COLUMBIA.

Harvard's Challenge Accepted-Feeling at Columbia-The Foot-Ball Season and its Lessons-Local Items.

With the coming of Christmas Columbia seems to be a little less lethargic than she has been during a greater part of the fall. The news of Harvard's challenge created quite a stir among us and the matter of its acceptance was very widely discussed. There was a large element opposed to acceptance, and with reason. The desire, however, to make Harvard understand that Columbia is no mean rival, which, judging from expressions of Harvard men in the past, that high and mighty institution seems to think she is, overcame the opposition and the challenge was accepted by the unanimous vote of the students in mass meeting assembled. The race in June will show what the probable result of last year's race would have been had Harvard remained at New London. It is impossible to forecast the result but I have no hesitation in saying that if our crew is in as good condition next June as it was last July, Harvard will have no easy task to take the colors.

The result of the foot-ball season has not made us proud. We have a clean record-of defeats. As far as the championship is concerned, the result was satisfactory to us. We have not been overwhelmed by the courtesy of any one of the contestants this year, and we would have been perfectly satisfied to see any one of the three leaders disastrously defeated by the others. It is a matter of congratulation for us, I think, to have had the experience of the year past. It will teach Columbia a lesson, not to believe too much in any one of the three self-styled great universities who consider Columbia as a mere nonentity because her students do not happen to bunk together.

At the annual meeting of the boat club the following-named directors were elected for the ensuing year: A. B. Simonds, '73; J. T. Goodwin, '76; R. C. Cornell, '76; F. S. Bangs, '78; R. H. Sayre, '81; H. R. Muller, '81; A. H. Van Sinderen, '81; J. A. B. Cowles, '83; A. Z. Walker, '83; J. K. Bangs, '83; J. A. Chauler, '83; C. A. Painter, '84; J. M. Wainwright, '84, and G. S. Robbins, '85. Prof. J. H. Van Amringe was also elected a director of the club. The officers elected have already appeared in the HERALD.

I owe the entertainment committee of the senior class an apology for hinting at a possibility of a failure on their part to provide a successful entertainment. Judging from the preparations made by them the affair will be a great success in every way. It will consist of a reception held at the Brunswick on the evening of January 17, 1883.

The Glee Club has been reorganized and is now in working order. There is abundant material for a first class club this year and there seems to be a much larger lung power around college than at any previous period of our Alma Mater's history.

A philosophical society was organized at Columbia on December 16th. Rev. Harold Arrowsmith, '76, was elected president, and Prof. Archibald Alexander, secretary.

Fortunately the tower of our new law building, on which is to be our observatory, was open on Dec. 6th, when Venus took her skip across the sun's face. The winding staircases leading to the top were crowded all day long with students desirous of observing the transit through Prof. Lee's equatorial refractor. Your correspondent ruined his constitution by a climb along with the rest of the eager star-gazers. He was exceedingly disappointed with his observations and obtained about as much satisfaction as he would had he gazed through a sheet of smoked tin.

The trustees have finally decided upon a name for our main college building. For a time it was known as Anthon Hall, which name however failed to find favor in the eyes of the powers that be, because it was suggested by the students. The trustees having expressed their disapprobation of that name the building for a time was known as "Anonymous Hall," "Flunkers Flat" and "The Hole." Much to our relief it has finally been christened "Hamilton Hall," which is certainly high toned and will look well when engraved upon the invitation cards of college receptions.

T. CARLYLE SMITH.