New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-26
"NATTEG THE CAME"

VITA large part of what the New-York State
Superintendent of Education said the subject
Of football TO the Massachusetts Teachers As
sociation yesterday there will be general agree
ment, we think. outside OF undergraduate cir
cles, and even there 1t viii not wholly fail to
command approval. One Of DR. Diapers opin-
ions is not unQuestonably sound. He said
of the sport as It is at present conducted
that 1t breeds loafing, gaming and drinking"
OF course, the implication of this assertion is
that football specially tends to produce those
evils. for otherwise it would not have been fair
II bring an indictment against the game on
their account. But we do not believe that the
charge can De proved. or that there is much
good evidence which even tends 10 support il
In the past football has been badly married
by professionalism. the steps which have
been taken by the leading universities 10 rem
edy the evil clearly show. 1t is generally ac-
knowledged. however. that there has been a
great improvement in that respect, at least in
This part of the country. ard the disposition is
10 stiffen rather than relax the safeguards and
raise the standard still higher But some grave
faults which DIR. Draper points out seem to be
Increasing rather than diminishing AS we have
said many times, the sport is carried on at too
great cost and chiefly for that reason too much
IS charged for seats at the principal games
Thousands OF students are painfully aware of
that fact, though they may shrink from com
planning. the large receipts on which it is now
safe 10 reckon encourage the practices which
make them needful and so the evil fourishes
The scale is too elaborate the players become
willing victims Of too much notoriety and the
relation OF academic interests IS disturbed As
for the style OF play. apart from the methods of
management. our conviction IS that TO make
mass and impact the chief reliance is a mis-
taken policy. though II may prove temporarily
successful. 1t certainly diminishes the interest
Of the game and probably increases the risks.
We do not approve Of fussy interference In
the affairs Of students, but If the objections to
a sport which has much to commend ii are
frankly admitted by competent Judges, as we
believe they are, then college authorities are
bound TO do their part toward removing them,
and we consider these suggestions OF DR. Ora
per's sound and wise:
Let hope that the great universities will
serve the good cause OF physical prowess and
strenuous sport in all the schools by saving the
game. II they request. the rules will be changed
so as 10 make the game more omen and attrac-
tive, less hazardous and unseemly. A un!ver-
Eity direction that none shall represent IL but a
matrfculated student in residence n year would
very nearly settle matters. Tnsisfence that the
gate fees shall be at a rate which does not dis
crirninate against great numbers who love the
sport and want 10 follow the flag would be good
preventive medicine.
1t IS probab bly, the hope of the university an
thorities that such reforms as these will he
gradually brought about through the action of
the students, and be the more firmly secured
because voluntarily adopted, but we do not