The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-21
PRESIDENT ELIOTS REPORT.
mn TELLS HlRTARp's sTUDENTs
WHAT HE rBiNEs or <THLETICs.

Opposed % CeIis~s Fsotsan U.lsss ths
Rsiss Are Aussasa asa Strictly Eu-
Nsresd No Frsshns. Intereoussints
Matches or Rsess-O-s spsrt the ss-s
Hssr Esoush for Any stuss-t-An Cos
tests sho-is Oeesr o. College ereu-s-.
CAMBRIDGE. Feb. 20.-President Eliots re-
port for 1929 to the Board OF Overseers OF
Harvard University appeared to-day. In one
respect the report 10 unique. especially where
he has gone beyond the usual range OF sub
jects. and launched boldly into what IL per-
hsps the most complete and exhaustive con-
slderation OF athletics that has yet been made.
This IL what President Eliot says:
From the college or university point OF
view athletic sports are to be promoted either
as wholesome pleasures which do not inter-
fere with work or as means OF maintaining
healthy and vigorous bodies In serviceable
condition for the intellectual and moral life.
with athletics considered a. an end In them
selves. pursued either for pecunisry profit or
for popular applause. . college or university
has nothing to do. Neither is IL an appropri-
ate function for college or university TO pro-
vide periodical entertainments during term
time for multitudes Of people who are not
students
On examining In the light OF these princi-
pies the various athletic sports pursued at the
unlV0rAlty, u ClehTly appears InaL must Oh
them are not only unobj ectlonable lbut
positively servieeable. Tennis, rowing as
provided By the Weld Club. shooting.
hare and hounds. bicycling. bowling. and
the class work at the gymnasium
enlist hundreds OF students In Interest,"
ing sports on which there are no serious draw
backs The various sports called track ath-
letics are also useful. because OF the large
number Of students who take part In them.
They are not too absorbing or exacting to per-
lege life-hard study; and they involve no sac,
Iliice Of personal independence or personal
- In the highly competitiye sports which give
rise to exciting intercollegiate contests, name
have been developed in recent years some evils
OF serious nature. In the nrst place the US, IN.
That Ss % to
| by the principal crews and teams Is excessive
No sport which requires o. the PLAYERS NOR, more
| No student can keep up his studies and also
play his full part any Of thc: snort, as
to attend most Of his lectures or other college
exercises; but he rarely has any mind 70 give
| The public interest in baseball and football
money, both on collexe grounds and on public
| grounds close to New York and other cities
n ns %snss tSS; :r: : FS :Sss sp
| as Harvard and Yale there must be constant
.pa and spH
| sive. then. must be foolish and pernicous ex-
pep Heain an n" unWhoiesome desire for victory
! by whatever means. IN intercollegiate football
has perverted the Judgment OF the PLAYERS and
:;SsS. surprises. V and SsbItuai Violations the
.,.'es ofthe game as m cans OF win ming victory.
pnblic opinion. and the i'm m ediate pressure Of
/ Young graduates employed as coaches
nervous strain. and are brought to arduous
sse ses g. S ceSnSs i but il
wrought and even morbid l; 4, STATE s,,, rom when
the sRe .es Gee of tn.
game has made 1t more and more dangerous.
@atns .sod %Hrf ;. 't .a Ss
that the injuries sustained " football
p.ye are wsys i nsss and nGn
which football has been .unIusty com
yss15y Of one Is only n
other: Moreover. e should BE- distinsty under
stood that the to f0osbs in t thi; re-
IT'S risks are rordnate or shSes;iy Ss In eysry
OF open-air physical exercise in general among
for the great msiority Of students. It is a safer
curing an all round development OF the body.
the great development Of athletic sports at the
American COLLEGES within tho past ty-hve
Tss, Ss1. H stS..d aps YOUNG
greater respect for bodily excellence and a de-
to an si'ais ev. they %o.a os supP sns
all sins which weaken or corrupt ths
thsy 6ss
a nd Sificaitiss; they have Cultivated 70
| habit OF quick obedience and Intelligent sub
ordination: and finally they have set before
uncontaminated By any commercial value. and
which no one can win who does not poss ..s
The DISADVANTAGES Of athletie sports In
because they are in the main the results Of
wanton sxaggeration. and are not pssessasily
exaggerated. they interfere with. instead OF
clarifying and Ia Int mental ;It aesi w-
i 'h .n9 sSr' snd dun for the 'H fas
iisss. e the public: .saesssd and ,.' I'M
sport. and not Of Intellectual training; they
max. familiar to the student coarse public it.
10 training for lnteiisctusI service. and sub
lects him TO insolent and vulgar comments on
icai Excitement which too many Americans
strength anil depth OF passion, but Of feeble:
ness and Shallowness. and they tend to dwarf
1
| magnityIng physical prowess.
| The game OF football has other disadyAn-
| tAges peculiar to itsel. Being game which.
like boxing and wrestling. involves violent en-.
| counters between the players. bur In groups as
| we'll as in pairs. and being also game played
! by heavy men weo collide ut speed. 1t affords
| the spectacle OF exciting wrestlings, rush
ings. and collisions IN rapid succession,
| juTies in almost every ell-contested match.
| Injured players are carried on the field.
Substitutes take their places, and the game
goes on. Mere practice matches oner the
| players and OF hAhitual spectators are blunted
bY such sights. Moreover. the blazers. even II
| they never lose their seli-eontrol and pur-
| posely inhict Injuries on their opponents
| which. under the circumstances. 10 too much
| 10 sxpeet-must constantly take the risk OF
| hurting them seriously.
| No other athletic sport used In COLLEGES 70.
quirss OF the players this hEbitual disregard
Of the safety OF opponents In short. football
ali the comeatlys instincts ShsTeas the
Is the strength which IL associated with
| Rentlsnsss and courtesy. Tho senseless fury
| OF intercollegiate competitions has unques-
tfonably helR htsned these evils. To become