Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-03

This wear will be the fourth since the
Inauguration of the interscholastic ath-
letic contests held the second Saturday
in Nav on the Tome Institute campus.
These contests, like the University of
Pennsylvania relay races among the
colleges have become famous among the
preparatory schools of the three great
coast cities, Washington, Baltimore and
Philadelphia, and their fame has extended
into the interior of Pennsylvania, Mary
land. Virginia, and has even reached as
far as New Jersey and New York Every
year new schools send representatives to
this meet. which undoubtedly will, in
time, become the classic interscholastic
athletic meet of the South. And IL is
fitting that it should be so. for nowhere
In this country is there moro beautiful
setting for games of this kind and no.
where an atmosphere which, In "a greater
degree. seems to recall the games of
ancient Greece. In the iirst place, the
oval has been carved out of the side of
the hil which bounds IL on the east. and
forms Of the whole a natural amphitheatrc
Tho similarity 20 the ancient Greek stadi-
Inn IS further enhanced by the magnif-
cent grandstand, built of solid concrete,
with seats three feet wide and six inches
thick. This grandstand rests upon the
slope Of the hill. and reminds one of the
stone seats OF the ancient amphtheatre.
Every year there is "a special excursion
by the Colchester Steamboat Co., from
baltimore, banging hundreds 10 sec tho
stirring contests which result from the
friendly rivalry Of the secondary school
athletes. This meet brings the cream
Of the athletic talent Of Philadelphia,
Baltimore and Washington, and the
prowess of the representatives from these
,ities IL disputed by those of the interior
Of the several States. Each year and
more so each succeeding year. hundreds
drive in from tho surrounding country
or come by-rail from the nearby towns, to
Witness these contests and in order to
snable everyone even those Of moderate
means, TO SEQ these games, the manage
nent charges only nominal admission
of % cents, which, in point Of fact does
not provide sum equal to the expenses
Of the meet.
Last wear was remarkable in that five
records were broken. Tho standard of
excellence Is now 30 high that broken
records will be a rare thing in tho future.
The view, not only from the grand
stand. but from tho hill, which bounds IL
ON either side, and which overlooks the
track. Is superb. Immediately in front
lies the track, always covered with ath-
lclcs sprinting up and down, either linn
herring up for a race about to begin, or
competing desperately in some contest.
In theeoval, which is enclosed by the
rack, thene Is always something going on ,
irom the beginning 10 tho end OF the meet,
either the pole vault, or high jump, or
hammer throw, or shot put, or broad
jump In the northern end Of tho oval,
two large white canvas tents arc erected
as quarters for the competing athletes.
Over the neat little ticket Office. NJ the
entrance, floats tho blue and white Tome
burgee. A doren deputies, whose SER
vices, however. have never vet been
needed guard the slopes and track and
patrol the oval. while between 20 and 80
officials are continually moving back and
forth, m the management Of the meet.
Beyond the oval stretches tho campus
with iis stately buildings, beautiful lawns.
and flower beds Bevond that the Sus-
quehanna and still beyond, tho pictur-
csque Hartford hills. These surroundings
contribute a peculiar flavor TO tho Tome
meets and do Their share toward winning
for them thu praise which each meet an
nually brings forth.
The track itself is one Of the fastest In
the country, as is shown by the following
ANNNANnf NNINtANH ANN~NNIu NNnns ~ sec
onds; 220-yard dash. - 3-5 seconds; 4iO.
yard dash, 50 3-5 seconds; half mile run
minutes, seconds; mile run, minutes
"a 2-5 seconds; low hurdles. 26 As sec
onds; high hurdles, rs 2-5 seconds; pol,
vault, lO feet; high jump, 8 feet. 4
inches broad jump, 2l feet, 1919 inches
shot put, Al feet, 9 3-S inches; hamme
throw, l25 feet. The track was bull
after plans suggested by Mick Murphy
the greatest authority on this suhiec
in the United States. in all probability
and certainly the most renowned traine
Of athletic teams in the world Il is 8,
constructed as 90 enable an athlete {,
hold his full speed on the turns. and We
ieel the strain equally in both legs. Fo
weeks Il has received the most careful
attention; been scraped, watered an,
rolled, and on the 18th of May this wear
II will he in the finest kind OF condition
as It has always been, each recurring
year.
The Tome Athletic Association award
a handsome silk banner to the schoc
winning the meet, i6-inch loving cul
to that competitor who secures the highes
number OF points and gold silver ant
bronze medals for irst, second and thir
places in each event. These medals ar
stamped with the official Tome seal. SUI
rounded by line OF deep blue enamel
and are exceedingly handsome and al
tistic
In 1902 the first meet was won bv th
Baltimore City College; the 1903 meet b
the Central High School of Washington
in 1904 the Central High School OF Phna
delphia carried of the prize, and there
much conjecture as TO who will be su,
cessful this year. The Central Hig
School Of Washington is known to hay
strong team, and a large one. and BAIT
more City College has some OF the fnes
lntescholsstic quarter-milers in the cas-
notwithstanding the fact that the NEE
OF the Philadelphia lnterscholastic A,
sociation is to be held on the same da,
most Of the strong Philadelphia school
VIII he represented in the Tome meet. an
by their leading athletes. Already man
entries have been received, and the publ
may look, this year for the greatest COZ
test that has ever been witnessed on IA
Tome fields
In order to give the smaller schools a
opportunity to capture some of the prize
and TO win some of the honors. and /
order to give the younger BOYS a chnnc,
the management this year for the fin.
time, has introduced a series of ilnio
events for boys under rs wears oi ag,
awarding for them the same yalu.fl
medals As for the senior -ents
lhe meet begins exactly at , o'cloc