New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-22
PRESIDENT BUTLER ACTS.
Appoints Committees to Consider
Plans for Athletic Reform.

Carrying out the suggestion of the university
council President Butler of Columbia University
announced yesterday the appointment OF Two
committees. one graduate and one faculty. which
are TO suggest plans for carrying out his new
athletic scheme. 1t learned that, In connec-
tion with the arrangement the council has
also been considering the fact OF suitable athletic
field for Columbia. A member of the ouncil said
yesterday when one asked Kim how the
scheme of interclass contests would be carried
out with no athletic field. that lie thought suit
able grounds would be provided when the scheme
put in operation. AS to where the ted was
what plans the council had aIreany Alaue' ne
declined TO say.
President Butler announced the makeup OF the
committees as follows:
Committee of officers Of r g
6: G. D. 0dell, G. L. Meylan. H B. Mitchell and
COMMITTEES of Administrators T. Kirby. e5;
Isaac seligms an T 81 VIVIAN foIId s ha Wifara
Kinge 50: Albert " Putnam, 81; 4 B. A Bradley,
02, and Robert LIE Roy, '0o.
According to the statement made by President
Butler these committees are appointed for the pur-
pose of considering the best means for graduating
the evils from athletics and for making them more
general among the students. In appointing the
committees. President Butler spoke as follows:
The action which the university authorities have
bali is but the first carefully considered step
in the development Of a constructing policy, which
has for its aim the reformation of abuses which
have crept into intercollegiate athletics and the
widest possible participation in such sports, sub
ordinate TO the main purposes for which the uni
versty exists, namely, the upbuilding of intelli-
gence and the development of character. In pur-
suance of the resolutions of the University Coun-
Gil I hereby appoint two committees, with the
request that they viii severaly and in conference
prepare for consideration by the appropriate uni
versity authorities plan by which the ends above
Both committees requested to take counsel
to them advisable with representatives of the
undergraduate body in order that studest opinion
may be fully expressed and carefully considered.
One thing that has aroused the animosity of the
students is the fact that President Butler has
changed from the attitude which he has previously
maintained. In the middle of the football season,
when F. H. Duden's father sent Dr. Butler a letter
asking that his son be kept from playing on the
football team, so as to have more time for his
studies, Dr. Butler replied that he had power
in athletics, and that he could not prevent young
Duden from playing unless he failed in his work
Now the students say that he is drawing the power
entirely his hands and exercising an auto
cratic power in taking away what they claim are
their privileges.
Another mass meeting OF the undergraduates will
be held to-day to protest against the coInclfs
action in abolishing football and dscouragng inter-
collegiate athletics. The general opinion expressed
by Columbia students is that they have been grew
ously wronged. and that all their traditions have
been overturned. They have resolved to nSnt
desperately for what they consider the life OF col
lege spirit at Columbia