Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-05-21

boys, who had not ventureu u lu,el'
fere either way. and then, turning
around slowly, he went out Of the room
without word.
When he was gone, the team had q
stormy meeting. The members were
mad at Edward, and at the same time
they were not able to overthrow alto.
gether his reasons for refusing to play.
One of the two players who had sided
with Edward at first at last yielded
and consented to go out Oh the propos-
ed trip. But the bitterness reused by
Edwards refusal was shared by a
great many of the students. and 1t
made him sore to see and hear evil
dences of this bitterness in very many
ways that fall and winter.
1t was Friday Of that week that
President Royce gave the college his
first plain talk on athletics. Once a
week in chapel since his induction into
Office he had given the students chap
ell talk. These talks were beginning to
receive good attention, although ut first
not even the presidents general popu-
larity could sweep away a great deal Of
the irreverence that had become hab-
it at Hope college during chapel exer-
cises.
Even this morning, after several
months of the presidents masterful ad-
ministration Of affairs, Edward was
impre ssed as ne never had been before
~r,tt tI,n In <,q nd fne,
shown to the president during the read
ing of the Scripture, the prayer and the
singing. Something in the presidents
face and manner had reminded him Of
their talk in the office, and Edwards
mind was directed especially to the col
l6ge exercises
He was annoyed during the reading
by the sight Of a dozen members OF his
own class who were studying not only
during the. Bible reading. but also dur
ing the brief prayer. At least half Of
the students, it seemed to Edward.
were either sitting with their class
books open on their laps or whispering
together while the exercises were going
forward. 1t made his blood stir for the
first time In chapel, not from any reli-
gious reverence he himself had for the
chapel service, for he did not have it,
but because his admiration and re-
spect for the president had grown SO
strong that it seemed like gross in
suit to him that the students should
pay him so little respect at such time.
He could not help wondering If the
president himself knew how much
studying and irreverence there was
during the chapel service and what he
would do about it in case he did know
its full extent.
But if the student body had paid lit
tie attention to the religious exercises
of the hour there was no lack of eXcit-
ed interest on the part of every one
when the president announced his sub
ject for the chapel talk to be The Re-
lation Of College Athletics to the Rest
of the College Development"
He had not definitely put himself on
record as he now began to do. And
over the faces of many of the students
and even the professors a shade of eX-
preston deepened as the president
went on and made his own position
very clear.
Il believe in athletics" he said after
defining the term as it was applicable
to college, and every football player in
college could not help admiring the
manly form that lowered up on the
platform. During my college life l
played football and baseball and en-
oyed the games. believe in encour.
aging the athletic spirit in Hope col
ege because | believe healthy, vigor-
Jus physical life must always go hand
n hand with a vigorous mind and
|pirit.
"After l have said all this heartily
Ind gladly must insist on definition
" college athletics that puts it in its
proper place in college course. 1t |
'ught to be evident to every young
nan and woman in a college like ours
hat the main business of our lives
while here in this institution is to de-
'elOp the best all around men and wo-
'ASh pocSfbhs, SSpSSltlliy VII tuc olue VI
Intelligent Christian character. Let me
ay 1t frankly, this development could
go on just as satisfactorily ii
ootball were not played here at all.
We could easily find and use Aother
orms Of physical development that
would take its place. But it would be
impossible to find anything to take the
lace Of the intelligent, intellectual
christian training that you are here to
ct. In other words, you are not in
bis college to play football as the first
r even the secondary purpose of col
,ge course. You are here to make Of
men and women such as the
'orld needs to make it a better world.
This definition of the object Of col
,ge course puts athletics in subordi-
ate place. and rightly so. The minute
he sport side of college becomes so
Emphasized that the intellectual side Is
eglected or underestimated that min.
tie it is out Of proportion. 1t is assum.
lg more than it's share Of students
me and thought. So whenever a
anne like football In college becomes
means Of money making to carry on
thletics it is demoralizing. Or again
henever the game demands too much
me from students studies or re.
aatedly breaks into his Sunday rest
a III, t.. l. Gel - = l