there will be no danger of their disfiguring
the battallion in the spring. If we cannot
keep our athletics upon the level that our in
stitution demands them to be, let us drop
sport altogether and remain forever in the
background when collegiate games are spoken
of.
THE opening of a new college year has
brought back most of the old faces and
with them quite a number of new ones, all of
whom, from their appearance, seem anxious
to make good the opportunity they have of
improving their mental condition. We are
indeed glad to say that the conduct of the old
toward the new is rapidly improving, and the
smokings, duckings and gauntlet running,
which used to be so popular a remedy for the
homesickness of new men, are all slowly but
surely dying at P. S. C.
THE question of conveniences for visitors
and strangers is never so forcibly im
pressed on our minds as during commence
ment. The hotel is not large enough to
accommodate many guests, and during com
mencement and the week preceding it is
overcrowded as are the few private boarding
places. Even small parties coming from
Bellefonte and neighboring towns to spend a
few days here or attend entertainments, find
it almost impossible to secure accommoda
tions. A very good hotel could be erected
and managed much cheaper here than in a
larger place, and we are sure it would receive
the support of the students as well as induce
visitors and friends to come oftener. Still
another subject which impresses the student
almost every day, particularly a rainy day, is
the subject of walks or pavements, A few
years ago when the college was not prosper
ing as it is at present and with fewer students,
most of whom boarded in the college, the ab
sence of sidewalks was not so noticeable, but
THE FREE LANCE.
now the college has no club and the board
ing places are located in different parts
of the village, and two hundred or more stu
dents are daily making their way through
mud or dust to or from their boarding places.
This is something that the people of the vil
lage should not allow to remain undone any
longer, and it is to be hoped that we will pre
sently have a walk extending from one end
of the village to the other,
AFTER the glee and banjo clubs returned
from their trip last spring and divided
the “ proceeds ” they seemed to pass out
of existence. Although the trip was not
what might be called a financial success,
it was as much so as could be expected
for the first attempt and had its return
in a great many ways. But it is very proba
ble that the trip did not lessen the interest,
but greatly increased it and will strengthen
the organization this year. The officers and
members will know better what is required of
them, and will not feel as anxious as they did
when taking their first step. The Athletic
Association is trying to secure a lecturer;
and why wouldn’t it be a good plan for the
clubs to assist the association and make the
entertainment as much of a success as pos
sible ? Besides it would be a good opportu
nity for them to prove what their mem
bers have asserted, that they are not dead yet.
NOW that we have made our start in ath
letics let the good work go on. With
such an auspicious beginning we should reach
the highest pinnacle of athletic success. The
record of our base ball team for the few years
of its existence has been equaled by few col
leges and surpassed by none. Our foot ball
team during the two years of its active life
has covered itself with glory, and if its first
victory is any augury of the future, will add
“ new lustre to its fame ” in the coming