The suburban citizen., 1901-10-26
ATHLETICS OF FIFTY YEARS AGO.
Loss Training at tho Colleges Then Than
I'm the Present Time.

Loss Training at tho Colleges Then Than
I'm the Present Time.
1t is a constantly recurring question
whether college athletics does more
harm than good and with the opening
of another year the whole ground VIII
be doubtless traversed once more. Per
haps one reason why q more definite
conclusion has not been reached Is that
athletics does not mean the same thing
to all persons. The student who is
made to carefully observe his diet to
undergo a particular course Of train
ing and treatment, who is made TO
gather up all his present resources ana
even discount his future in order TO
be lust in condition to meet a given
and unusual demand upon him IN
given time, is no doubt an athlete, and
perhaps the one who viii figure most
conspicuously in the public eye ana
win most enviable laurels 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 to broaden and deep
en- the vital currents, and not dam
them up to be drawn upon for a spe-
cial purpose and exhausted when that
purpose is accomplished.
This is not saying that the athletics
having special reference to strenuous
intercollegiate contests may not be a
benefit to our colleges without seri-
ously injurlng 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 reasonable amount Of atten-
ton and regular periods to the deyel-
opment Of his body, he is not likely to
overstep the line that divides safety
from excess. When he is engaged in a
contest which involves his own repu.
tation or that of his class OF college
or all three, he is like Horatius at the
bridge; he spares nothing. The point
or prudence is q dead point in his
vision.
A member Of the Yale class Of '53-
q famous class by the way, both physi
cally and mentally-has compiled some
statistics showing that after the lapse
of almost half century, the survivors
number 1929 per cent. Of the whole
while Of the twenty-seyen students
who took part in the Yale-Haryard
boat race, 55.55 per cent. survive,
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 no
admit that it, affords justification Of
the training methods Of today. L
SAYS that lin the earlier days college
athletics had more Of nature and spon
taneity and less Of science and arti
fciality. There were no hired train
ers, but the boys prepared for thei
races in sensible way and did no
faint in their boat or 60 to pieces
through nervous strain OF curl up ant
l,cry Historically when beaten"
If no injustice has been done in thi
implied contrast then college athletics
meaning thereby the kind that is di
rected exclusively toward lnteicOle
giate contests, has undergone degener
alton so far as its effect upon the in
divldual is concerned, however mucl
it may raise the records. But in tn
broader sense athletics has won
place as a part Of educational ecenom,
that cannot be taken away. 1t i
bound to broaden and be accorde,
more honor and value than even at tn
present time. 1t recognizes featur
of development which has been sadl,
neglected in previous generations. l
is making stronger and better equippe
men and particularly is it making
stronger and better equipped women
Those who proceed according to re
tional system and with rational an
permanent purpose ought to furnis
fifty years hence even higher record
than that which now distinguishes tn
Yale class Of 1S53.-Boston Transcript