Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-07-31
Brains, Biceps and Boating.

the students. lheN We're spiritually ncFrf but
physically mild. and the chances were that if
You smote one of them upon the cheek, he
would turn to You the rear Of hi earthly taber-
naclr AMI mcekly remind YOU that his kingdom
was not Of such. H. was good hut 1t wa- a
sort of >ckly goodness, that gave 10 all hi
life a iaundiced hue. and hi race gradually
died out
Muscular training has not only become an
important consideration in what we call the
finish Of education. but it has become pur
suit and business in the average college. We
suppose the new growth Of Harvard was
chiefly due 10 the prestige Of her iriumphs in
various manly games. Especially amer her
victories Al bali and boating, and her plucky
venture with the best blood Of Bytain, she be-
came the sum and centre Of the new idea Of
collegiate rcnown; and latterly thi, plan Of
glory ha, been adopted all over the land, cul-
lninaiing in vast tournaments that have sunk
into complete in>ignidcance the ordinary sport
ing events Of the country.
Ii We are 10 perform on the irapeze. We must
lit for it. which requires that peculiar forma-
tinn that takes up the flesh growth. the blood
growth. and makes all into AN abnormal
and 80. generally. with the athletic profe>
bat college life suggests no speciality Of ex-
re>-iyr muscular training. and therefore should
neither encourage or allow H.
And now L.; "a, analy2c for one moment thi-
question OF mu>cuariiy in the Springfield
races. Clearly mere manly Development
li not mean ANYTHING there. The kind Of
muscle that counted ON that memorable oc-
r.l~ian was the Kind that carried the pool-scll
ius and IA, glory of winning. \ great many
hopbc think Harvard actually beat \ ale. but
th' latter got the glory. and the former ar
under q cloud. WIN: Because thew arr not
manly. plurky, and even muscular TO tn
ls,t d gree: Oh, no, They didn't manage il
WIZ about Tho line 4, the finish and then
a-.an. they didn't have the "Oxfard stroke"
All, thai splendid oxford stroke said the
specialized Professor. wasn't 1t gloriousy''
NOW. gentlemen of Tho Manly school. do
N'u mean tp SAY you keep YOUR eye on manly
Development. and are not going mad in th,
"fuu. direction: II 50. wis throw overheard
Isur Eowdoiu: Never were hrsNor heart,
u.s,r ieur finer /. rIu>. never clearer develop
m.nt Of physique. or better balance Of irl,
itA-'tf'h 4i.tts tAi''t-i tal'h iiAla'f
sleliou>iy th.v lid not win-whai, The prize.
AMI the shouts and tho pools! They viii live
r- long. thy VIII have "a good health. the,
.,r' th' patterns If grace and form of effort
''r' iHf ~rors al reasons i; may h,--bad posi-
'.u tlink lA.y-thpy cam, out = few lengths
tshind. Who h'Ii'eo- they have not q, much
H.miy Development D. thcy ought to ,tand.''
The above extracts. from an article IN
~. >1's. are fair sample Of much that
is now written on the subject of ply steal
culture in colleges. The starting poln,
seems % be-. the natural procliyiiy to
-umhlc. People often labor under the
deiu~ion that the only way to appear
knowing. j, to find fault.
Exception might be taken to some OF
che compositions" in the article referred
ta-i9r instance. that in regard TO the
.s.--.,h harvard. Now the "ncW
growth must be due to some new in
iiGcnce. Where shall we look for il: To
lIaINard'- skill at the bat and oar: Her
boys have been proficient with the bound.
Ing sphere" in baseball and cricket for q
quarter Of q century at least, and bel
aquatic honors date back twenty year,
But this new growth" had its beginning
within half that time, and must be at
troGted. 50 far as il was not shared b,
other colleges. 10 the changes and i'm
rfovement> introduced by the energeti,
President Eliot.
something. too. might be said about al
apparent incoherence In the article III,
editor iuveighs first against an "abnorna
mu>cUiarity, such a. must be developed
ia order 10 success in boating,-and ther
implies that the victory in the late regatt:
wa- won by i certain shrewdness in man
a@cmcnt. Which is II that Is objected TO
J. X the former: If the writer would con
-ult the statistics in regard to the boating
men. lie would see that their -.biceps.
which hc places in contrast with brains
were not 50 extraordinary after all. Nor
az the arms were under than over lively,
inehcs around; merely an ordinary size fo
an athlete. l. it the management that i.
80 Objectionable: Then the TRADE i
groundless, for there was a surprisin.
Lack of management.
But TO speak briefly about boating il
general l. not the present wide-awake
active spirit of the colleges. ten times bet
ter than the sickly. lackadaisical spirit
which. according to the State. characterize,
them few years ago: Now the boatin.
men in college are a small proportion o
f.s4 l..l
u point OF scholarship and character A
a whole. We venture to say that they ar
the better for their training; physically
the culture j. not OF special muscles
exercise. strengthening the arms chest
trunk. and legs: morally, because. Will,
some Of the oarsmen are distinguished fo
correctness and studious zeal. there ar,
others whose Overlooking animal spirit
would lead them into mischief and dissi
patton. And some Of these are sure L
turn their superfuous energies in tn,
direction OF boating when, therefore. the,
are IN training, as they are for months
'heir habits must be regular, and III,
-it'ththtti1e vi tfluhti- saloons and tho
haunts of vice, is ont of the question. And
on the whole, they will be benefited
mentally as the result OF health and correct
principles of living. There will be ex.
ceptions, but this, We are convinced, is the
rule.
Why not throw up our caps over "pooI
Bowdon,' simply because she was
worsted. Her boys had more of ''abnor.
mai muscularity" than those of Yale or OF
Harvard; and ale aud Harvard beat her
because they had more than sufficient skill
TO match her greater muscle. Skill and
strength are the two factors of bodily
proves; and both are gained by practice,
We believe that the college spirit of to.
day is vastly in advance of what it was in
the pale-faced and specialized age of long.
ago; and in our school-day Latin, we give
the boys our hearty ''go-ahead :" naact
rirtHte este, pueri. W.