Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-12-11
NEW USE FOR FOOTBALL
Yale Instructor Applies the
Sport to Greek Verse.
GAME WITH HARVARD THE TOPIC.

DR.. II. d. Wrights Theory IL That
Football Arouses the Same Enthu-
siasm In Modern Youth That Events
Described In the "Iliad" and "Od-
yssey" Inspired In Men of Other
Days-Hearty Response Made tn His
Plan.
Football and the classics are being
combined in the course of Greek at
Yale. says a New Haven dispatch to
the Philadelphia Press. Nearly hun
dred poems recently written in Homer
ic verse on the subject of the Yale
Harvard football game were presented
by members of DR.. H. r. Wrishts
Greek classes.
The poems are closely modelled on
the "lliad." and special attention to the
use of Homeric epithet was required
Of the students Instead, however, of
references 10 swift footed Achilles''
and Ajax. who bore his shield like a
tower" ii was "Roraback with his
back sloped like mountain" and "long
headed, red headed Rockwell"
The poems were the result of plan
of DIR. ii. Il. Wright, instructor in
Greek, TO arouse the interest of the
students and to familiarlze them with
the construction of the epic verse. His
theory Is that the game of football
arouses the same feeling of intense
enthusiasm in the modern youth that
the events described in the "Iliad" and
the odyssey" inspired in the men of
former times. Accordingly he made an
offer of extra credit to members of his
classes who would present poems along
the lines laid down. The general and
enthusiastic response, he says, con-
firms him in his theory.
The offer was made after he had
tried vainly to interest his classes in
Greek. The language and lofty senti-
ments of Homer had no effect on the
majority Of the students, who seemed
unable to get the spirit of the poetry.
In trying to find contemporaneous ex-
ample of the feeling which inspired
part of the worlds greatest literature
he thought of the game of football.
Football is real and vivid to every
one of these men," he said in explain
ing his idea ut arouses the same in
tense admiration that is manifest in
Homer Rafferty,, Hogan and Shevlin
occupy positions almost like demigods
of old in the estimation of the under
graduates. They are not uniting sub
jects for heroic poetry; they have many
of the qualtications-stren courage
daring and brains. The battle is one
in which the strong of body. the quick
of eye and the swift of foot will tri-
umph. The poetry which have read
is very satisfactory and shows that the
men have caught the spirit | desired,
Many of the epithets are truly Homer
ic."
The following is part of one of the
poems handed in:
This is the noble array which Rafferty,,
mighty In battle
Led to the glorious conflict. under the
bonny blue banner;
Farmer. the mighty line hitter. low
smashing, firm as mountain,
Guarded the center back field: Metcalf, the
speedy, stood next him
Holding the line at his right hand, and
Mitchell stood hard by his left hand
Shevlin. whom Hermes, they say, had
given his wonderful sandals,
Guarded the far right wing, strong in
offense or defensive;
Rockwell the crafty, was there, close
behind Roraback center,
Whom Bloomer the mighty line smasher,
and Batchelder, strong as a bullock,
Aided on either side