THE HESPERIAN The New England skating contest comes off in Itaslnn dur ing February. The St. I-ouix ball club has been ordered to report for practice, March 15. The freshmen of Ann Arlxr won the winter cane rush by n.MTorc of 31 to 2S. Almut twenty names are recorded as applicants for posi tions on the ball nine. Many of the major ball clubs will accept Florida as a lav orablc ficid for early practice; The university of Pennsylvania foot ball team closed the eason vih a clear gain of $3,500. Harvards foot ball expenses last season were $10,175: this includes $702 for medical attendance. .The introduction of a course in gymnastics as an elective is increasing in popularity in eastern colleges. The classes from preps to seniors are organizing ball clubs, all anxious to be represented on the first nine. P. J. Conway, the old coacher of Ann Arlnir's ball team, will probably discharge those duties this season. V. O'Connor, who claims to le the champion oarsman of the world, has issued a general challenge to a three mile race for $5,000. Iowa's university foot ball club seems to le hardly as well fixed financially as Nebraska's club. They have a team that certainly deserves support. The Harvard university athletic association permits no one .to enter any contest without an examination by the director of the gymnasium, and his permission to do so. Students expecting to participate in the field-day sports should join the athletic association at once. For memlwrship apply to Fred Itamcs, treasurer of the association. The result of the recent five mile harc-and-hound races of Vale and Harvard established the following records'. Yale, 7 minutes pc. mile; Harvard, less than 6 minutes. The February number of Outing has an unusually sensible article tin training, by Malcome V. Ford. It is full of prac tical suggestions, and all men interested in athletics should riviil it. Fencing is in the regular course of physical training at Flowtloin, but U proceeded by two years of gymnasium prac-.- ticc, including military drill, work with clubs, lclls, wands and heavy apparatus, and running. Cooncy, Chicago's s. s. causes Anson much pain by his familiarity. His pet play in a game is to sneak over to first base, kick Anson on the shins and remark: "Wake up old stuff, we'll licat them 'cr duffers yet. The management of the Hasting's ball club and that of other minor clubs of the state objects to entering a league with the Lincoln colored giants. They are anxious to secure Lin coln in their circuit, if a club composed of other than colored men can be organized to represent the city. Lincoln will support a club of hard working players though they be amatuers, and they will relish the change from the gang of professional toughs. Strong hopes are entertained that the university club may represent Lincoln in this league, and should they they secure this privilege, wc arc comment, that by their systematic training under the present manage ment, they will be able to cope with the salaried players of the other clubs. The action of the base ball team in beginning a course of systematic training is highly commendable" from all points of view. It is commcndabJc as students of the university, whose first duty is attention to lessons. -Irregular and spasmodic indulgence in sports and games always detracts from mental work, but the retiular and business-like use of an hour each day for lodily training ought to enable any student to keep up his studies the better. It is commendable in the interest of each man's health and safety. The practice of severe ath letics always involves more or less danger of injury, and get ting into good condilionjreduccs the danger to a minimum. It is commendable again in the cause of athletics, for, all other things Iwing equal, systematic work always wins. V. P. 11. Vale's lull club has accented a challenge from the lioston league club to play five games at the opening of the ball season. The Modern Hero. His head was jammed into the sand. His arm was broken in twain, Three ribs were snapped, four teeth were gone, I Ie ne'er could walk again. His lips moved slow, I stooped to hear The whispers they let fall, His voice was weak; but this I heard: "Old man, who got the ball?" E.x ALUMNI AND FORMER STUDENTS. 91 V. J. Taylor was at the university on the 5th inst. Thrift '92, stopped in Lincoln on his way to Chicago. 'S9. Miss Myra E. Clark was in the city last week visit ing friends. 91. T. E. Chappcl is keeping himself down to his work at Harvard. 'go, 'go E, R. Tingley and C. E. Tingley were at the local contest. F. A. Rockhold is working for a St. Louis firm and teach ing shorthand besides. Mr. Martin Oslcrholm was in the city 011 the 27th ult. He is still engaged upon his Swedish newspaper. Ed. r.ryson, '93, slopped in Lincoln on the 29th ult., on business. He is on the road for a manufacturing establish ment at Tecuimch. no'SS-A. F. Woods and Roscoc Pound have been elected vice president and secretary, respectively, of the Lincoln microscopical club. 89, 90. -Messrs. T. A. Williams, H. J. Weber, and L. H . Slaughter don't propose to be read out of the late convoca tion of the Botanical seminar. '91 l.Mr. C. D. Schell put in an appearance at the univer sity on the 29 ult., took in the Palladian contest and returned to his school at Ashland on the 31st. '90 E. E. Gillespie has been elected president of a club 10 be known as "Nebraska Sons." It is desired that all students above eighteen years of age,' born in the state, send their names to the president for membership. 87. Mr. J. Schofield, is soon to leave the unviersity again. While here he has been engaged upon a systematic study of plants and especially those of the salt well at the iv;t!ofiice. Next summer he will devote himself to a syste matic study of the Arichhida in general and these of the state in particular. Besides this, same of his time will be devoted to the development of Solatium tuberosum. 89 A. F. Woods, assistant botanist at the state univer sity, told a few of the things that he knew about the fungus diseases of plants. This is the first time Mr. Wood's has appeared in public but he was very favorably ieccived. Indeed he made such an impression that after hts'tplk he was