The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-21
ANNUAL TRACK
AND FIELD SPORTS
Episcopal High School Announces
1ntcrscliolastic Games on
Their Grounds.
THIRTY SCHOOLS TO COMPETE
-
Open to Virginia, Maryland and
the District of
Columbia.
THIRTY SCHOOLS TO COMPETE
Especial to rhe Timca-pispatch)

OF this section will welcome the an
nouncemcnt just made by the manager
OF the track team OF the Episcopal High
School, near Alexandria, Va. that the
second annual interscholastic track and
field meet of the Episcopal High School
will be held on Saturday. May 9Th, at
the athletic grounds OF the school. This
meet Is open to schools Of Virginia. Mary
land and the District OF Columbia, and
1t Is hoped that as many as thirty
schools win compete.
Any schools which may be thinking of
competing at this meet will find plenty
of training and encouragement at the
present time. For the winter or carly
spring are scheduled the indoor games
of the high schools OF Washington. as
well as the Indoor games under the au-
spices of Georgetown University and the
Fifth Regiment games in Baltimore, all
open TO competitors from this section.
In former years ,hese indoor games,
though OF course. not equal to outdoor
track athletics, have been n pronounced
success, serving as they do to keep alive
the athletic spirit among college men and
school boys at "a time when the weather
prevents much outside exercise.
This year for the first time, Virginia
schools and colleges are TO have the same
advantages. The Richmond Intercolle-
giate Club has sent out announcements
for IT'S first annual track meet to be held at
the House Show building. Richmond. on
the evening OF Saturday, February 10th.
open to all schools and colleges. There
will be two. events--5o- yard dash and 500
yard run--open to preparatory schools
alone and eight running and jumping
svehts for all Corners. not counting relay
races for schools and colleges The
games win be held under Amateur Ath-
letic Union rules and cups will be award
ed to first. second and third best In each
event and silk banner To the winning
team
The club is fortunate in having rs man
ager Or. j. y. Reilly, one of the best
known track athletes In America, for
nlerly captain OF the track and football
leans of Georgetown University, and
later coach and instructor at that insti-
. tuition. 1t Is expected that DR.. Reilly
wil have very stimulating influence
On this class of work throughout the
whole South. not only In preparatory
schools, but in the higher schools OF
learning
Ii is unfortunate that Virginia schools
have been so slow In waking up to the
advantages of track athletics, though for
many years much Interested In every
thing pertaining TO base -ball and foot
ball. The only school In the State for
many years to pay any attention to
track athletics was the Episcopal High
School which in the fall of 1876 instt-
tuted athletic games in the school. and
has kept them up ever since. Athletic
Day. the first Saturday in November Is
one OF the gala days of the year and
Inv, fnr "a
lnterscholas,lc meet In the spring.
Within late years other schools have
adopted the same custom and the Uni
versity OF Virginia three years ago Of
fered encouragement to the growing sem
timent by holding an interscholastic
meet at Charlottesville.
Too much cannot be said in favor of
track athletics. which are In many ways
more valuable for the physical develop
ment of the boy than the more promi-
nent sports OF baseball and football
The development of speed in the dashes
and endurance In the long runs is most
saiutary. and 1t is certainly true that
track athletics are free from the alleged
brutality now charged against football.
while the qualities OF determination and
attention to detail cultivated by 1t are
ones that make man useful In the
worlds work.
In connection with track athletics 1t
would be well to speak OF the allied form
of exercise now coming Into vogue In
Virginia and the Dlstrict-cross country
running. 1t has been for a long time the
custom III the large Northern colleges and
schools for the track athletes to take
long cross country runs. and it is. no I'M
common sight to see dozen or more
men In running costume starting out FOR
n whole afternoons run over hill and
dale. From England has been borrowed
one of the favorite games OF the public
schools hare and hounds. As Is well
known the game consists in the pursuit
of one party of players by another who
follow the paper trail left by their oppo-
nents and endeavor to overtake, them.
Tho effect of all these games is to bring
into the open air many who, are not in
terested in baseball and football and
still more to furnish delightful means
of exercise for the seasons when those
games are not played.
The Episcopal High School was the
first of Virginia schools to inaugurate
the custom of having annual athletic
games open to contestants from sur
rounding schools. The first annual meet.
held last May, more than justified the
most sanguine hopes of the organizers
of tho project. The entries numbered
twenty-elght schools, of whom eighteen
We're on the ground and competed in
spite of the threatening aspect Of the
weather. The total enrolment Of COM
petitors was nearly one hundred and
fifty The meet aroused great interest
In Washington and In the neighborlng
section. and inspite of threatening rain
was viewed by a lnrge crowd OF cnthu.
siastc spectators, including many alum
nj Of the schools who came from dis
tant points. Tn speaking of these games
some mention should be made of the ex-
cellent work Of the Central High School,
the winner Of the meet, especially OF Its
representatives, Kent, connor and Cooke.