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THE HESPERIAN
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as they do, the same floor, are more or
loss of a limitation on each other. Large as
the floor is, and well-suited for gymnasium
purposes, it is yet too small for drill, and
the, entire floor must be cleared three days
each week for drill purposes. The wall
space, so useful for chest-weights and kin
dred apparatus, is so completely occupied by
gun cases that there is not oven room for a
leader's platform to stand against the wall,
but it must bo hauled high above the floor.
Almost all tho apparatus is of an old and
clumsy type and needs to be replaced by
that which is modern. The vaulting bar is
ricketty, the horse cannot be raised high
enough for many lines of useful work, the
parralels are too short for double work and
not easily adjusted. Even if it were all
new, tho supply is much too scanty for class
work. A new and large supply of mats is
almost an immediate necessity. Many of
those now in use are of local manufacture
and fast passing away.
The bathing facilities were never intended
for such hard service as is now required of
them. At first baths were furnished only in
special cases, but now they are open for one
bath a day to practically all tho students of
the University. Early in the present school
year a door was cut through from the young
women's locker room to the bowling alley,
thus giving the young women access to the
bath room, and providing also a much
needed addition to the dressing room space.
But this added another burden to the already
overtaxed water supply. Tho extent to which
the baths are "used may bo seen from the
statement that the monthly bill for the wash
ing of towels at one cent apiece varies from
$20 to $45. The capacity of the water heat
ing apparatus needs to bo at least doubled,
and several new baths should be added.
, A locker room, ' 15x10, with ninety-six
lockers in it, and more than one-third of
these only a square box high above the floor,
is an absurdly scant provision for even the
large number of students who are regular
members of tho gymnasium classes. Most
of tho large lockers have to hold the clothes
of two people, and when two classes are
going or coming the little room is jammed.
The same need of lockers and dressing room
space applies to the young women's depart
ment. One of the dreams of the future is a run
ning track suspended between roof and floor.
Running with light shoes on a hard, flat
floor is very tiresome for the feet. Tho gym
nasium is particularly well adapted for a run
ning track. It could easily be suspended
from the beams overhead, leaving room
enough underneath for drill, and there would
be an abundance of light. A good running
track is a never failing source of pleasure
and profit and is essential in winter prepara
tion for spring athletics.
One thing which never fails in our gym
nasium is tho uniform good nature, courtesy
and willingness of Janitors Uhl and Best.
The present facilities are due largely to
the cordial co-operation and interest of the
executive, and are as complete as the money
vat disposal has permitted. Much is being
accomplished with present facilities, but
moro could be done if these were increased.
The needs then in tho order of urgency
are: (1) New apparatus and mats, (2) in
creased bathing facilities, (3) more lockers
and dressing room space, (4) a running
track; (5) separate places for gymnasium
work and drill.
A LITTLE BOTANY.
With one hundred and twenty students en
gaged in laboratory work in botany, the fa
cilities provided seven years ago are now
found to be entirely inadequate. "When the
legislature of 1887 made provision for the
erection of Nebraska Hall, which was be
gun in 188S, the rooms then planned were
ample, and for several years there was room
to spare. The floor space is sufficient to ac
commodate fifty students in laboratory work
without undue crowding, and by sandwiching
the work of different students (a bad plan al-