Navigating Nighttime

LIGHT. How long, oh ! how long, are we to be kept in the dark?

We do not like to complain, but the present state of the Halls at night should be looked into. Darkness as black as Erebus prevails every where. Locomotion is dangerous, and many a time and oft have we staid in our room, which is on the top floor, rather than attempt a passage to the earth.

We are even deprived of the light of the moon glinting through the windows, for the passages run north and south, and the rooms are on each side of them, so not a beam penetrates the buildings. We do not know whether the Faculty are under the impression or not that our organs of vision are possessed of that remarkable property belonging to the feline eye, but if they do so think; we beg to inform them that they are greatly mistaken.

There is a good deal of passing at night among the students from room to room, up stairs and. down stairs, and it is only by groping along that one can find his way. There have been several accidents already. One man has fallen down stairs and injured himself so seriously in consequence, as to be obliged to have a surgical operation performed, and be confined to his room for more than a week. Numerous noses have been smashed, and a Senior has almost killed himself by running violently against a brick wall when he thought nothing was there. Not a week passes but some one is hurt in these dark passages.

We are somewhat resigned to being killed off slowly by the state-house excavation and the wintry blasts that sweep through our rooms, but we object decidedly to dashing our brains out against the bricks and breaking our necks on the stairs. The Faculty should see that every passage is properly lighted, or else we may be again saddened by the load of a fellow student.

It will be of little expense to place a light at the head of every staircase, and it may prevent some fatal accident. If the Faculty do not take any action in the matter, let the occupants of each section see to it. A few cents apiece will purchase a suitable lamp, and it will be no trouble to keep it in order.

We hope the subject will receive speedy attention, and that in our next issue we shall be able to chronicle the presence of the lights.