It was formerly the custom for the instructors in themes and forensics to reserve books in the English Alcove, which treated in a more or less direct manner the subjects given out to the students in these courses. Within a year or two, this practice which was often very advantageous to the students has been entirely given up, and the students are at present obliged to seek for any information upon the subjects of their themes or forensics which they find. Often the library contains a book which affords special facilities for obtaining a good idea of the subject. If this were placed upon the reserved shelves it would prove useful to a large number of men, but under the present arrangement the chances are that it will be taken out and kept out by some lucky man to the misfortune of the rest until the time of its usefulness has passed. Besides this advantage, the instructor is usually able to select the books which treat the subject in the most satisfactory manner, thus saving the students the trouble and time which would be expended in reading through works which do not grasp the matter in hand.

These and many other advantages are so obvious that we are surprised that this custom has been allowed to die out. It is, perhaps, too late to do anything in the matter this year, as the greater part of the work in themes and forensics has been finished. There are still, however, several themes and one forensic yet to be handed in, for which some books might advantageously be reserved. We hope this matter will be considered by the various instructors and acted upon favorably, if not for the rest of this year, at least for next year.