The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-20
Am / Right?

- z
j versity made a significant state
ment at the meeting Of the Yale
alumni In Boston a week ago. He
held that control of athletic affairs
should not be vested in members Of
university faculties. His remarks, as
given in the Boston papers. follow
'The faculty should not be charged
with duties outside its sphere. 1t is
a mistake to give it any charge in the
social life Of the college; it is mis-
take to give it responsibility for regu-
lating sports by artificial rules trans
planted from another country, or to
have the faculty administer sports,
when by training and experience 1t IS
not fitted for this duty"
The deductions which are naturally
drawn from these remarks are so
broad that ii is to be regretted that the
speaker did not more fully explain
his views upon the subject of faculty
control Of college sports. 1t would be
interesting to know what occurrences
in college athletic affairs have con-
WINGED President Hadley that faculty
control is a mistake. 1t would also
be interesting to hear from him some
suggestions in regard to a plan for the
regulation of sports after faculty inter-
vention is eliminated.
TN the Middle West members Of the
i faculties exercise large amount
Of power in the regulation OF
sports. The Big Nine conference is
composed Of faculty representatives
only, and at all the leading Inscriptions
the faculty members Of the various
boards Of control--naen like lPatten-
gill of Michigan schlichter Of Wiscon-
sin, and Jones Of Minnesota VIZ
1 tual autocrats, especially in matters
. relating to eligibility. The point
raised by President Hadley is there
fore, of vital interest here, y
Theoretically the professor IS ar
i ideal man for athletic supervisor The
/ popular impression of him is that ne
4 will not allow his sense of justice to Of
i ;overshadowed by his patriotism ane
4 desire for victory; that his .administra
4 ton will be charac terized by absolute
i fairness; that it will be calm, judicial
I and lust, AS a matter of fact, thu
1 average faculty representative on thu
board of control of. a western uniVer
4 sity does not possess the qualltle
! named in such a degree as to exclt'
comment. Instances where instruct
; ors have forgotten the ideal Of clear
4 sport in the anxiety to win are com
mon, and~the executive ability Of tn
/ men who compose the Big Nine con
ference board has-to say the least
7 not been startling. $f
That. the conference has signall
t. failed in it's efforts ito keep out pro
fessionalism is admitted. Whethe
!, this failure would have occurred unde
I any system of faculty control is
7 question; whether it would not ais
have occurred under aiiysother sys
: tenn is another query which cannot b
t answered offhand. .zs.
$ ELIMINATE the faculty from tn
3 II control of atl11etics, and tn
e choice is left. Of gtudent J. contro
T control by alumni, ora mixture OF tn
), two. The average alumnus, provide
i. he takes a reasonable interest in tn
n athletics of his Alma Mater, is muc
/ better fitted for authority in tn
= branch of athletic affairs than the st,
: dent: He understands the inside
e, the game, while his Judgment is calm
e er than that of the student, and part
:, = san prejudice is not 50 likely to biz bi:
t his actions. On the other hand, I
! lis not likely: to feel the responsibility
,. of his position as much as professo
), Faculty supervisors have repeated
I'll prevented fragrant violations Of II
ezIletter and the spirit of the rules go!
e erning college sports, when studen
- and alumni showed a disposition s.
II condone the offenses. Altogether tt
% questions raised by President Hadle
o are difficult ones, and not lightly to J
% answered. 81.
II eraphin' after him. m. Bob he