a thing- of the past aiul our size meagre, compared with journals of other colleges much smaller numerically. Several reliable publishing houses were invited to submit bids, and these bids opened our eyes to the fact that we could publish the Lance at about one-half the former cost. After a great deal of work, many back-sets and discouragements, the present issue was produced at a cost of about fifteen dollars less per issue than any previous issue of the Free Lance. The enlargement of the Lance necessarily requires an increase of contributions. In future we hope to be able to make this strictly a student organ. We desire it to voice the opinions of the student body, though it is essentially a free lance and its pages are open to all. If you have opinions or grievances which you wish to present, avail yourself of these columns. Although it is not the function of this journal to criticise or condemn the decisions or rulings of the faculty, yet we can, and will, show our approval or disapproval. Give us your aid, and we will try to make this journal the unbiased medium of student opinion. With this bright vision before us, and with the hope that the alumni and students will give us a strong support, we boldly place this new departure in the hands of our readers. That there is a dearth of literary endeavor in this college is a fact beyond dispute. Last month in order to stimulate literary effort the Frite Lance offered a prize of five dollars for the best story submitted before May first. One story was placed in our hands as a result of this offer. This either shows that in a technical institution like this, that we have no time for literary work or that the literary standard and endeavor is abnormally low. The first is undoubtedly the true reason. Other colleges who do not enter a better class of students than we, publish journals which contain much original fiction, written by undergraduates, of a high order, and comparing favorably with the fiction of our monthly magazines. That college journalism should be of a high order is beyond question. The college as an institution sends forth the trained intellect of the world, and the world has a right to expect a superior product in the realm of literature. The Free Lance. [May,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers