New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-12
DIR. McCOSH AND FOOTBALL.
WHAT OTHER COLLEGE PRESIDENTS SAY.


VIEWS OF PRESIDENT BARNARD, GENERAL A. s.
WEBB AND vICE-CHANCEILoR MAC CRAcKEN.
The letter of DIR. McCosh president OF Princeton
College, suggesting conference OF the presidents OF
Eastern colleges to secure united action in regard to
the regulation of athletic sports among college students
has aroused considerable comment among the students
and faculties of the colleges The letter, it is
supposed was called out by the rough play in the
Thanksgiving Day football games between Yale and
Princeton and football is thought to be the sport that
DR. McCosh wishes to suppress. While many are
averse to football it is now played they do not
agree with DR. McCosh's suggestion Tor a conference
President Barnard, Colu nba, thought the object
desired could be secured equally well By correspond
ence.
at IS not necessary" he said, for Harvard TO take
the initiative, as DIR. McCosh proposes. DIR. McCosh
has already taken the initiative by his letter IN the
newspapers. 1t he had simply had the same letter
copied and duplicated by typewriter aud addressed
to the heads OF the colleges interested it would have
been all that was needed and would have called out all
the sug gesons and notifications necessary. Let DE-
McCosh now present such plan. do not see any
advantage como from conference OF the presidents
What they NAV determine will have more effect on
the colleges Individually than what may be reached
through correspondence and great deal OF valuable
time would be saved by writing thai would otherwise
they are played now and Harvard believe two years
ago put restriction the students in regard two inter-
collegiate games. Last year this RESTRICTION was
withdrawn. =.
$50 far az football is concerned the objection does
not apply to Columbia the students have no foot
ball team and have not participated in the inter-
col ciate matches The main reason, l suppose, IL
because they have convenient place for practice,
1t is only two years since they ORGANIZED baseball
nine and that game, think. ia hardly to be included
in the Objectionable sports which Dr. McCosh refers
When was boy at Yale played football, and then
there intercollegiate games betting drinking
or Marquis o! Queensberry rules but there were even
then broken legs ribs, and any number OF bruises
The classes played together but was rough enough
and dangerous The danger makes it fascination Tor
Young meh. The orly wav it should be played to my
mind is with platoon of police on guard to pull the
players apart when they get into knot and 70 carry
all sluggers of the ground 800
General Webb, president of the College of the City
of New-York, denounced empbatcally some OF The
college sports and among them football: u is the
most terrible, brutal play that | know Of" he
exclaimed any own boys never play game without
coming home bruised and sick. have thorght that
should forbid them to play the games, but 40 not
intercollegiate conference. am not so certain of It's
effect There is too much OF INDIGESTION among the
presto ens of many of the colleges; they seem to ne
afraid to speak out what they mean. This letter OF
Dr. McCosh to have good deal OF that spirit.
few wears ago there such conference IN regard
to college studies After great deal OF hemIning and
ha wing q decision was reached and Dr. McCosh was
appointed to present 1t to the delegation OF students
I remember that the delegations at out there as
nd
wished it and Dr. McCosh presented the action o. the
conference in HAND conciliatory sort of way. When
he through got no and said that his statement
was not the proper presentation at ALL as understood
it, Then told the delegation plainly and frankly
that we presidents of several colleges expected
from them an compliance with the rules of our
institutions, The students were not offended at my
painne.s They atterward elected me the president OF
their association
You do not favor a conference. then, suggested
| by Dr. McCosh,' the General was asked
al do not think" he replied, Il" that the presidents
need to be called to confer They should do tier
work home. where they have oil their influence and
where they control everything. have no advice 70
offer Others do suppose that could give any, If
shonld meet with such a conference In everything
relating to athletics in colleges there is not only
general supervision in my own part, but physician
accepts OF n detail to act as supervisor over the
training of the Young men. Ii there is not absolute
subordinaton the part OF the students to this
supervision athletic association will be recognized
by this office Every college that sends orh organized
parties of athletes sends TO represent the tone OF
the college, and that tone comes from the president OF
the college and MS support in the faculty." ;.
DIR. MaoCracken ce-Chancellor OF the University
Of the Ctv of New York argued more favorably upon
Dr. McCoshs letter, and the result OF his suggestions
il carried out. :" entirely agree with the first portion
of his letter in regard the evils that may arise from
collegiate games" said Dr. MacCracken, " but
am not quite certain OF the remedy tor them l
believe tue proposition made for conference OF the
seaboard colleges is good and it will be received
with consideration coming from the most venerable
and the oldest acting college president. The PROPOSE
ton is of the character as that extended by q
nation for an international conference THINK all
institutions would recognize call for conference
coming DIR. McCosh suggests, from Harvard. AS to
the result of anv action, that is another matter.
should be willing to abide by decision reached by
vote threconrths of such conference. suppos'ng
that the vote included three out OF tour 81 the largest
colleges. OF course. minority that included
Harvard Yale and Princeton would prevent any
satisfactory action being reachel but even then such
a conference would have its value.
"The smaller colleges like Williams, Amherst
Brown Wesleyan and this university are not so much
affected by the question of intercollegiate genes.
Harvard Yale, Princeton. Cornell aud the University
of Pennsylvania active in such matters. but
all OF Them believe, would be improved by an inter
collegiate code We have Football and baseball
team, and recently I attended match between the
Harvard lacrosse team and that OF our university
saw nothing in IT to dsapprove. was told that the
members had pledged themselves to abstain from IN
temperate drnks Not long ago attended baseball
match between Harvard and Yale freshmen. There
nothing rough in it, but should not care to have
son OF mine participating in such conviviai les late
into Saturday night as these yonng men atterward
engaged in. Nothing that l have known in college
athletics has been severely condemned as the match
between Yale and Princeto on Thanksgiving Day.
trust that it may lead to a remedy"