STATE COLLEGIAN Published on Thursday of each week during the college year by the students of The Pennsylvania State College in the interest of the Students, Fac alty, Alumni and Friends of the college. Entered at the Postoffice, State College, Pa., as e•eond class matter Editor In Chief C. N. FLEMING, 'O9 Assistant Editor J. K. BARNES, 'O9 Associate Editors P. B. BENNETCH, 'O9. A. W. FISHER, 'lO. K. B. LOHMANN, 'lO. J. F. MATTERN, 'lO D. R. MASON, 'll Business Manager N. B. HIGGINS, 'O9 Assistants F. H. BERKEBILE, 'lO. C. F. PRESTON, 'll SUBSCRIPTION. E. 50 per year or $1.25 if paid within 30 days'after Mite of subscription. THURSDAY, FEB. 6, 1909 EDITORIAL. In this issue are accounts of two alumni banquets held last week in Harrisburg and New York. The increasing number of such gather ings which are being held in widely separated cities is a very good sign of the healthy condition of the col lege. Enough men have been graduated from State to form local alumni associations which should be as strong as those of much older colleges. We believe that State men are as loyal to their Alma Mater as any other college men in the country. It is with a feeling of pleasure that we note every activity among the alumni. The letter from an alumnus pub lished in another column suggests a subject which we believe to be of such importance to the students as to THE STATE COLLEGIAN justify its consideration, and no time can be better for this than the present As concerns the policy of this paper, we wish to state that we be lieve firmly in the honor system, and will help in every possible way towards its adoption by the whole student body, but especially by the two upper classes. Two years ago the whole question was argued at length. and the system was finally adopted by the senior and junior electricals. Since that time it has been in successful operation in this department, a statement which will be borne out b) the men who have worked under it. Last year the 1909 mechanicals took it up and have found it satisfactory. It is a sad fact, nevertheless true, that in the recent examinations con ducted under the system of faculty surveillance, cheating occurred to such an extent that it was almost the rule rather than the exception. Conditions are perhaps no worse here than in other similar institu tions. We should be sorry to ad mit that the standard of manhood at Penn State is lower than at Prince ton, or Lafayette, or Lehigh, or Cornell, or any other college or university. The fact remains that cheating does exist, and we believe that the chief reason for this is the evasion of moral responsibility by the individual who tries to out wit the vigilance of the instructor. The greatest need is not so much an education to a higher moral plane, as it is an awakening to a sense of honor and responsibility on the part of the individual. We symathize with men who are caught, and yet we must admit that punishment in such cases is just, and would have been equally just had it fallen on any others who cheated. Some phases of the question are debatable, for instance, the enforce ment of the system and whether it should apply only to examinations or to both class-room work and ex- amination. The fundamental princi ples of the honor system are right, however, and we believe that it is only a question of time until some form of the system will be adopted throughout the upper classes. Telegraph Office Selected The traveling manager for the Western Union Telegraph company, Mr. J. W. Philips, of Philadelphia, visited State College last week for the purpose of locating a site for the new telegraph office. Shuey's jewelry store, near the corner of College avenue and Allen street, was chosen as the best location. Mr. Philips was surprised at the size of the town, especially since he and the company had been led to believe that the place was small and that little business would be trans acted. He promised to have the in struments sent at once and the of fice will be established within a few days. President Sparks Receives the De gree of L. L. D. Lehigh University has paid a marked compliment to The Pennsyl vania State College. By a vote of the Faculty the Board of Trustees has issued a mandamus conferring upon President Sparks the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. The ceremony will take place on Wash ington's birthday, when President Sparks will deliver an address at Lehigh on "Washington as an Ad vocate of Higher Education." This is the first time in the history of Lehigh that this degree has been conferred and is the third honorary degree given by the college in the forty-three years of its existence.
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