Our first task, a pleasing one, is to welcome the host of freshers who have now had a fortnight's experience of their new life. The entrance into a University is very casual, and a certain detached feeling is inevitable. You have idled in strange corridors; you have been badgered by officials of strange societies ; you are probably feeling a little lost. It is rather galling at first, but you will soon settle down and begin to make yourselves felt.

It is here more particularly that our benevolent "Smad" would offer you advice. It is a tendency among freshers to devote themselves solely to one subject—usually work. Do not attempt to specialise at first. A wise love of culture will carry you far ; a blind following of knowledge will see you damned as a dull dog. Get to know your fellows anywhere ; the best place is the playing field. But all play and no work brings an equal curse. The solving of the difficult problem of how much time to devote to work, to club activities and to athletics, lies with each undergraduate ; we suggest that in your first year you keep an open mind and take an intelligent interest in as many University activities as possible.

Turn we now to Student Thought and Ourselves. Last year, Student journals in New Zealand as well as other activitits at V.U.C. had a somewhat chequered carreer. The College Authorities found it necessary to institute an inquiry into College affairs, both within and without the lecture rooms. Such inquiry disproved the allegations made by correspondents in the daily Press. Only last week at a meeting of the Court of Convocation, splendid support was given to present students in their efforts to preserve their right to Academic Freedom.

When we defend our rights to this precious privilege, as old as the University system itself, we must bear in mind the responsibility such a privilege bears in its train—we must no nil in our power to deserve what we defend. Well has it been said that absolute Freedom of Speech is an impossibility unless we grant also absolute Freedom of Action. When we criticise, let us define our terms and understand first at what we gird. Reasoned and constructive criticism moulds a nation; irrational and destructive railings destroy it. "Smad" then, as the articulate voice of this College, should give an opinion of peculiar interest upon affairs in general. The Editorial policy, therefore depends on undergraduates as a whole proving intelligent, thoughtful and critical in the best sense of the words—words which have been sadly misused of late.

Perhaps this is an ideal to be aimed at rather than achieved, but we do not think so. We believe that "A man's reach should exceed his grasp." We have enough faith in University Education to believe that there are a sufficient number of undergraduates who take writing seriously enough, and who use their brains, for us to reach within measurable distance of our ideal, and even attain it.

We emphasize that we can do this only with the whole hearted support of our contributors. We hope that the bright features of the past will continue—we leave well alone. But we do want writers of articles to be more interesting—be provocative if you can. There is one article in this issue which is deliberately provocative ; if it gets people's backs up sufficiently to cause serious consideration and a reply, it will have achieved its object. Club secretaries may well send in brighter reports instead of the Sunday School efforts of the past such as "Mr. Mudlark gave us an interesting and stimulating address," "The Draughts Club has had several successful tournaments." We want as much as possible of "Smad" to be enjoyed by the average undergraduate.

Every issue of "Smad" which fails in that purpose cannot be construed otherwise than as a reproach not only to the Editorial Staff, but also to every undergraduate of Victoria. We cannot escape that Challenge—let us answer it and answer it nobly.