The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-07-03
COLLEGE ATHLETICS AS A
SCHOOL or DISHONESTY.

We are suffering from acute athletic
mania. A day when more people
attend base ball games IMAM
churches, when the professional
athlete is sure of q better income IMAM
the average minister or teacher, Wnen
CROWDS of twenty to thirty tnousanu
people will pay more freely 70 gee .
match than to read BOOK, does not
take anxious thought for the morrow
when it will awake. 1t Is time some,
thing should be said on the moIai
aspect of the case. ANY sehslpie
person would prefer to see young men
devoted to sports rather than 10 alssi.
patron. The ground for criticism 10
not that there ia too much interest In
ath,etIcs. but that dishonesty is Taught
nv athletics in the very institutions
which should teach honesty and honor
the colleges and the preparatory
schools.
Take the simple matter of eligibility.
The provisions governing amateur
status and the scholarship require
ments of menu ers OF college teams are
very precise, but they are not carried
out in absolute good faith. ANY man
who has ever been upon Doaru vi
athletics knows only too well the emu
less wrangling which prevails netween
colleges over this point. Inc sltuat'on
Is undoubtedly better than few years
sincesbut not a season passes tnat
prominent colleges AMI universities
are not charged with practlclng
deception in conceallng racts, IN
changing records, or in surreptlousiy
offering financial Inducements 20
promising athletes. The serious
element in the situation is not tnat the
matter is public scandal. ana deroga-
tory to the educational lnstltutlous'
though that in itelf is bad enough.
Worse than this disgrace is the fact
that young men in our coilegs are re
being taught that 1t Is premissloie ~
Hvade specific laws until some one
objects. Any man who listens TO inc
Conversations of college students
CONCERNING the eligibility OF contes,
tants in inter collegiate meets. Will
na convinced that 80 far from being
trained to sensitive honor they are
heing trained to look wise or to laugn
of consc,e ncaless cleverness. special
niaading and training in ticKery are
not lessons that should be taught
men who are to, be molders OF OF pupHc
opinion.
The matter Is possibly worse IN the
case of preparatory schools. Every
taocbar Knows that one OF the most
ssrious educational problems OF tne
day is that of athletics In sucn scnoo,s;
Rows ought to play games and oughs
e. have their athletic contests OIL
cartons sorts, but they should not De
sorced into training, or be carried al
over the country to complete In great
;ntar. scholastic meetings. But THIS IL
Les serious than the moral dangers 10
r,h;ch good athletes in secondary
schools are exposed, from the influences
hyon0ht TO bear upon them to attend
so,na college. Some such influence
~ Iavitimate, hut decentralization 10 the
;navitable outcome of the underhand
rnethods deliberately useo by men VINO
would resent bitterly any accusation OF
TER honesty. No body can maintain
high ideals in life who directly or
;nSirectly is offered secret inducements
In the way of board, scholarships
large wages for little work, at some
coll,,oe where he Is needed on some
Fam College athletics are most
assirable sources OF college loyalty,
Int as long as they lead to sucn
proceedings they must also no oranaed
= occasions Of bribery.
y
II ia not mere loyalty to ones col
lere that leads to robbing boys IN
sosoois of their honor and honesty.
Hsc~ of all college, athletics - the
.rscter or the gate receipts. Without
tssm there would be no training
tsb,es no coaches with exorbitant
wages, no army Of rubbers, no extray ,
~gsnce in expenditures. no quarreis
large gate receipts are ~, rn,ai ing
amateur eport ana contaminatihas
college and school athletics. 70 pe
snre of them, college must WIN
games. To win games one must senu
smissaries with words OF money sno