship under thy thought
ful guidance, and about to enter into life as thy
journeymen and devotees ; —can we walk through
this important and glorious stage of the game in
the sombre garb of a mediseval priest, and of a hue
as black and funereal as the smoke that arises
from thy everlasting forges ?
Surely not. Coming from the forge, from the
transit, from the draughting-room, and from the
laboratory, there is a protest which says that this
thing shall not. be. Folly and ingratitude are
written on the brows of those who propose such a