The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-23
Ritlllllulld Dlspalfll
Trr , 5, I. J. !. i. IL %, 1874
The school Prizes.

The School Prizes. q
We take great interest in the prizes OF l lss
schools, There Is nothing Ike what y called
generous emulation, and The loyeliest or 1,l-
mon, 81 soutb is the cbaplet That adorns the
brow Of the victor in The studies or The trials
Of physical energy. The Greess and Ro'
mans gaye to these contests classic beauty
4 the scholsr can never cease to admire. Their
moraI influence lives TO our tunes, and Is
flesh and fragrant as a newiy-blowr bed Of
q roses.
The contests at Saratoga recently were 10
the line OF the trials OF manhood which have
ever Inspired the spirit Of youth; but there
were pecuiiari,ies about them which VIII not
show so brightly upon close Investigation.
= They were conducted with too close regard
to the rules and regulations of the profes'
siorai man, and discussed too much IN the
way of the struggles amongst less ambitious
and less refined people than were supposed
TO be those who entered the lists ior
the palm Of honor. Hence the dis.
cussion "a to the terms and the time Of
starting, SO often postponed, bccame fati'
guipg and disgusting. They were calculated
10 put down the contestants to aleyel when
is, we are sure, beneath them. and TO de-
grade the honors Of victory TO the mean level
OF holiday achievement. Indeed, the cir
cumstances of the boosted Saratoga regatta
caused the contestants TO forget that they
were gentlemen, If they ever were, and they
degraded themselves 10y an ignoble contest
over the awards of tie judges.
Then the contest itself seemed to be 100
sensational, too much Of the spurt order,
ard leaves no weIl.grourded belief that IT
xviii be well. sustained custom conducted
under circumstances calcuIated to maintain
its dignity, and of course its honor. These
objections 10 The proceeding impressedthem-
selves upon our mind, and we should think
the collegians would do themselves credit by
attempting n future to avoid some OF the in.
cidents which were peculiar to the Saratoga
affair.
Two great objects are understood to be at
the bottom Of the public games, so to speak.
LIST, Health; I'd, Energy. The exercise, it
is assumed, is healthful, and the employment
of muscle and tact with the greatest spirit
and art is calculated to Undue the mind with
energy, ambition, and perseverance. This
j, right and practical; but where the means
to obtain the end d. sired are carried too far
ADD made too public, the ambitious scholar,
proud of the public applause, is in danger
Of falling q prey to professional passion
which may mislead the young mind and di-
vert it from higher pursuits to the lower ann
bition of excelling in the struggle for tri-
umphs merely physical in their nature.
Therefore it is our opinion that generous
contests amongst the students of the col
leges would be better for being subjected to
some limits that would restrain them from
being too broadly and too publicly brought
to the level with contests of mere muscle,
that may be offensive, or rather detrimental
to refined and properly modest sense of
propriety, which should always be cherished
in the youthful heart.
We especially object to the very sensa-
tional character of The contests among the
northern scholars. Exhibitions which rest
upon such excitement cannot last long.
They must be tickle and unsu bstantial.
We are strongly in favor of The games that
most of the schools aud colleges of the day
patronize. They are good for health and the
Of the manhood of the scholar.
On the College grounds they are highly oene-
6,ssI The contest on the nearer waters is |
also excellent, but the regatta in the sight OF
m,ny thousands adds nothing to their good
effect. Indeed, we are admonished by DC
currences of sensational contests that
those who engage in them are in
have died from oVer'eX-
ertion and others bave been a1hicted
for life With the effects of overstraining in
close contest before the public. Therefore
conservative restriction should be put upon
these trials for the sake of those who enter
the lists. The good effects of the manly
sport can be secured without it. They can
be ACQUIRED without bursting blood-vesse
or bunting that yirtuous regard for pro-
priety and decorum which are such bright
ornaments Of the true man and so commend
him to the generous respect of his fellow
beings. :
We hope to see all schools, from the nor
NAL school to the college, persistently en-
couraging manly exercise and generous rival
nv in all things that may contribute to the IN
formation and health of the young. But we
trust that they will all secure their benefits
under circumstances that may not help 10
diminish the just pride and the proper amo''
ton OF those submitted to their care.
The Gentle Lakeland.
wo GRO NIT IN ha b,,rdened with the cast