HOW ABOUT A CHESS AND CHECKER CLUB?

You’re right, old man, when you say that the recreation hours at the College are dull and uninteresting. You cannot be censured for beating it from College in the afternoon, and hieing yourself away to the “Virginia” for a few happy restful moments with your favorite “movie” stars. But you should not be compelled to leave the campus to find diversion. There should be amusements here for you. It is miserable weather; the campus is a bottomless swamp, and you, of course, cannot enjoy out-door sports.

What you need, then, is in-door amusement. Well, perhaps this may be created. It will depend upon some man with mosquito pep to push this—not some wishy-washy fellow with no mind where his hat rests. If a “Chess and Checker Club” could be organized, under the direction of the Y. M. C. A., a number of men like yourself would not need to spend the old gentleman’s hard-earned kale in order to enjoy an afternoon.

This club could meet in the Y. M. C. A. room, in Section C of Dormitory No. 2—that is, if the Y. M. C. A. should sanction it. There would be no roll-call, no definite meeting hour. There would be pipes galore, and, if the weed-lovers should wish, several cans of the favorite tobacco. There you could loaf, chat, read, or play checkers. Anybody could belong, provided he loved the “Red and Blue.” That makes us all eligible, doesn’t it? This was suggested by a member of the Faculty, who is most interested in students and student life, as he has heretofore proven. It is an excellent idea. Do you [v]olunteer to start something? The gauntlet is at your feet.

–The Collegian, University of Richmond, No. 7.  29 January, 1915

Collegian Newspaper Archives at http://collegian.richmond.edu.