The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-10
HARVARD OVERSEERS
Vote FOR FOOTBALL
AUTHORITY TO PLAY THE GAME
GIVEN At MEETING
YESTERDAY.

Action by No Means Unanimous-Nine
Members of the Board, Including
Eliot, Register Themselves as OppOs-
ed--Game Must be Played Under the
New Rules and Upon Such Terms and
Conditions as the Committee ON Reg
nIation of Athletic Sports Shall Con-
slider Advisable.
Boston, May 9.-Authority to resume
the game of football at Harvard,
which was ordered to be discontinued
on account of the brutality of the con-
tests, was given this afternoon by a
vote of the board of oVerseers of Har-
ward college, though the decision to per-
init the game was by no means unani-
mous. Nine members of the board, in
Guiding President Charles N. Eliot, reg
istered themselves as opposed to the
continuance of football. The overseers
in favor numbered fifteen.
Under the vote of to-day intercolegi-
ate football is permitted at Harvard
during the season of 1906, but not later
than December /. The game must be
played under the new rules and upon
such terms and conditions as the COM
mittee on the regulation of athletic
sports shall consider advisable in order
to test the propriety of continuing in
tercollegiate football in the future.
This was the recommendation OF the
subcommittee of the overseers ap-
pointed to investigate and report on the
football question. The first report of
this sub-conlmittee received by the
overseers several months ago was a se-
we're condemnation of the game. This
was followed by an adverse report
from the faculty Of arts and sciences,
and by a vigorous disapproval of the
contest from President Eliot. Thereup-
on the overseers voted that for the
present Harvard must discontinue TAX
ing part in intercollegiate football.
After the overseers had voted to abol-
ish football, pending it's reform, the
Harvard athletic committee undertook
a thorough inquiry into the new rules,
as proposed by the intercollegiate COM
qnittee. Following this inquiry the attn
aetic committee reported to the over
seers in favor of resuming football un-
der the new rules. The overseers re-
flsed TO accept the athletic committee
decision that football should Ibe contin-
lled. and since that time theS have been
investigating the matter on their own
behalf.
The overseers to-day passed a resolu-
tion expressing their opiilion that many
Of the unsatisfactory changes attend
ing intercollegiate football have been
exaggerated by an unwillingness on the
mart of the officials charged with the
enforcement of the rules to assert their
authority, The overseers voted to re-
quest the athletic committee to forInu-
late some more satisfactory plan Tor
the selection of such officials than the
plan now in vogue.
Another vote of the overseers to-day
was that accepting a vote OF the over
seers and fellows of the university IA
yoring the appointment of a committee
of three members Of the corporation to
consider and report upon the whole
subject of the regulation of athletic
sports. The overseers decided to ap-
point a committee of their body to sit
Jointly with committee of the fell
lows.
The effect of to-day's action is that
football will again be tried at Har-
ward until December l, and that per-
mission to play the game during sub
seouent seasons depends upon whether
the university authorities are satisfied
that the reform of the contest removes
the alleged evils Of the game,