New-York tribune., 1876-07-28
COLLEGE, BOATRACING.
AIFTTTE FROM DE. McCOSU.

A LETTER FROM DIR. MCCOSH.
A DECREASE or PUBLIC INTEREST FORTUNATE-THE
GAMBLING SPIRIT CONTESTS BETWEEN ISDI-
VIDUAL COLLEGES BEST
To the Edttor Of Thc Tribuns
SIR: am truly glad to hear that the fever heat
about college rcgat,as has far subsded, and that
people are now able to consider and talk about the
matter cooly. II is surely desirable that there should
now be some understanding among college arthori-
ties parents and thoughtful students as to secure
all the enjoyment and benefit to be had from college
boatings without the evils with which they are ut
times accompanied.
| confess that | am n good deal swayed in my
opinions and feelings on the subject by what /
know Of the evils which have flowed in England
from the contests between Oxford and Cambridge.
There are people in this country who are apng these
great colleges. not in the high scholarship which
they produce Lr. ;n the evils which same of their
idle youths have o,crcd. The boating contests be-
tween oxford ami Cambridge are accompanied with
all the evils of horsc-racinG. They bring together
AL the blacklcgs Of the country, the idle students
from the colleges, tile scum of the great cities, aud
all whose business il is to tempt youth. Except the
Derby there is no scene in England which congre-
gates such wickcdncss | have couycrsed on the
subject with large number Of the great men of Ok
ford and Cambridge. and they freely admit th" evil.
When | asked "Why, then, do YOU not prevent 1t =
their answer was that il had prevailed 80 long that
il was difficult for the college authorities
t. interfere. Now | am very unwilling that The
American colleges should institute what in the
couIsc Of year, viii become like iuiqulty. ] am
quite aware that We have not had in Saratoga any
such scenes as are annually presented IN the Oxford
and Contradictions But already do We find it
announced Il quote from 1rE ImUuNE Of July 20:
There was more interest manifested ln The races
Yesterday AZ the Turf ESchaugc than at Johnsons
or Mors.,ys. though pools were SOLD 20 each plac"
for an hour or two before the start Then follows
the number of tickets sold in the French pools at
the Turf Exchange at Joh'soU'-. at NouIscys.
These are significant intimatiou, am told by COM
prtcut witnesses that any one keeping sharp cye
on what is doing may sea gambling going on here
and there aud everywhere. pr. Cuycr seat a state
fncnt to The EraaJst Last year rs go the number of
students who won't 10 MouiS,ry's sufficient 10 lead
every parent to inquire whether he should expose
ii, son to such temptations.
Let me not hr misunderstood. lapprpyr Of boat
ing. Iapp.oyc of college boating. No co!lre" ~
America or many other country has done more han
Princeton r. encourage healthy gymua,tIc exercises
Of every sort. few of our college friend, have
devoted ,o thi, object $4,000, and know not ho"
much more ! mean 10 continue 60 favor manly
.ror, of every kind. aud ;iis even 10 opposition G"
som, of my good friends, who dis1pTioNr of Wha'
have done. You viii NOT make young men religious
or moral ly denying them sports; Only wr must .rr
that the sport are ~ the IjgAi kind. But tie Nly
circumstance tha, have been fAyo.iug the" g'm-
n.-c exercise. make ID more .r- !u'c Ih securing
that they do moi lead Co mischief.
A. / urdcr,taud. Amherst College did not join the
Saratoga regatta at It's institution. Yale Withdrew
some time ego. Harvard hn, now withdrawn. il
j. q favorable time ior reviewing the whole .nhoci
Of intercollegiate gymua,fic contcsts ! believe
there i, a way Iu which al the good which these afc
fitted To convey may bo secured without ia" evil
Let every collcl,-if II chooses. have crew and
boatiu. Let the diFiduul college, when they s'e
Ht challenge each other. and c; then have contests
at cxpcdicut times, not interfering with the courses
Of study. Thee contests viii bo held near ihe col
lcgcs and under their eye. In such circumstances
there Will be- tlc or no gambling, aao IT II app ar
one year il can bee made To- disappear The next such
quiet cont .s'7 viii not call forth such 'ngios,ins
interest 9ud passion %, to interfere "lth i"' proper
work Il the students.
Tb, cuc,-iou :, often put % me whether these col
lcgc gymulstir- tc,d 10 foster immortality. can
answer uuhc,iia'ingy thai rioy do not, hen they
are kent lndcr the eye of the cpil'g and within
ANYTHING Ike duc bounds. Again, II Is asked
whether they interfere with the studies Of the
young men. have 20 reply that i'm some cases they
do ,O, though by no means in all. They 1t" 80 "h'h
the excitement is carried too far. There arc young
men in our college, whose ambition II Is from their
Freshmen or Sophomore year, onward. not To earn
academic hunors or To become scholars, but to be-
one of conqucrug band at base ball or boating
and receive the empty cheers Of thousands OF spec
tator,. who will never benefit the youth whom they
thu, help to spoil. College professors and tutors
perceive that these youths are thinking oi their
game, in their study hours and in the very rocia-
tion rooms and aro thus far losing the good ior
which they were sent To college by Their anxious
parents and guardians. All these evils may III my
opinion, bo avoided hy proper understanding be
ing come 10 at tins time, when these contests have
come 10 crisis. Ly the colleges and friends Of the
colleges including parents and students, coming 10
a proper understanding. JAMES MCCo'H.
Philadciyhia, July 2G, 1876.