addressed
the freshmen.

The latter learned that in athletics especially the rivalry between the
two lower and the two upper classes was intense. It was hardly possible,
of course, for any of the freshmen, and for few of the sophomores to
gain positions on any of the first college teams in basket ball, rowing,
tennis, archery, or other important activities of a physical nature.

All athletic sports, which included, as well as those named above,
running and jumping and other track work, were under the direct
supervision of the college athletic association. All the girls could
belong to that. Indeed, they were expected to, and the fees were small.
But for a freshman to show sufficient athletic training to make any of
the first teams, would almost seem impossible. They could get on the
scrubs and possess their souls with patience, hoping to win places on
the first teams perhaps in their sophomore year.

However, there had once been a girl in a freshman class at Ardmore who
succeeded in throwing the hammer a record-making distance; and once a
freshman had been bow oar in the first eight. These were targets to aim
for, Miss Dunstan, the sophomore president, told the new girls.

She was, of course, a member of the athletic committee, and having told
the new girls all about the sports she proceeded to advise them about
organizing their class and electing officers. This should be done by the
end of the first fortnight. Meanwhile, the freshman should get together,
become acquainted, and electioneer for the election of officers.

Class politics at Ardmore meant something. There were already groups and
cliques forming among the freshmen. It was an honor to hold office in
the class, and those who were ambitious, or who wished to control the
policy of the class, were already at work.

Ruth and her friends were so ambitious in quite another direction--in
two, in fact--that they rather overlooked these class activities. The
following day actually opened the work of the semester, and as they
already had their books the trio settled immediately to their lessons.

They were taking the classical course, a four-years' course. During this
first year their studies would be English, a language (their choice of
French or German) besides the never-to-be-escaped Latin; mathematics,
including geometry, trigonometry and higher algebra. They had not yet
decided whether to take botany or chemistry as the additional study.

"We want to keep t