New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-20
RULES FOR C0LLEGIANS.
BrO5cn Conference TO See Overhaul
ing of Eligibility Code.

When the Brown cenferepce-that sernf-annuaI
meeting Of faculty representatives from the col
leges Of the East which Yale does not attend
holds its session this spring. the question OF profess
sionaism viii come in for a more extended dis
cussion than It has perhaps ever had at the hands
OF that body. The hitherto Unquestioned clause In
the college code. that any prior professionalism
shall forever bar a rsan from participation I'm COL
lege sport. IS being honestly and seriously
questioned by many Of the faculty representatives
who have had the most experience with the ath-
letics Of their universities.
After years OF bubbles Just how much a
man must receive to make him a professional Just
how Old he must be before he be Judged as
having been Old enough TO know better, and thou
sand and ono points Of similar kind. several Of the
members Of tho conference have been asking them
selves Of late why man should b debaTred At all
Tor having taken money for athletics. This year
there supporters for both sides OF the question
whereas before there has been little thought o;
advancing the slightest plea for the who had
been proved q professional before he entered col
lege.
The principal supporters OF the open system
that Is. OF allowing any regular student 70 play
IN games at college no matter whether or not he
has received money for athletics not before he
entered. in his vacatOn-wiu be the representa-
tves OF Brown and DR.. Edgar =. Smitl, or penn
sylvania- Dr. Smith throws all MS doctrines
Of former years. for hs long very strict against
professionalism Now, after long years Of fighting
for the strict enforcement OF amateur rules at
Pennsylvania, DE-. Smith has declared that he be-
neves that because man earned money by play
ing ball he should be more refused the night 10
play than should a who had earned his money
tutoring or working IN a IN his support al
ready stand several OF Harvard's alumni who have
been on the Crimson athletic council
They all agree in proposing the following simple
solution Of the whole college eligibility question;
Every man must reside year in college before
he is able TO represent It. and all other matters
Of eligibility shall be left TO the sense and dis
erection OF the authorities OF each college
In commenting on this question one man. who
knows the inside OF present college athletics saidi
They might well make some such rule, Tor
there Is no use discriminating t6aIist SnS HoIsS
who played on state league team IN llS stLilst
TO get money and az the same time saved Mh1L re
the rest OF the year. as to support himself at
colego-that man cannot play on coi4Gge n!4e
a professional Yet it IS absolutely true that there
is not big college in this country, one or Two
money for being bell boy in a hotel for clerk
ing. or what not but he gets the money all the
Why. what's the OF talkins7. There IS one
man ia the colleges today Tor whom = sumner it
captains college in the faI-in fact, his brother
at junction on the train they had both been trav-
cling on. The next day or so he was surprised 70
an entirely different college, where he played last
fan as a star on the football team =, - ..,,..-
who cannot play ball because they We're members
OK the AIudvIue County League, while i man who
has a programme or advertising privilege on
the college grounds. which ne got because he IS
an athlete, and which pays him well. Is allowed TO
be IN fun standing.
But II the Brown conference IS likely to relax
or discuss a relaxation Of tho rules on profess
sonalisrn there is another matter which either It
or tho academic authorities OF the various colleges
Will take up before long with the idea Of making
Il moro strict This II the system OF Identification
at examinations.
The following Is a statement Of facts
There IS in one Of the colleges to-day wei
known athlete who entered the institution In the
fall Of 1872 on a certificate setting forth that ne
had passed the examinations. lie had not passed
the examinations. however. but had hired a MEM
Der OF "a Philadelphia medical school. Who was
college graduate to take the examinations for him.
There was trouble. In fact, Il was cheap, for
re got admission 20 a well known university Tor
tho pHltry OF $50.
Il Just happens that this man was an athlete. Il
has happened. and probably viii 20 on happening,
"a al TIE large colleges IN tho cases OF men who
are not athletes. And the fault seems 70 be with
the colleges IN making It easy matter that IL Is
almost a temptation.
Already the deans % tho various colleges have
been discussing the question, and there i5 likely
be adopted some scheme OF identification. such
Is photographs, In the near future.