New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-10-28
PROF. WHITE ON PAID COACHES.
Head Of Harvard Athletic Committee De
tends Professional Teacher.
u TELrGRArH - - rR1RrNE-

Cambridge. Mass. oct 27.-In a letter to THE
Harvard Monthly" the October edition Of which
comes out tomorrow morning. Professor H. $.
White. chairman of the Harvard athletic commit
tee, will reply to the charges that have recently
been flung a the Harvard athletic committee On
account of its attitude toward professional coach
ing Because Of the announcement that the ath-
letic committee would reserve to Itself the right
10 suspend certain rules under certain conditions
and because of Harvard paying Lewis of the
football team and hiring Mr.. Colson as coach of
the last year. it has been almost impossible
TO tell just where Harvard stood on the amateur
professional coaching question.
In his article in the Monthly" he SAYS in part:
there is scarcely any branch rowing not exceppe5
in which paid coaches or trainers nave not been
serve far as possible ideals of sport in athIetics
rather than have the latter converted into business
enterprise. The committee believes also that il rem
resents the opinion of a large majority of Harvard
men. both graduates and Undergraduates i'm NOT
only maintaining strict amateur standards amonE.
the players but also as Tar as possible, among
a preponderanee OF opinion in any branch in favor
OF PAID coach, the committee has usually yielded
If the rowing authorities last year had discovered
mt, ~ ,..c,,,+ ;rts -, . nay I,tteu
been made to secure him. But the questions in
ana to take no step which should mDair IN. pf m
eral interest in rowing, interest far greater at
Harvard than anywhere else in this country The
plan finally adopted on the recommendation of the
graduates designed to utilize the services OF
a coach from another institution in consultat ton
with the captain and q graduate advisory commit
tee. What we all desire is undoubtedly amateur
coaching. but what We need primarily is the right
sort OF man. The right sort In respect 10 char
acter and influence, no less than IN respect to com
petency. But IL IS not likely that he will he uer-
United TO be a dictator when he Is found. Whether
he be paid Or not for his services seems ut the
present moment 10 be a minor considerations
Whatever the opinion of graduates undergrad
yates In The past may have been the evidence
which now comes 20 the committee from all sides
seems TO be IN favor of paid coach II suitable
man cannot otherwise he secured This nearly
the unanimous sentiment of representative
gathering Of old and young Harvard oars held
crew
There has been good deal Of haziness touching
dle dlStucuoh between amateur and profes sional.
nous with what is good. and the term professional
with what Is bad Any at all acquainted with
the chaTacteristics or both groups Is fully aware
that such an estimate contains an undue eXaltatan
or the amateur and unjust depreciation of the
pTOfessloual. Nor Is the distinction between paid
ana unpaid service ore which is always properly
deined There ~ no essential reason why person
VINO Is paid FOR his services. whether In athletics
or IN any other held may not he as Oval 20 the in
stttution which employs him as IL NJ were not
bound by any financial obligation. II Is only neces-
sary 10 reiSf Ia the custom OF employing paid
agents iof the performance of charity work In our
great clues ana 10 the practice of employing paid
tea htIs n sunday schools, IN order 40 show how
widespread Is the view that faithful and competent
service demands remuneration.