The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-23
ScHOOLBOY FOOTBALL SAFE.
.,or,oy TO DROP GAME FOR ONE
YEAR EASILY DEFEATED.
.n Meet in Board OF Education
pp,ldIng and Decide on Committee OF
control 10 Eliminate Evils in Conduct
H.. ~ sport in All Schools OF the Nation.

cantro, 10 Eliminate Evils in Conduct
ss,,rt in All Schools OF the Nation.
,uooinr Of the principals OF the public
e sohoois and Of some Of the private
hsn ,,tions was held yesterday afternoon
w. BOARD of Education building to con-
~ IT, the adjustment or suspension OF
sue, II in the schools. The fact that the
IO..ins was to be held was kept rather
me !, 4, advance, and the idea that the
quos stood in danger in the schools APP
eSmI am never occurred to those in charge
sao,hall in the schools. The meeting,
OH resembled the college conferences
WIZ. was called to consider the fol-
lowing resolution
ut, ,be secondary schools and the mem
~ tho PRINCIPALS Athletic Council should
.osnd The game of football for one year.
r;,,een nersons were present and voted
.his resolution, which was defeated by
=, rotes TO 3. The names OF those voting
1'.oirst football were not made public.
Aner the vote on temporary desertion
n the game was over, it was decided to
.,noint a committee that should AXE in
JoSsroethe control ofthe game intheschools
-i,b the idea of curbing and eradicating
..,tain undesirable tendencies that have
.0r,np ND in connection with it. These
thinos il was said, did not proceed from
faults in the rules, but we're aceab en-
tirely to over great interest in the game
l.sding to time taken from studies, not to
r.ortion trickery and the like. All the
.,bools in the country are to be invited to
inLr with the committee appointed to con-
..idsr how the evils Of football in the public
.obools can be rooted out. The committee
.nnointed Yesterday was recommended
10 make rules that might be national in
their scope and would resultin a national
r,riAcation of i~nterscholastic football.
There we're present Virgil Prettyman,
uonace Mann school; Dr.. John Mickle-
borough, BOYS High School of Brooklyn;
John Holly Clark, Flushing High School;
DR.. ], C. Cole, Trinity Academy; Frank
Rollins, Stuyvesant High School; j.. G.
Mcvickar. Montclair Military Academy:
charles D. Larkins, Manua Training High
School: DIR. A. f.. Wilson, Hudson River
Academy: William Verbeck, st. Johns
School, Manlius; F. L. Lane, Polytechnic
Preparatory School; w. h. Marsh, Pingry
4 School; Edgar Fauver, Horace Mann School;
T. NJ. Tilden, Erasmus High School; j. H.
Denbeigh, Morris High School, and DR.. j..
H. CuIick, Public Schools Athletic League.
Mr.. yerbeck Of the Manlius School will be
remembered as the first high school prin-
aral to suggest tie abolition OF football
for schoolboys. Football is now tabooed at
St, Johns.
The resolution to abolish the game of
football for the coming year at least pro-
dned a lively discussion. After long argu-
ment the question was moved by Mr..
Mrsh, 1t was defeated by a vote that left
only three in favor of II.
Alter this had been settled the follow
nE committee was appointed TO represent
The teachers in making arrangements
for playing the game and manag ing other
athletic sports for the coming season:
D.. Luther Halsey Gulick, Public Schools
Athletic League, chairman; Messrs. Pretty
man, Marsh, Larkin, W.. B. Gunnison,
Erasmus Hall; John T. Buchanan, De Witt
Clinton, and D. H; Campbell. Columbia
High School. De Witt Clinton High School
mad some trouble with ringers" on its foot
ball team last year and Mr.. Buchanan dealt
with the situation successfully.
After the meeting DIR. Gulick, who acted
a. Official reporter for the whole proceed
ings, spoke Of the aims OF his committee.
,Ihs is the first meeting Of its kin that
H. thb osNll lSlu, Sdlu ~ NluiLOh' IL 10 liIC
fRt gathering of public and private
secondary school principals to consider
football in this neighborhood. What we
have been talking over does not concern
football alone, although that has been the
main feature. We have been considering
how to clean up sport: we discussed the
eligibility Of athletes, the abolition of pro-
~iessional coaches and trainers in schools
Of this grade and in general how to clean
up sport so that the boys may act more
IKE boys and less like professional athletes.
The general sentiment of the meeting
was against the abolisAment of football.
HE boys il not allowed to play for their
schools will compete for athletic clubs
outside, Rather than force a situation like
ms we would have them play under better
influences in their own schools.
Besides there are many good elements
u the game and plenty of reasons why
II should be retained. There was no princi-
pal present, however. who was satisfied
with present conditions, The dissatisfac-
Ton was not with the rules Of the game
as played, but with incompetency, dis
honesty or partiality of the officials.
Inc undue attention given to the game,
the deliberate brutality often shown and
oner matters are of an ethical n moral
nature 1t was the unanimous opinion Of
Inose present that interscholastic football
ana other athletic sports should be managed
~ me principals rather than by the boys.
aI those present seemed to think that
zoe financial, moral and physical questions
involved are manifestly beyond the ca
school.
Football is not going to be abolished
Y the Principals Athletic Council, unless
tnes Is a decided change Of front, and /
Tml mink there will be. But it is clear
msI football Is going to be controlled and
@"alned as it never was before. The
%ahttee appointed requests that prin-
SSRSs and masters of secondary schools
sI forward their suggestions on questions
I" mterscholastic athletics.
me adjustment of football or the treat
nrGt.oi that game is only a part Of the
pmlncatlon movement. This meeting was
10y a question Of public or private schools,
sa Of schools generally. The keynote of
~e whole meeting was that some plan
M ~ oe found to fit the needs Of all schools.
v nope and believe that this will be the
'"' Of a national movement"