The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-12-10
ATHLETICS OF FIFTY YEARS AGO.
Less Training ut the Colleges Thon Than
in the Present Time.

MILE liOo Or FlF Y lSRhS hIOs
Less Training ut the Colleges Thon Than
in the Present Time.
Il is a constantly recurring question
whether college athletics does more
harm than good and with the opening
IF another year the whole ground will
oe doubtless traversed once more. Per
1aps one reason why a more definite
conclusion has not been reached is chat
athletics does not mean the same thing
% all persons. The student who is
made TO carefully observe his diet. TO
Undergo a particular course OF train
ng and treatment who is made 10
gather mp all his present resources and
even discount his future in order to
be just in condition 10 meet given
md unusual demand upon him I'm
given time. is no doubt an athlete, and
perhaps the one who will figure most
conspicuously in the public eye and
win most enVinbls lRurels for The time
being; but so also is he who exercises
vigorously and systematically for the
benefit OF his body, as he studies In
like manner for the benefit OF his
mind; who aims go broaden and deep
IN the vital currents, and not dam
them up TO be drawn upon for a spe-
clal purpose and exhausted when that
purpose IL accomplished.
This is not saying that the athletics
having special reference to strenuous
intercollegiate contests may not be II
benefit 20 our colleges without seri-
ously injuring in the long run those
who take part in them, but the pur-
poses in the two forms of athletics are
not identical. When young man de-
votes n reasonable amount OF atten-
ton and regular periods TO the devel-
Opment OF his body, he is not likely to
overstep the line that divides safety
from excess. When he is engaged In
contest which involves his own repu-
tation or that OF his class or college
or all three, he is like Horatius at the
bridge; he spares nothing. The point
or prudence Is dead point in his
vision.
A member OF the Yale class Of 80
famous class by the way, both physi-
Cally and mentally-has compiled some
statistics showing that sitter the lapse
OF almost half century. the survivors
number 1929 per cent. OF the whole,
while OF the tWenty-seven students
who took part In the Yale Harvard
boat race. 55.55 per cent. survive, n
very excellent showing considering
that these former athletes must now
average above the psalmist's three
score and ten. But the Sanitarian.
which discusses this record, will not
admit that It affords justification of
the ira ming methods OF to-day. II
says that lin the earlier days college
athletics had more of nature and spon-
taneity and less OF science and arti-
tciality. There were no hired train
ers, but the boys prepared for their
races in a sensible way and did not
faint I'm their boat or go TO pieces
through nervous strain or curl up and
cry Historically when beaten"
II no injustice has been done in this
implied contrast. then college athletics.
meaning thereby the kind that is di-
rected exclusively toward intercolle-
gate contests. has undergone degener-
aAon so far as it's effect upon the in
d.vIdual is concerned. however much
~ 'ASJ lA4St NAc ACCOluS' DuI III lHe
BROADER sense athletics has won
place as part Of educational economy
! that cannot be taken away. 1t is
| bound to broaden and be accorded
more honor and value than even at the
present time. 1t recognizes a feature
| Of development which has been sadly
neglected in previous generations 1t
Is making stronger and better eouipDpd
men and particularly is it making
sJSonger and better equipped women.
Those who proceed according to a ra-
ti0nal system and with rational and
permanent purpose ought to furnish
hity years hence even higher records
tEan that which now distinguishes the
Yale class OF 1S53.-Boston Transcript