The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1905-09-01
BY MARdAnLr \. sANosrER,

bf MANUANiT u. SANGsTER.
Copyright. is-s. by Joseph u. powles)
Football. baseball. basket ball. hur-
die races. hlgh jumps. feats Of skill
end strength. athletic competitions OF
all kinds are having the rlsht Of way
to-day. We talk about them with
kindiing ayes. They form the staple
OF our breakfast table discussions.
Everybody reads the reports In the
newspapers. everybody rushes TO see
the games, everybody p~rsises. crit
icises. shouts for gladness or groans
for vsxation. according - tho people
be or she cares for lose or win
We are more and more glorifying
athletics. To hear US, one would
fancy that our universities existed.
not 10 make scholars, but To send
forth runners and racers and cham
pions In the football field. The old
prowess Of knights armed capable.
who met In tilt and tournament In
the middle ages. IL Mt present trans.
ferred to the gymnasium and tho open
plain. where well matched parties con.
tend In stubborn fight.
Mr.. Carnegie has put himself on
record rs, On the whole. d%.scounting
athletics In favor of scholarship. II
was time that somebody took ,his
ground, for though sport and rccrca-
tion have their place. they are by no
means all OF life.
First and foremost. they are often
o%verdone. The young man whose
splendid development VI chest and
muscle. whose various achievements
are NO extraordinary. sometimes uses
up his physical capital loo lavishly.
His heart IL unequal to the strain put
on Il. The strength that should have
suficcd for n lifetime IL drained by
the continual eAertionS that are incl
dental 10 athletic distinrtion. and on
occasion II gives tut. In the long run
the athlete Of college days Is not tho
strong man OF middle life. and an
athletic youth IL no pledge OF old age.
A sound mind In u sound body was
the ideal Of the ancien's. II Is what
Ne most need TO meet the demands
Of the moderns.
A weak. sickly. cnete body tina, can
endure NO stress OF weather, that Il
Ike n house out Of repair. with fall.
Ing chimneys and taking roof. Is To
BE- regarded y a great misfortune.
II. IL more than q calamity. Always
Il L. an embarrassment. Often II II
. sin. In these days Of advanced Aci-
encc. those who come into the world
with Inherited tendencies To disease
may triumph over them II they will
use the means and live by hygienic
rules. Air. exercise. food. sleep, are
the remedies Nature provides against
feebleness and frailty. Nobody should
be III who can help II. and much can
be done Ia help II In most cases. We
may be well II we choose.
o~ver-exercise Is AZ perilous NJ acne
q all. The strongest swimmer may
abuse his skin. The swiftest runner
may run too far.
Athletics have superseded to some
extent. In some places. the respectable
and less exciting business Of work.
Ing around the house and door yard.
The sons Of the family, lads between
Ii and 20. used to do the daily chores.
oil the tanks that called for strsn-
u pumping, drive the lawn mower.
chop the wood. groom the horses and
weed the garden. They still lend Q
hand when the family finances com.
pei them to do 10, but rs money Is
more plentiful than once. II 10 less
and less the fashion for boys and
young men 10 be scryiceable about
the home. They do not see the neces.
sity. Economy is not = popular vir.
tue. Splitting wood and attending To
. furnace are not picturesque modes
Of diversion or agreeable ways OF
taking exercise. Our son and for
that matter some Of our daughters,
look with shy disfavor on homely
household tasks. while they expend
energy and fervor by Wholesale on
the anne they care for.
Few mothers entirely approve Of
the risks their sons take In sport. To
bring your boy safely through the
reefs and shoals OF early childhood.
through humps and Measles and
chicken-pox and whooping cough, and
then have him MANNED and dishgured
In football. Is a heart-breakihg per-
Torrance. The boy, carried OF the
field with n broken knee cap, Is buoyed
up by the plaudits OF his fellows. but
In the dreary days on crutehes. those
plaudits will bring him little comfort.
Tho accidents that march In the wake
OF athletics are appalling, aud tho
notifying reflection that they are To
be set down on the balance sheet OF
life under the heading OF absolute
loss must come home to most Of Va
In candid moments.
Yet, tho question has two aspects.
Nobody wants his boy TO be u mum.
. coward. a Miss Betty. Every father
and every mother must prefer 70 have
sons who can hold their own, come