Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05
ATHLETICS AND STUDY
ARE FOUND NOT TO CONFLICT AT
WEST POINT.
SUPERINTENDENT Favors Foot Ball, Base
Ball and the Contests With
Annapolis.

A L.,
West Point Military Academy, has made
report to the Secretary of War, In whcn ne
e,ves his unqualified approval of athletic
pastimes, such foot ball, base pali' etc.,
among the students of the academy as
tending to raise their scholastic standlhs'
instead of lowering 1t, as is contended by
some authorities.
."rhe differences between the athletic as
sociations of the naval and military acade-
mics" says General Mills, which for
time last wear threatened to result In
SUSPENSION of inter academy athletic Sports
have happily been adjusted. The superln-
fendents of the two academies, having
been requested to represent the respective
associations, agreed, after full consldera-
tion Of the subject to the adoption or
set of rules to govern the annual foot ball
game for three years, thus settling TOT thdt
period all questions at issue
IT believe the stimulus Wmch annual
| games of foot ball and base pail between
the two national academies give 10 am
letics at this institution Is most deslraple
one With no final competition at the close
of each athletic season to Whlch caoets
may look forward as something TO olnsen,.
ly strive for, athletic interest and spirit
must dwindle more or less and active par
ticipation will be confined to smaller mum.
bers The object of athletics at any school
fS not ONLY Its SOOO eject upOH tic pHy SiSei
development of the portion of the student
body participating therein, but also the
beneficial influence exerted over all the STU
dents by providing in hours of recreation
amusement and interest which will remove
from their minds for the time being all
thought OF books and studies. Each VIII
return to the more sober work OF ms NE
l.With renewed Zest and vigor, and the net
result In scholarship will invariably be in
creased over that which would have been
gained had the entire time been devoted to
books.
True Spirit Of Sport.
"While believing that interest in athletics
should be cultivated at the academy, and
that no one thing more effectually accom-
plishes this result than annual games OF
base ball and foot ball between the two ma
tional academies, 1 also believe 1t absolutely
essential that there should be fostered in
the minds of both officers and cadets true
spfrit of workmanship which suffer de-
feat with the same hearty good Will for the
opponent that results from the achleVe-
ment of a victory. At the beginning OF
athletic relations between the academies
the unusual incident of foot pail game
caused exceptional rivalry which, IN Ger
tain cases, may have degenerated into too
ardent partisanship. Whatever the result
in the past. that such a condition exists
now can l am sure, be emphatically denied
The annual game is not only beneficial put
a natural sequence of the positions In this
country occupied by these two institutions.
Inquiries are frequently made as to the
priviIeges granted cadets who engage In
various forms of athletics at the Military
Academy and as to the effect of athletics
on the scholarship of the participants. AS
the training for foot ball demands more
time and care than the training for any
other branch of athletics, more privileges
are given to foot ball players than to cadets
engaging in other sports.
3 to during November implies no excuse
from any duty nor allows lack or prep
aration for recitation in any department.
The time thus taken up from the usual study
hours must be made up, If necessary, dur
ing some other recreation period. This prin-
ciple that foot ball practice and training
must not interfere with the preparation OF
any lesson or the attendance at any duty,
has been rigidly maintained since foot ball
was established at the Military Academy.
Must Not Affect His Work.
"At the beginning of each athletic season
each member of the academic board Is fur
nished with list of all cadets who are
practicing for athletic contests. When in
the opinion of any department, any such
cadet is in danger of being found deficient
in any course of study prescribed for that
department the fact is reported to the SUI
perintendent. If, upon investigation. 1t APP
pears likely that the elimination Of such
cadet from the athletic squad viii improve
his standing he is forbidden to engage in
further practice with the squad.
Various Investigations have from time
to time been instituted to determine whether
or not the practice of foot ball at the Mill
tary Academy has had any influence upon
the standing of cadets engaged in it. The
results of such Investigations have shown
invariably that participation in this sport
has not had the effect of lowering the class
standing of the average cadet engaged
therein. At the end of last season the foot
ball squad numbered twenty-nine men.
During this season, taking their standing
for September, October and November
these twenty-nine men had gained In class
standing on the whole, 1913 places and lost
TAI places. Taking their positions in each
subject studied during that time there were
fifty cases of a loss in standing, fifty-two
cases of gain in standing and three cases
where the standing the same In No
vember as in September. AS results some
times fail to follow Immediately the causes
producing them, it may be interesting TO
carry the investigation step further:
Taking the same twenty-nine men, their
standing at the end of November and their
standing at the end of the term {Seprember
to December), it was found that in f1fty
cases there was loss of standing in FORTY
nine cases a gain and in six cases no
change. These figures are derived from q
table which gives the standing of each of
the members OF last years foot ball SQUAD
in the various subjects of study for the
months of September. October and Noyem-
Der and at the end Of the term"