State %, o: Vo.. 111, No 27 The Flag Scrap at State In connection with the annual flag scrap between the sophomore and freshman classes which is to occur next Saturday morning, a brief his tory of this custom will doubtless prove of interest. The first flag ever raised by a freshman class was a rather rough production of several members of the class, and was hoisted on the flag pole of the Main Building in March, 1887. At that time the cupola was accessible only by means of a narrow ladder which the fresh men defended against the attacks of the sophomores by means of buckets of water. As de night was ex tremely cold, this means of defense proved effective, and the flag re mained until morning, when the sophomores tore it down while the freshmen were taking an "exam." It was promptly torn to pieces and made into neckties. This scrap, brought about merely for want of a little excitement, es tablished the custom, and each spring since then the freshmen have raised and defended a class flag. At first the idea seems to have been to keep the flag up as long as possi ble, but in a few years a time limit was set. In the two years following 'B7 the flag was hoisted in the same place and scraps very similar to the first one occurred. The class of '93 changed the place to the armory tower which had just been com pleted. A fierce struggle occurred on the stairs, the sophomores finally reaching the landing at the foot of the tower only to find about twenty feet of the ladder torn away and nothing but bare walls to climb. STATE COLLEGE, PA., MAY 2, 1907 One of them, however, spied a long, thin pole in a corner. and leaning it against the wall, steadied by sevet al of his classmates, he pulled himself up, by sheer strength of arms, to the broken end of the ladder. When he returned with tie flag both classes rushed for it, and in two minutes '93's flag was torn to bits. The next class put their flag in the same place, but there was no scrap. because the entire sophomore class was on probation. The following year it was placed on a to ephone wile between the Main Building and the Ladies' Cottage, but th,-; wiles were cut and the flag destroyed. The class of '96 was the first to elect a special pole, and was also the first class to preserve its flag. Since then each clams has furnished a pole of its own, and as a result, all the recent scraps have been ver3 The scrap this year will be some what different ft orn all pi cvious ones on account of the new tules recently adopted by the upper classes. The time is limited to one hour, no men or obstacles ate to be al owea on the pole, and no machine is to be used to capture the flag. 'FLAG SCRAP RU I.! S 1. The flag scrap shall start at 6 a. in. of the filet Saturday of May. on some pal t of the Campus to be chosen by the Freshmen. 2. rit the beginning of the scrap, the flag shall fly on a pole not more than 25 feet long. The pole shall be thoroughly seasoned and painted and meet the approval of the judges. 3. The scrap shall continue for one hour and shall close at a given signal from the judges. Continued on page 5, column L Price Five Cents An important Trip As the result of Dr. Wadsworth's recent trip to Lawrence, Kansas, sev eral honors have come to him and, through him, to the college. While attending the convention of the National Association of State Mining Schoo's held at the University of Kansas, he was elected vice presi dent of that body for the coming year. A movement was inaugurated at the convention which it is hoped will eventually place state mining schools, including oui own, on a much better financial basis than is possible under present conditions. A legislative committee was appoint ed to further the enactment by con giess of a bill setting aside certain public lands, the sale of which will be devoted to the support or state mining schools. This committee, of whicn Dr. Wadsworth is a member, has instructed him co collect the necessary data to present to Congress in behalf of the proposed bill. Such support is urgently needed by our school of mines if it is to provide adequate facilities for the rapidly increasing enrollment. The Relay Races The relay races held last Satur day on Franklin Field were very close and exciting. The weather was ideal for such sport• and the many athletes were greeted by an enthusiastic audience. This year State was classed with Swarthmore, Jonns Hopkins, Ohio State, and Lafayette. Lafayette, however, failea to qualify in the relay because the third man started before the second man had touched him. Continued on page 8
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