New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-22
THE VJCTORY.

The victory of Yale in the great football
match was not only witnessed by thousands OF
spectators. but will be hailed with pride and
gladness by a far greater multitude Of mature
and sober men, whose interest in Alma Mater
has not vanished with the lapse of years. 1t was
a splendid triumph of training skill and physical
development and it will tend to increase the
interest in field sports in the colleges. Had the
game been won by dishonorable trickery, or by
brutal violence in disregard of rules the influ-
ence might have been different. But a fair and
manly struggle. won on its merits by superiority
of discipline and training and brains will slim
ulate the pride of an army OF collegans to emu
late in future contests the deeds OF 1891.
For this precise reason the triumph will be
regarded with regret by those who consider that
too much of the time and thought of students is
already given TO athletic sports. Undoubtedly
these are many in number, and conscientious and
sincere in their belief, and they have the best
interests of the students at heart. The number
of them has apparently decreased very much, rs
experience has shown that physical training does
not in fact lessen the average OF intelligence
in mental culture or development, but does tend
TO secure more vigorous and healthy physical
condition, which powerfully aids the student in
his studies and in after life. Nevertheless. this
class of directors remains, and with more or less
earnestness endeavors to combat the tendency to
devote too much time and and attention to sports
TO the exclusion OF the more serious work OF the
colleges That this evil exists, so that instructors
and parents have constantly to guard against
it, no candid observer will deny, and because OF
it Thousands are inclined to condemn athletics
altogether on the ground that the various sports
constantly tempt the young to over-indugence
therein. and to neglect of serious duties.
But the same objection may be made to almost
any form of enjoyable occupation ct the mind or
the body. II can be abused, and the enjoyment
tempts to excess. Because there are always
some vino yield to the temptation, must the
physical training be forbidden or depressed?
Eating is enjoyable, but it is possible for the
young man with a healthy appetite to eat too
much. Society is enjoyable, but it is quite pos
sible for the young man to enjoy social oppor-
tunites 50 much as to neglect his work. Those
who wish the repression of athletics certainly
overlook one of the chief benefits. and possibly
the most important benefit, derived from par
ticipation in active field sports
These sports train the body, and that is some
They develop will, pluck, endurance, the power
of attention and concentration, and the power
of self-denal as to a multitude of enioyments
and excuses in order to attain excellence No
part of young mans training can be more
important than this If he sets himself to keep
in frst-rate physical condition he has constantly
TO restrain appetites and passions which it is OF
the first importance to him in after life that he
shall be able to restrain. II he is brought into
sharp competition with his fellows, in field
where pluck and courage and resoute will count
for more than Drawn and muscle, he gets train
ing in those very elements of character which
will make him valuable man. Training OF the
mind is much, but the nerveless and timid
scholar who has no discipline in self-reliance, in
decision and resolution and pluck. will count Tor
nothing in the world against man OF stronger
character who may have far more OF his mental
equipment yet to gain.
Pleasures generally carry pers with them
But the highest development OF character does
not come from asceticism. Denial OF all pleas
ures through fear of temptation is only an aban-
donment of the effort to acquire that power OF
self-restraint and that training of the will with
out which the highest mental faculties have al
| ways proved comparatively valueless.