New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-27
COLLEGE ATULETICS.

An editorial article in The Yale News COM
plains that newspapers and speakers at alumni
meetings pay TOO much attention to athletics.
practically ignoring the intellectual interests OF
the university. The Yale News" is a pubca-
ton which is intelligcntly conducted. generally
gives expression TO the best college sentiment.
and is as frank in condemnation as in praise
concerning persons and affairs in the college
world 1t has made no mistake in this instance.
Unquestionably too much attention, compare
lively, is paid to college athletics in newspapers
and ut alumni meetings. Our impression is that
The Tribune is much less open to censure on
this account than many of rs contemporaries,
but we are ready to bear whatever blame we
merit A considerable part Of the space which
we have hitherto devoted 10 college sports has
been used TO point out their Objectionable feat
ures and recommend changes likely TO prove
saluary. We do not think that this part has
been wasted, but perhaps we have misemployed
the rest 10 some extent.
We must insist, however, that we have grown
more and more conservative in the treatment
of speeches made by college graduates nj their
periodical dinners. for the simple reason that
these speeches. consisting principally OF dis
qulsitions upon the subject Of athletics, have
Ing. The general public gets pretty tired OF
being told how fields We're and lost. even
before the first OF the annual alumni banque;s
comes of; and before the long series ends deep
WEAKNESS sets in We are convinced. more
over that the general tired feeling Is shared by
large majority of the graduates themselves.
The experience Of the Yale Alumni Associa-
ton Of this city is suggestive on this point. Its
IL. Ill IoI
it used to be, and It's occasional reunions are
rat melancholy. And this decline OF interest
is in spite Of recent special efforts To arouse en-
thusiasm. Now nobody needs to be assured
that graduates of Yale are remarkably loyal to
their alma mater They love her profoundly
! and 60 to see her as often as they can But
unless we are greatly mistaken, they are disap-
pointed to the verge of irritation, when they
have assembled and met together at an annual
feast for The purpose of intellectual as we'll as
| physical expansion, 10 find most II not all Of
the speakers abandoning their themes as soon
| as possible and returning to tedious and some
times lll.tcmpered discussion of athletic events.
Probably it is just as we'll TO be a little more
explicit and say that the occurrences OF the last
| football season, and the name and fame Of n
young man whose misfortune it is to be more
closely associated herewith in the public mind
than anybody else. are no longer congenial
| topics at n Yale dinner. if they ever were. In
our opinion Mr. Hinkey has been m.sjudged
and slandcred. but II is neither a kindness TO
him nor Of advantage TO the university 10 ex-
| tend and confirm his notoriety. If his personal
friends would assist in retiring him TO private
life and 10 his natural place in the order OF
creation, they would receive 4 hearty vote OF
thanks. There are other subjects about which
graduates Of Yale would be glad 70 hear. and,
il they could get the chance, to express their
own opinions. And the newspapers. we think,
would like 10 Civ proper publicity 10 such dis
cussions for the pleasure OF much larger com
pany then can take part in them. The Yale
News is right. and hope that It's admoni
| ton will be needed.