Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-21
sehoiarsh;p and Athletics.

The recent assertion OF President
James of the University of Illinois that
modern college athletics do more harm
than good to the students has been
submitted for comment by the Chicago
Tribune to a dozen Or more college
presidents and professors throughout
the country. The answers. printed i'll
that newspaper. show general agree
ment on certain points that are apprO-
priately emphasized by college authori-
ties before the season Of summer base
ball and summer training for next
falls football campaign begins.
Training Is now being carried to ex-
cess" says President Flantz Of Law
renee University. practically making
professionals Of college athletes and
impairing the intelle :tual work OF
many students to their detriment."
President Faunce Of Brown declares 1t
to be "a fact that the average football
man has no time nor strength for
sturdy during the football season. and
sacrifices himself Intellectually to the
success Of the team" Rowing. he
says, frequently leads to overstrain.
'Too much should not be expected of
them" says Professor Gray Of North
western University N apolOgizing for
the low class standing of the typica!
college athletes. Professor Scott Of the
same university agrees with President
James that too few students engage in
athletics, and advocates the building
Of a large number Of tennis courts and
the introduction Of association football.
President Stone Of Perdue believes
that modern college athletics are AN
tagonisttc to good scholarship" and
the president Of Ohio State University.
DIR. w. q. Thompson. recommends
rigid physical examination Of those
students who undertake to train for
college teams. No doubt. these will be
set down BY the college champions
themselves. the real rulers Of the world
Of scholarship. as voices crying In the
wilderness, but to the outsider the plea
for moderation they utter seems I'M
commonly pertinent.-New York Post
Against these general and unsup-
ported assertions let US get the specific
statement Of President Hyde Of Bow
dom in his latest annual report that
thorough investigation of the rank for
tine past five years disclosed the fact
that the average rank Of the members
OF the athletic teams Of Bowdoin in
that period was only three one-hun-
dredths lower than the average rank Of
the non-athletic students. Perhaps II
the presidents Of Perdue. Brown. ILL
nois, Northwestern and the other insti-
tutions mentioned above should make
a similar inspection of their rank books
they would be surprised at the results.
Or possibly athletics are a substitute
for scholarship in the colleges Of the
West, since all but one of the colleges
mentioned above are in that section.
Certainly there is no such substitution
in college standing in this section. and
the official figures presented by Presi-
dent Hyde are a staggering blow to
those who enjoy slandering and mis-
representing the athletic side Of col
lege life. In commenting on the mat
ter President Hyde says: 1.-THE fact
that there Is a difference OF less than
three one-hundredths in the rank Of
athletes and non-athletes. is very well
come and satisfactory evidence that
athletics at BowdOin are not a substi-
tute for scholarship. and do not appre-
ciably interfere with scholarship, and
that the athletes as a class are not
quasi-profcssionals whose main inter-
est in coming to college Is athletics. but
are bona fide students. whose athletic
activities are. as they should be. Incl
dental to the pursuit Of scholarship.
In view Of the amount of time and
strength actually devoted to training.
playing, and travelling. and In view Of
the development Of certain qualities
which athletics give better than any
thing else, the loss Of three one-hun-
dredths in rank is not an excessive
price for the experience. the pleasure
the physical vigor and the practical
training these sports afford"
st. Louis After the Fair.