THE LANCE has a strong bit of advice for every
new man in college. By all means join a
literary society. It matters not which one
of th6two you join. For practical purposes one is
as good as the other. But join one of them. Do
not allow yourselves to be influenced by the laziness
and prejudice of some of the older students. .Liter
ary societies are, and always have been, one of the
best and most beneficial features of college lite.
They impart to a man ease of manner in public,
force in debate, fluency of language, and the abili
ty to speak on the moment intelligently ar.d for
cibly whenever called upon, qualities that are of
value to all, the technical man as well as the man
of business. Unfortunately our societies are not
what they should be. Apathy and the ever in
creasing amount of work are largely to blame, but
habit also plays a large part in the question. Still
they are of immense advantage, and every student
who has taken an active and interested part in the
work will tell you so, while many who have passed
Through college laughing at literary societies and
making sport of their performances, come in after
years to wish earnestly for the training they might
have received from these organizations. Join by
all means, nor let it rest there but plunge into so
ciety work with a will not only to benefit your
selves but to raise the level of your society. You
will never have cause to regret it.
ECHA
fall the question is raised—shall we
have class football games to count points
on the inter-class athletic cup? Numer
ous very good points are urged on the case pro
and con. It is argued that as each class will wish
to have its members who are on the college team
play in these class games, it is necessary to post
pone them till after the regular college season
closes. This allows but a very narrow margin of
time for anything like a good schedule. Winter
is liable to come on with more or less snow a few
days after Thanksgiving, making the game very
hard on the players. A great deal of ugly feeling
THE FREE LANCE.
is also liable to grow out of class games, and it
often happens that good players, and men that can
ill be spared are injured seriously, it not perma
nently, so that really more harm is done ' than
good.
On the other hand, there are many good points
about class football. Probably the chief is the
bringing out of good new material. Many men
with all the qualities of good football players lat
ent in them, never don a canvas jacket from one
end of their course to the other, for the simple
reason that they never make a beginning. It is
just such men as these that class games bring out
and develop. They either are too lazy and
haven't the inclination to go out and play on the
scrub in regular practice, or they are afraid of
showing their ignorance and awkwardness. It is
different with their class games.. As soon as it is
definitely settled that such games are to be played,
the classes meet and captains are elected, who im•
mediately make a canvass of their men for possible
material. If the fellows are slow in coming out
they go and plead with them for the honor of their
class. This generally has the desired effect, and
several sharp scrub games are played. . Some on
lookers may say, "Why there's—l never knew
he could play like that. We'll get him to come
out and play on the college scrub," and so
Mr.—a day or two after plays on the scrub and
soon wins for himself a permanent place, and
probably the end of the next season finds him
playing on the regular college team.
Class games also perform a good office
in keeping up interest and life in the student
body. This is especially an advantage at P.
S. C. The whole life and activity of the place
centers in the student body. There is nothing oc
curring outside to divert our minds, and we ac
cordingly have to furnish our own diversions.
These games are therefore doubly welcome as
they help to keep up a keen and brisk life among
the students. It is probable that there will be a
series of such games arranged this season. The
Freshmen and Sophomores will of course play as