The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-11-19
Women and Foo ball,
 From Harpar's nazor1


 If training and custom have any in- fluence, the girl of this nineteenth cen- tury should possess strong nerves. The tendency of the age Is to develop mus cle rather than brains. and to effec. the athletic rather than the graceful. Nowhere is the fact so clearly demon- strated as in the college town, where one hears the word teams" used ince 'sant jv, and where to hint that one knows nothing of football Is simply to bring down contempt upon ones head. Fifty years ago college youth was given to sentimentality. He wore his hair long and he wrote verses, he took but little exercise, except possibly on his horse, and he was a student, or he assumed the manners of one. It was the fashion in college then for a man to be learned, and the valedictorian or the poet of his class was honored and respected. The sons of these men now wear their hair long, but for a very different reason, namely, as a protection to their heads, so that in playing the great game blows will fall upon them with less serious ef- feet.
 If it is imperative that our bows should have to go through all this train ing to obtaln that most tremendous virtue, "pluck," of which we near so much, let them by all means do so, but why expect us to witness the disagree able process? Why Is it not equally proper for women to attend dog-fights, or cock-fights, or prize-fights? Objtc- tiotls are often made against woman's adopting a dress which nearly resem- bles mans and also for boys and girls to play games together. It is ul Ged that these have the result of making the girl less womanly, and the boy less gallant; and yet these same superfem- mine girls are expected to enjoy any ex- hlbition of brute force, and to inspire a fondness for it, lending refinement to the game by their presence, and en- couragement to the player by their applause.
 It is distinctly "unfashionable" to cry down woman's presence on these occa- sions, but it Is point of view which l dIIl QullG CSllulH lIldIy WOltlCJl HULL I have been told by those who go regu- larly to the sports that they never look at the cane-sprees, or wrestling matches; they keep their eyes religious ly glued upon one spot remote from the scene of action: they go because they do not wish their male relatives to think them deficient in fortitude, bur they really, in their inmoSt hearts. do not enjoy it. Others have reluctantly con- fessed to me that it is altogether cul- tivated taste; that the first one [ two experiences were simply dreadful, mak- ing them feel faint and sick: but by schooling themselves to it. and by ire quent attendance, they had at last reached the point where it gave them great satisfaction and pleasure. Is it worth while for us to endure this pain full method for the sac of the pleasure which ensues? Would not our boys play just as well If we were not looking at them? And after all, is 1t womanly and sweet and refined and gentle for us to sit calmly and stoically by while possibly some boy is carried off the field, 8 poor, limp-looking creature, perhaps badly injured, we in the meantime join ing in the voceriferous aplause which greets the victorious side?
 If young women are becoming less romantic, less domestic. and more prog ressive and assertiye,, has not the foot ball game had its influence in this direc- tion? We women all worship in men courage and physical strength; and pos- sibly the men admire in us the qualities which they do not so generally possess. physical weakness and moral strength.