The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-23
THE TRAGEDY IN FORD FAMILY.
Phase of Educational Training Which Relates to a Certain Marked De-
 velopment in Modern Life
Springfield Republican.

Springfield Republican.
 It is inevitable that the public mind should be deeply stirred by the tragedy possessing the high dramatic contrasts of the one which has come to the Ford fam fly of New York There Is no hope of avoiding publicity when life tendencies finally expire in the crack of pistol shots. The present case is tremendously nov ing not alone for its extraordinary dra- matic power. but for it's mournful de- monstration that the finest individual minds and souls count as nothing when entangled in elemental tragedy. Yet If nature seems to make cruel sport in her ruthless crushing out of the life of Paul Ford. 1t remains true that she again teaches the universality' of law and that Ike causes will produce like effects ev- anywhere. in whatever circle of life, for ever.
 Ones thoughts turn to the murderous brother. at such a time. in the effort to find some working explanation of his ter rible deed. Into family history and fam fly troubles no one would pry. It Is diff hcuit. however. to avoid the feeling. that the roots of the tragedy are to be found in phase of educational training which is not without its relations with certain marked developments of our modern life. Malcolm W. Ford was. in his time, widely known man. He had very un- usual powers as an athlete, and these he took the keenest pleasure in develop ing form the earliest years of activity in boyhood. This was his special gift
 
 music or drawing are to others highly endowed. It was as natural for him to run, jump and wrestle as for a duck to swim. Under the circumstances of his life, the special endowment that Malcolm had received wal perhaps his greatest misfortune. The family was highly iit- erary- and scholarly in It's atmosphere; and the father. very learned and cul- tured man There was no sympathy; it apears. with aMlcolm's passion .,r ath. letic prowess in the family circle; nor were his superb physical powers rated as something that might. In the absence of conspicuous tastes leading him in oth- CT directions. open to him a special work in life. At Is the lad was taken from school hy his father and placed under private tutors in order that his athletic tendencies, already so manifest, might be checked. That the boy in the years that followed. persisted in pursuing his bent breed b.terly disapp pointing to the father with the final result of a breach between them and the humliiating disinheritance of the son in the fathers will
 There apears in this history of the ed ucational training of Malcolm Ford problem. Ought such q youth to be al- together discouraged from developing in athletic lines If his tendencies that way are SO conspicuous as to really dominate his nature? It may be that the modern emphasis placed upon physical training as part of education. in all schools and institutions for learning. wodld have mod ified the course of the elder Ford toward the athletic sen had he heen in touch with It., The great development of ath- ietics in these days, so unforeseen by the generation of half a century ago. has opened up a laroe field for physical in structors and specialists in schools col leges. clubs and associations. and the work which they now perform Is h ghly valued. It would. therefore. be nothing unwise, or wasteful of a future career. if sports and 2 consuming interest in all forms. of rdily activity. were intelligent ly and pathetieally guided into the pro- fession of instruction in athletic and phys ical culture.
 The great danger to a youth so power fully inclined toward physical culture and competitive sports as was Malcolm W .. Ford is that he. will miss the no5ier fail 60 grasp its higher possibilities Of service to ones fellowmcn, Any man of Ford's position in life, so splendidly en- dowed and so finely developed that he may at an early age become famous and unrivaled as an athlete or an eNponen of any prominent sport Is in peculiar peril of sinking into a mere commercial professionalism or finding level at las: among class of sports" who touch nothing without degrading it. Our lead l ing college athletes face this danger con | stantly. There are many instances of university players who have injured their | lives by entering professional arenas un- der the great alllIrements of public mo- l toriety and high salaries. On the other nanu' the young man Wno. nelnE ara wn In this direction by excentional powers. bursues the course which Mir. Stagg now | the physical director of Chicago Univer- sity folowed-such d youth. instead of wasting his energies upon unsubsta mt ial things deyotes himself to high vocation in life.
 These reflections, which are merely sug- gested by some apparent aspects of the tragedy in the Ford family. indicate the supreme importance ot . proper education for youth of special types, and the vital need of parental sympathy with conspfc- uous talents in children. and an inteIii. gent guidance of the wholesome and nat ural development of those talents. be they largely intellectual or largely physical in their basis. There are few honest gifts cannot be put to good use. But if the attempt be made. with however good in tentions, to thwsrt nature. the ultima te results upon innocent persons may be shocking beyond all expression