New-York tribune., 1905-11-29

Football has been abolished at Columbia Uni
versity Acting under the direction of DR. Nicholas
Murray Butler president of the university, the
committee on student organizations met last
night and passed resolutions which can have nc
other effect than the complete abolishment OF
the game.
The statement given out by the committee
after the meeting at the home of Professor
Henry Bedinger Mitchell, at No. 10 Madison
ave. read follows:
Under the authority conferred by the university
council upon the university committee on student
organizations, athletic and other, which IN any
way may represent the university before the pub
Resolved That from and after. December 81. 1905,
the football asSoGa9R bsrs OF wSeb da All M ac
shall be settled TO the satisfaction of the
Resolved That in the opinion of this committee
the present game of football should be abolished,
council that the game be prohibited at Columbia
University.
The committee is composed of Herbert Gard
iner Lord. chairman; George Clinton Densmore
Odell and Henry Bedinger Mitchell The COM
mttee has absolute control over all student
ganizations of any sort and it its action in this
matter is final. Meeting with the committee
were Dean George Washington Kirchway.
member of the former committee governing
student organizations. and Professor Marston
Taylor Bogart former controller Of student or
ganizations Although these men had ex-
ecutive power with the committee they were in
favor of the action taken and lent influence TO
bring it about.
After giving our the statement of the commit
tee Professor Lord stated clearly the reasons
for the action which had been taken. He said
The reasons for this action need no explanauo
They be present TO every one acquainted with
the game as it is played. Only by such radical
action can the university and college lIfe he rld
VIII IS hell has he~O =
proved itself harmful 10 academic standing and
dangerous TO human life
Although the committee has taken the action
by itself, and President Butler has given out no
statement of his views, it is known that he is in
full accord with the action.
preliminary meeting was held in Presi-
dent Buffers Office yesterday afternoon. Mr..
Butler expressed his views the matter fully
to the committee, with the result that they met
last night and took definite action.
Alhought the action has undoubtedly been
hastened by the death OF the Union haifback
from injuries which he received in the game last
Saturday between Union and New-York Uni
versity it is stated on good authority that
President Butler had only been waiting the close
OF the football season 10 call meeting OF the
committee TO abolish the game. He believes
thai the game as played at present, is harmful
10 the students and to the university at large
In the injuries that the players receive. the
hurt that it does to study and in the reproach
it brings 1pcn the university from the outside
Practically the only scandal that has ever
arisen at Columbia has been in connection with
its football team Before 1899 Columbia had
no team. but when the university vas finally es-
tablished on Morningside Heights the students
AZ once decided TO have team. George Foster
Sanford a graduate Of Yale was engaged as
coach and am eleven was started under the
control OF the students The team succeeded
h eefeat,ng Yale. but after the season was over
Continued on second pasa