STATE COLLEGIAN
Published on Thursday of each week during the
college year in the interest of The Pennsylvania
State College.
EDITORS,
ALEX. HART, Jr., ’O5, Chief,
F. M. TORRENCE, ’O5,
T. F. FOLTZ, ’O6,
w. J. DUMM,
ED. FAWKES, ’O6,
F. K. BREWSTER, 'O7
BUSINESS MANAGER.
W. G. HECKATHORNE, ’O6,
ASSISTANT MANAGER.
C. R. OBERFELL, ’O6
SUBSCRIPTION.
$1.50 per year or $1.25 if paid within 30 days after
date of subscription.
Thursday, Dec. 8, 1904
EDITORIAL
An effort is being made to show
that A. L. Smith, formerly a student
here and now at the University of
Pennsylvania, is eligible to play anoth
er year on the foot ball team of that
institution. We are not surprised that
it is desired to retain the services of a
player who will undoubtedly be made
full-back on the All-American Team
for 1904 but the grounds upon which
the claim of eligibility are made are
decidedly questionable. We quote
from the Philadelphia Press.
“If A. L. Smith, the full-back at the
University of Pennsylvania, wishes to
return to Penn for a post-graduate
course he can play foot ball another
year. While his especial case has not
been taken up, the Faculty Committee
on Entrances has decided that the
four years’ course at State College
where Smith prepared, is only equal
to three years at D enn. Therefore
the two years Smith played at State
will only count for one year, according
to long-established rule and precedent
at Penn.”
As a matter of fact Smith entered
State College as a Freshman in Sep
tember, 1901, and had no credit in ad
vance of his class. Only by completing
twenty (20) hours a week of recita
tion work for four years and maintain
ing satisfactory standing throughout his
course could he have graduated here
in 1905. As his rank at the University
is now the same as it would have been,
had he remained, it would seem that
the requirements for a degree, in his
course at least, can differ but little, if
any, at the two institutions. It cer
is not true that four years at State
College are but the equivalent of three
at the University.
It is difficult to explain how such a
question can be raised at this late day.
A complete record of Mr. Smith’s
work here was furnished the Registrar
of the University when he matriculated
there, and an explicit statement was sent
to their Athletic Association and other
officials when his case was under dis
cussion in the fall of 1903. We have
no desire to criticize the interpretation
of the University’s eligibility rules and
are interested in the discussion only so
far as it concerns Mr. Smith’s relations
to this College.
It will be recalled that Mr. Smith
played throughout the greater part of
the season of 1903 and that only after
the Harvard game did the Athletic
Committee of the University discover
that he was ineligible, although all the
evidence was accessible throughout
the entire season, and the question of
his eligibility had been raised on sev
eral occasions. It would be unfortu
nate for the University authorities
again to place themselves in a similar
position through a failure to investigate
the facts of the case.
We regret to announce that Mr.
Wm. B. Hoke ’O5, hitherto Editor
in-chief of the staff of this publica
tion, has resigned from the Board.
Mr. Hoke served for three years on
the editorial staff of the Free Lance,
having been elected Editor-in-chief
of that paper in his Junior year.
He did all that was possible to re
vive interest in that publication and
when it was plainly seen that the Free
Lance had to go, he was the prime
mover and worker in the institution
of its successor, the State Col
legian . It is largely due to his ef
orts that the Collegian has at
tained the position that it now occu
pies in the estimation of all right
thinking students. It is with sincere
regret that the Board views the de
parture of Mr. Hoke from among
its number.
We would like to again call your
attention to the fact that our col
umns are always open for any rea
sonable communications, “kicks,”
or criticisms which any of our sub
scribers may have to offer. If you
are not satisfied with our publication
tell us so and why; if you have any
suggestions to make, they will be
gladly received. It is our aim to
make this paper of interest and
value to its subscribers in general,
and to the alumni and students of
The Pennsylvania State College in
particular. You can help us if you
will. If you know of any interesting
items concerning your friends, either
alumni or class-mates, drop them in
323. Use the Collegian instead
of the bulletin board.
The peculiar form of campus
decoration used by the Freshmen
Saturday night in celebrating their
victory, is something that ought to be
prevented by the upper-classmen
from occuring again in the future.
No one objects to good clean fun,
but such stunts as the one in ques
tion show a very low degree of
thought and sentiment. Our camp
us is one of the finest in the country
and we all take a just pride in its
beauty and size. As in all other
colleges, we attach a certain degree
of sentiment to it and the traditions
connected thereto. To have it
decorated in the manner that greeted
the eye on Sunday morning, out
raged not only public decency but
also that sentiment which exists to
no small degree at State College.
This is the second time it has oc
curred, and in both instances lower
classmen were the offenders. It is
time to call a halt.