_A GAIN the Spring has come, and all about us we behold the
beginning of new things, a new mantle to cover the earth,,
new life in the woodland, a new term, and a new editorial
board with perhaps new methods and new ideas. Our prede
cessors have indeed " waged a merry war," and retired from the
contest with honors; and now it devolves upon us to unsheathe
the inky lance for the thirteenth time and strive at least to hold
the vantage ground thus gained. We realize however that the
efficiency of preceding staffs has laid a heavy obligation to sustain
the standard which they have set, and to maintain the rank to
which contemporary critics have assigned the LANCE. Yet we
enter upon our new duties with courage and determination. We
shall do our best, and wait for the future to reveal what such effort
can accomplish.
THE first idea which we wish to present, but. which is by no
means a new one, is that we desire 'the support and co-
operation of the students and alumni. Many of them still
hold the opinion that THE LANCE simply represents the work of
the staff. ' Tis true that sometimes in the past such has been the
case; but whose fault was it? A college journal represents to
other colleges not the work of a board, but the literary ability of
the entire student body. Now when we consider that some of the
best writers in the College are entirely outside of the board, then
it seems but reasonable to us, that if the LANCE represents the
student body, then the student body should contribute towards its
support.
There are always a few who do this; but the majority seem to
think, " Well we furnish the money and you must furnish the
brains," while there are undoubtedly some who would like . us to
do both. If you consider THE FREE I,ANcE a good thing, " push
it along; if you don't, push it along until it is a good thing."
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