MMI T UK II liS 1'liU I A N. vicinity of the university. Not a few live two or three miles away. They do not have time to go to their rooms and do any studying, if they get back by the time the library opens. Neither do they wish to hang around town from five o'clock until seven. It seems to The Hesperian, that the reading room might be kept open during this time, in order to afford a place for the students to study. If this c.lnnot be done, some arrangement might be made, whereby students that live so far from the university could take books home with them. Mil her plan would improve mat ters. During the last two weeks the historical, hor ticultural, and agricultural societies of the state have met at the university. The students should be severely censured for not attending these meetings. When such societies meet at our very doors, we should drop our studies long enough to attend the meetincs. Some of us seem to think we have not time to attend meetings during the week. While it is not a good plan to neglect lessons regularly, yet let us remember that we want practical knowledge as well as theoretical. As a rule students know too little of the outside world. As many historical students as there are in the university, it seems shameful tl at more of 'them did not attend the meeting. They work over the shelves of the library week after week to get their lessons. Yet when there is an opportunity to see how history is made, they refuse to improve it. In the future let us partake of every intellectual feast that comes our way. Another local oratorical contest is upon us. This year there will be three contestants, an increase of one over last year. We thought there would be only two orators until the day the oration were to be handed to the judges. On that day, however, the secretary of the local association received an ora tion from a fraternity man. This is the first time that the frats have had a representative in any con test whatever. Tub Hesperian extends congratula tions to their orator. We believe that the contest will be better this year than ever before. Mr. Skiles won second place last year on the Chase and Wheeler contest. Mr. Quaintance carried away first honors in the Union contest last June. Since Mr. Chandler has never spoken in public, we know nothing of his ora torical powers. Nevertheless, we believe that he will do credit to himself and to his fraternity. Iach of the contestants will do his very best to win first place. Whoever succeeds, we believe, will represent the university ably, in the state contests. should at owe take steps towards giving'the winning orator special training. We have, in Professor Hunt, .one of the best instructors in oratory there is in the country. His services should be obtained if possi ble. The Hesperian believes thai the faculty should help the students in this. If Professor Hunt has no time to devote to matters outside of the class-room, why cannot arrangements be made whereby he can be relieved of some of his work for a time? The whole university should unite in this matter, and help our orator in every way possible. Nothing should be left undone that will help to place the university before the public in the proper light, and win for it, at least, the credit it deserves. UTERAK Y. Tho Woman of To-I)uj Lot other sing the praises of the woman of the past, Or cnuoni.o the woman of the future coming prist. I string my lyre for neither. No, I left my little lay And sing my song to celebrate the women of to-day. The woman of the past was good, and holler still may be The woman oi the iuture": but, oh, good enough for me The girl who thio' the maes of the present works her wa And stands in her integrity the woman of to-day. Upon the world's stage she plays roles many and diverse: Hut tho' she may in politics her prettv head Immerse, Ur seek the pidpit or the bar, still shines the sacied ray Of love around the heaithstoue of the woman of to-day. o pent-un t'ticn confines her powers. Tho' prejudice Still prowls about her path, no work that's worthy conies amiss: She may not vote, but ballots fall obedient to her away: The conscience of the country 't. in the woman of to-day. She has her laults. Spots big and black the sun's bright face do hlurr; Hut who could live without its light, or with it lacking hei? Against her follies and fads let other folks inveigh, 1 celebrate the virtues of the woman of lo-day. Historic I'rhirctiiii. Many are the associations which liugei among the shadow of Nsissun 1 1 all ; telling the stirring times of brilliant deeds, oi noted men, its graduates, or its friends. Loyal at first to the "mother country" it received its name from William III of England, "a branch of the illustrious house of Nassua." Among it archives is a quaint old pamphlet entitled "The Military Glory of Ureal Hiitain," u dialogue recited by the student at the coniii.i-nienient in 1762, "to the univeroul satisfaction of a polite .uid crowded auditory, " as we are informed by a contemporary newspapci. And on tin wall of the chapel hung a full length portrait of George II., oppo site to which was one of the piovincial Governor Helcher, "surmounted b .1 court of arms, curved and gilded." This spini, h.mevei, was not a lasting one, and the college was .mhi piTvailed b) the universal longing for liberty. We learn fiom a letter of Jaiuc Madison, then a student here, that in in 1770 the letter stating that New York had partially broken the nonimportation agreement, was burned by the students in the college yaid--all in their black gowns and the bell tolling. In 1771 when Madison, Hedford and other noted, patriots were graduated, another poem was recited, this time on the "Rising Glory of America," written by Philip Kreneau 1771, the patriot poet of the Revolution; and againnnold news- uur orators uavc always uccii wcuk in uciivcij. ,)apt.r jnforms us that it "met with the highest approbation We should remedy this defect. The local association, and applause from a numerous, polite and discerning audience.