Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-03-20

Students, Athletic Ground Sold TO
the Railroad and Never Replaced

Students, Athletic Ground Sold TO
the Railroad and Never Replaced
What In Needed.
Special Correspondence OF Gazette and journal
NEWARK March 1S.-The students OF
Delaware College fud themselves in quite
predioament now that the season for
athletic sports approaches, because Of the
fact that there now exists no place or field
set apart for this purpose by the college
authorities. The students have for some
years been lsboring undsr extreme diff
cultieH in entering at all into those attn
letio exercises which develop the body,
which illustrate the truth of that classic
aphorism, "Mens sans in corpore sano,"
and which, moreover, hold such an APP
proved, legitimate and important posi-
tion in ell American colleges.
Athletics have, OF course, always more
or less engaged the attention and energy
Of the students but only incidentally as q
means of recreation and without any en-
corragement or corporation from the
oo,ege, Before the B g. o. railroad was
built the college owned about ak cores
| of land MT the rear of tho building which
was used for football, baseball, go. The
right Of way through this excellent sport
ing ground WAS sold to tho B & o. COM
psny by the trustees for 81, $40 and thus
it was forever ruin d for the purposes for
which it was originally intended and act
apart. Instead Of rein7eating this money
in other land for sporting purpuses Us
| should have been done the trustees de-
| voted 1t to oauoeling debt for purely
current expenses dawn in favor OF the
late millionaire, Colonel Fl. s. McComb
| Of Wilmington, who was then trustee
of the institution. As a result OF this sale
| physical development and athletic sports
were given DEATH blow from watch they
never recovered.
Every effort has been made to Induce
the trustees to provide \ suitable held in
return for that which they sold away
from under the RtudentG' feet, but all in
vain so far, because OF the "couservstism'
OF some Of them in thinking that athletic
training should have no plaos in any
wel'-rsgulaLed college add tho fogRyism
of another who declared it to oe all "tom-
fooery and humbugn The students
could, of course. do nothing but submit.
Now however, when the college has 90
instead Of II students, as was this case
three years ago, there has arisen an ablo-
lutte and impe alive need almost for more
land for athlstic AND militirP purposes.
LisHleuhLI DFoWh III uEltiAuR nlb wv
companies is compelled to use the from
campus which is filed with trees aat
other distractions SO that 1t keeps tn
cadets busy in lodging trees to escap'
having 'heir heads cracked by contac
with the trunks. The execution of man,
commands sre also impossible aud oil
this 10 10 doubt very exasperating TO III
privates as we'll as TO the officers sui
commander. Dnring last fall the student
wera indebted to James A. Wilson an,
William Il. Homswood who kindly per
mitted tho occasional use OF the Hons
wood Driving P ,tk by the studenta fol
football, 10. This, however, is o Ion,
way from the college and is not what i
desired by any means. The next meeting
Of the college trustees is to BIS held her
next Tuesday when it is earnestly hopst
By the alumui and students of the colleg
that some action will bs taken toward tn
lease or purchase OF land contiguous 4
the college and suitable for athletic an
drilling purposes.