The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-20
THE ATHLETIC CRAZE IN ENG
LAND.


ed master of Pembroke college, Oxford
has availed himself of the prize dstri-
button at Cheltenham to utter a protest
against the modern craze for athletics
Returning to the university after many
years of absence, he realizes keenly
what change has passed over the spir-
it of the place in the last quarter of a
century. A college, he says, is more
proud of a man whor oWs in the univer-
sity eight than of one who gets double
first. The censure applies not to any
particular college or university; it is
generally true throughout the country.
tirst-class match at cricket or foot
ball, the boat race or any athletic dis
play, draws larger and larger crowds
every Year; the accounts occupy more
and more space in the newspapers, the
results are blazoned in bigger letters on
the bills of contents, and are more rau-
cously yelled In the streets by the ven-
dor of the Special. This is done be-
cause nothing pays better except, per-
haps, a sensational murder. The peo-
pie love to have it o; but whether it is a
healthy symptom may be doubted.
Rome was not in the plentitude of it's
strength when the cry for Panem ct
Circenses was the one demand of the
democracy. We are, perhaps, only
passing through a temporary phase
but that does not make the warning less
needful. Mankind. at any rate in this
country generally progresses crab fash
ion, not straight to the goal, but with
wide excursions, first to this side then
to that. In the earlier part Of the GEN.
fury too little may have been thought OF
athletics, when prize fights, bul-baiting
and the like We're the chief diversions of
sporting men. But we have changed all
tht. The youngest schoolboy knows
that a good innings will bring his name
into print, and if 1t be record" one,
as we saw the other day, will make him
a hero for day or two, more than any
of prizes or scholarships A.
senior wrangler may be accorded
dozen lines and is straightway forgot
ten. A distinguished blue" to vary
the old nursery rhyme, will have the
music (of paragraphs) wherever he
goes.
The bishops complaint is no novelty.
Schoolmasters have been uttering it for
some time past, though they themselves
are not wholly blameless in the matter
many of them having been engaged
quite as much for their skill in games
as for their intellectual proficiency Tu-
tors and professors at the universities
have in this respect less checkered re-
cord, but public opinion is too strong
sor them. and, so long as the craze lasts,
hose who are best aware of the evil can
10 little to stem it. We do not for one
undervalue athletics. They
rave their place in education, but they
lave been lifted above it by the present
dolatry. They develop the muscles in
'rease physical strength, bring out
number of valuable qualities. They
rave also a moral value. To be able to
light a losing battle, to curb vexation at
icing Worsted in an honorable contest, is
worth learning, but they sometimes do
more than this A life Of training is one
f self-restraint, and has helped to keep
many young man from vicious prac-
ices 1t is good thing to be able to
scorn delights and live laborious days"
ven If the motive be not the highest
'ut III tue Wolh VI me tle Dfaln IS need
d even more than the muscles.
AS DR.. hutchinson truly said. muscles
ever ruled the world, but mind did and
ways would and when nation placed |
hysical enjoyment before culture of !
lind, it had started on thu down grade. |
lie boldly declared that this was the
ase in Oxford. Absolute idleness is the |
REVEALING fault. Perhaps he takes
lightly pessimistic view. In our uni.
ersities, as everywhere else, there is,
s there always hsa been, frivilous
ass-men who have more money than
rains, and regard a butterfly life as
le one thing to be desired. But butter
les are always more in evidence than
nts 1t is, no doubt, unfortunate that
lind and muscle are more widely di-
orced than was formerly the case. 1t
one of the results of specialization
owing, cricket, athletics generally, de-
and more time and attention than
ley once did, and the standard of in
llectual succtss has also been raised.
ut excessive muscular exertion tells
gainst brain development. so that we
nd men distinguished in the schools or
Tripos less often than formerly among
e wearers of the blue" Parents and
tors will be wise to keep asking the
nous question, "And them" Of the |
pirant to athletic fame, for when
,uth is past, pots and paragraphs will
poor helps in the strain and struggle
l