The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-02-08
WILDER'S PLAN
VOTED DOWN.
Sought to Abolish InteTCOI|e-
giai0 Athletics at Cornell.
FACULTY TOOK DECIDED STAND
After Spirited Discussion II Voted Against
the Wilder Resolution
WHAT ITS EFFECT WOULD HAVE BEEN
A DeaIh Glow 10 Football and Baseball and a
Serious Injury 10 Rowing and Track Athletes.
Professor vI.srs Contention

Ithaca. N. Y, Feb. S.-A serious and
well-organized attempt to prohibit
football and other intercollegiate sports
at Cornell was made at the last gen.
eral faculty meeting held this week.
After a spirlteS discussion and more or
less heated argument. "a vote Of the
faculty was taken which resulted In a
decided stand for athletics.
Prof Wilder was at the head OF the
faculty faction which favored suppress
sion of all intercollegiate participation.
He introduced "A resolution providing
that no permission be given students
TO take part in intercollegiate games
away from Ithaca, and that the assoc
Citations now engaged in intercollegiate
athletic work should be disbanded or
changed 10 take charge OF contests be-
tween Cornell students.
This resolution would have prevented
athletic competitions between Cornell
and the representatives OF any other
college. IL would have been the death
blow to football and base ball. and
would have seriously injured rowing
and track athletics.
Prof. Wilder has been waging an up
hill war on athletics of all kinds and,
especially football since 1876. when the
subject attracted attention. IL is his
boast that he has never Witnessed an
intercollegiate athletic contest con-
tributed "A cent for their maintenance
or voted to permit absences of any
team or crew. He possesses great
deal OF influence in faculty affairs.
ranking sixth in the faculty list i'm the
line of seniority OF appointment. lie
has spent great deal OF time looking
into the athletic situation, and Is just
as much opposed 20 football today as
he was a few years ago, before the
rules were modified Prof. Wilder says
in discussing the question:
To-day the obvious college represen-
tative Is the captain OF a successful
football team. The game is witnessed
by thousands at a high price. Great
newspapers devote columns TO contests,
which, in the total OF fury, bodily In
jury and bloodshed, surpass some pu-
gilistic encounters and approximate
war as practiced before the introduce
tion of gunpowder. The pendulum has
swung about as far as IL Can go. Brains
have given place 60 Drawn. \ whole
head is worth less than "A half back
Prof. Wilder believes that permitting
contests 10 take place away from col-
lege harm many students not actively
engaged in the contests. He considers
the escorts who accompany the teams
i'm grave danger of falling into vicious
temptations. as well as injuring their
class standing by being away from lee
lures.
In the matter of training Prof Will
der may be considered an authority. for
physiology in it's various forms has
been his life work. He says: II can
not regard the athletic i'm training as
a normal or even healthy human being.
He is rather an animal I'm "a state of
unstable equilibrium. with all his pow
ers concentrated i'm one direction, liza
BILE 10 collapse, and certainly unable
To maintain his condition permanently"
Prof. Wilder thinks the conditions at
Cornell particularly favorable for the
eradication OF intercollegiate football.
He believes that a gentler. healthier
sport will soon be found 10 take its
place. and particularly recommends
personal encounter in the form Of
wrestling. He does not believe that the
eradication Of football would cause a
loss In numbers 10 the university.
The student body is inwardly rejOic-
ing that Dr. Wilders ideas did not
meet the support OF the majority OF
Tne FACULTY. IN TACT the minority is
so small that those Interested i'm Cor
nelrs athletic future have little reason
TO dread seri GUS faculty Interference for
"a long time 10 come. IL Is believed.
however that the agitation will cause
the enactment of strictcr rules regard
ing athletic absences. Long trips. like
the one made last fall TO Chicago, will
also be discouraged