New-York tribune., 1905-08-26
NHOOIB0Y ATHLETICS.
ruF PRESIDENTS PRAISE.
ue .4ooepts Honorary Vice-Presi-
dencv Of Public Schools League.


ter BAY. Aug. 25.-President Roosevelt has
80 the office of honorary viee-president
se., -. Public school Athletic League. the head
.o-s Of which are in New-York CITY. In
,erter 10 General George W. Wingate. the
.s,seut Of the league, President Roosevelt ex
F.sses his cordial approval OF the object OF the
,-,,ae which is the promotion Of athletics along
,..,thy lines among school children President
,.,sevelts letter accepting the offer Of the
-.-o-ary vice-presidency follows:
oyster Bay. August ls. 1905.
a., near General Mingate:
answer 10 your letter beg 10 say that It
m give me the greatest pleasure 20 accept the
80 of honorary vice president OF the Public
S~bcols Athletic League, of which YOU are
-ssdaut most heartily believe IN your
i.srae and feel that in promoting athletics
- the school children Cf New York CITY
go the sane and healthy lines II has followed
-s-perfOIIuing service which is OF the utmost
.~ssrtance not merely from the standpoint OF
- rhysi cal, but also from the standpoint OF
- ethical needs OF these school children You
fsre every reason 10 be proud Of the success
- which YOU have met. You have organized
,rrntv-tuo strong district leagues composed Of
- superiutendents. teachers and members II
me local school boards in the different educR-
tional districts OF New York. and have estab-
rshed q regular series or athletic contests, SO
.Ssr this year fully thirty thousand boys COM
,o+aS FOR places IN your games. anG their chosen
champions won The championship ST Louis.
am GLAD that you have installed in each OF
eour hirh schools a sub-target rife practice and
60 reaching the boys 10 shoot with the Krag
and I am pleased with the great success that
ron have met in this effort. You have done
s,o-rnous amount. my dear general. in connec-
,ion with the National Rife Association and
rS-se6r7oor and all good citizens owe you a debt
N gratitude fOr what you have thus accom-
pished But, upon my word, think that you
are doing even sreater and more farreaching
good in connection with this work OF the Public
Schools Athletic League 1 am particularly
rlessed 10 see that YOU give a button analogous
- The mark sulGu's badge of the National Guard.
10 every boy who make prescribed record
n certain simple exercises. that you interest
and appeal 70 the boys who cannot expect 10
win IN competitions.
see that you allow no boy 10 compete for
his button. or, indeed. in your games, who is
moi I'D 10 the average in studies and department,
ana that you !n every possible way seek 10 i'm
PRESS upon them the fact that part Of the char
acter Of every honorable athlete is 10 desptse all
hat is mean or base.
! know that what your league has done has
already had q fine effect upon the character ana
physique of the boys and upon the discipline or
he schools
The great congestion in population, which of
course means the crowded streets as we'll as
,Se erowded houses, has resulted in depriving
The children OF New-York Of opportunity Of ex-
ercse especially in the tenement house dis
,1rs so that their physical development tends
70 drop below the normal. The energies they
should work of in wholesome exercise, in Wig
orous play, find vent in the worst feats Of the
gangs which represent so much that Is vicious
II our city life. II is a great disadvantage 10 a
boy TO be unable TO play games: and every boy
who knows how to play baseball or football. to
box or 10 wrestle. has by just so much fitted
himself 70 be better citizen
] know Of The difficulty you have encountered
r. securing grounds for exercise, and how you
have been obliged TO utilize armories, school
rooms and vacant lots. and am delighted that
the city has been induced 10 make an appropria-
ton for four athletic fields, which the league
mas agreed 10 fl up and run. am also par
ticularlv pleased that you are about 10 organize
g woman's auxiliary branch. for the girls need
exercise quite as much as do the boys.
The demands such q movement makes upon
the time and the money Of those engaged therein
gre very heavy. You are doing one Of the
greatest and most patriotic services that can be
done and YOU are entitled 10 the heartiest back
ing IN every way from all who appreciate the
vital need OF having the rising generation OF
Americans sound IN body. mind and soul. Sin
oereiv YOURS, THEODORE ROOSEVELT.