The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-02
PUBLIC COMMENT IMMODERATE.
Gases nro Raro Where College Boys
Neglect Their Studies l. Healthy
Bodies and Healthy NIinds-A Talk
With Prlnccton's Tlgers-Expres.
sIoas ocopInlon by Leading Players.

the field.
If be foot bali that makeg such men
as those Princeton foot bail play ers,
then lot us have foot ball. There can
be no improvement on these gentlemen.
On Tuesday was granted au inter.
view with DR.. Patton, president OF
Princeton college, in which he expressed
himself concerning the much discussed
subject OF loot ball.
DR.. Patton, who breaches moderation,
spoke his thoughts moderately, but no
less positively. lie expressed himself
as pleased to say word on the subject,
in view OF the present state OF public
opinion. He said he spoke without
bias, for he said he had seen neither
game nor practice, and had little know
ledge Of the matter outside OF its re-
suits. These he had the most perfect
opportunity to view and remark upon.
With these results, so far as they affect
ed the men, he was worry well satisfied.
He believes in foot ball. He referred
to it as game demanding an alertness
Of intellect almost equal to the physical
prowess required.
The president OF Princeton feels that
public comment on the brutality OF the
game is Immoderate. He feels that the
public disparagement OF it has been as
incorporate as the public's former
ecstacy, and that neither ground was
quite judiciously taken. He states that
loot ball properly and in fact occupies
but comparatively small part OF the
| college mind or the college year. He
| asserts that while some Of the most no.
table Classmen have been Indifferent to
sports, so also have some OF the most
notable classmen been athletes and foot
ball players.
He also contends that many men en-
ter college nowadays who would not do
so at all without the athletic incentive,
and that from such n point of view
alone the athletics OF the hour are de-
sirable; that anything that induces
young men to attend college is valuable
IN itself.
He said thoughtfully, with some little
lines deep between his eyes, that come
when he reflects: "Ihese men are not
children, to be switched into tho way
they should 90. a college cannot be
managed by the personal rule that
might be applied to families. They are
gentlemen. They are reasoning beings
with some right to make judgments as
to their personal responsibilities. Most
Of these men know them selves to be re-
sponsible for their regulations as gen.
men, and it is the exceptions! man who
does not take very good care OF his good
name.
"You deal best with such by showing
as much nationality as you expect TO
find in them.
"rhe public made foot ball thing OF
worship in the beginning. This has
brought about n certain excess in the
game. The publc's equally Immoder-
alto criticisms may bring about happy
medium, but think it not quite just
to our splendid fellows. who are apt to
be reasonable when not intoxicated by
the peculiar adulation that was at first
shown them. These men are not
brutal. There can DO no fault found
with them save in instances when, for q
little time, in the hurry OF coming
game, they don't always attend to their
class work, and when such instances do
occur it is the fault OF the individual.
"Ward, the ful-back, is a single ex.
ample OF what foot ball player can do
in the arrangement OF his time. Ward
happens to be an honor man, and in
and out OF the foot ball season nothing
interrupts his student pursuits, Theirs
are others equally devoted"
In conversation with Professors Will
Einz DHAfnasAH UtlukF 80
marked, en- PEASANT, that those who
failed to recognized personality in the
football boys aside from their field ex-
PLOTS Judged somewhat ignorantly.
That some OF the most valued men Of
the college were football men.
Professor Fine stated, with emphasis,
that the scholars stoop has disappeared ;
that the weakling was no more in col.
lege; that athletics had brought such
grinders Of students out OF themselves
and added more robust mind and
frame TO such.
The hour for my interview with tho
football players was appointed by Mr..
King, through tho Kindness OF Tren-
chard and the courtesy OF the other
men.
found the men in their clubhouse,
resting from their secret practice. The
door was fast, and caution guarded
every point OF observation.
Clergymen and missionaries seem to
be especial products OF foot ball, by the
way. SpliCer, now with them, told me
that he intended to become minister.
Cowan, OF tho team OF so, will be re-
membered Us afterWard becoming q
missionary. At the time he was pic
tured, in newspaper, as among the
cannibals, running in with three or four
OF them OIL his back, US he had accom-
plished Just that on the field while car
rying the ball. Fate had worse than
cannibas in store for Cowan. however.
He went to Missouri. He became q
devoted, active, homo missionary. So,
too, did Wilmington, an old and ia
nous player.
Scholarship was about equally repre-.
sented by the athletes whea athletics
began to be strenuous part OF college
life. Paine, who was Il great base ball
as well as foot bail man, was Ms remark
able in scholarship as in the field, being
one OF two in the ablest ten.
Butterworth, Yale's full-back, is, like
Princeton's full.back. Ward, fine
student. So is Hinkoy. Hiukey is
peculiarly silent man. With this rec.
ord OF scholarship keeping pace with
great physical excellence such as has
come to tho college men OF the time,
we have no example OF the anaemic
student left
of n foot bali game could not be les
sened. King said: eyes; they are les
sened with every advance OF scientific
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