The Washington herald., 1907-04-28

appearance of the close class feelings Of
which there was so much IN our day.
But a careful study of the life as II
Is and an association with the men re-
Gently graduated. who have had tie
benefit of the university as it Is, remove
all the doubts and lead one 70 dwell on
the real progtess that has been made,
first. in the better education which IS
furnished, second, in the wider oppOrtuni-
ties for general culture. and. third. IN the
real elevation Of the moral tone Of the
student body, which no one who is famil-
lar with the present day of the institu-
ton can ignore or minimize
signs of Moral Progress.
1T is true that so dear is our Yale life
to US that the very roughness. the erudi-
ties, and even the designations of our day
not perpetuated IN after life. we are apt
to regard as having been the crucibles in
which character was tested and strength
ened, and 10 think that their disappear
ance has taken away the flavor of the
Yale life that created the Yale character
But this is only the thought of one who
answers the description, laudator tenn
poris acti.
1T is not true that because hazlngs has
disappeared because drunkenness is very
much less, that therefore men may not
develop rugged, practical qualities. fitted
10 resist temptations Of after life, and all
OF US ought to rejoice that the material
growth of Yale since We were there has
| been paralleied by an improvement IN
the moral tone Of the student body. and
in the standards set by that public opin-
ion which is even stronger as an influence
in the college community at New Haven
than in the body polite at large The
change has not affected the spirit OF indie
pendence, of self-TelaDce. or of demOc-
racy that we all Ike 70 think OF as es-
| pecially characteristic OF Yale. The in
/ terest in public affairs, the sense Of re-
/ sponsibility as citizens the honorable am
btion 70 attain positions Of prominence
and influence are all motives as strong
to-day as they ever were, and the Influ-
ence of the university is wider and great
! or because the number OF lis sons which
il is giving out as a heaven In the vari-
Gus communities OF this country is near
" treble what IL was twenty-five years
ago
Good word for College Athletics.
I should like TO say something with
respect 10 the athletics at Yale and
their influence upon the students. It is
undoubtedly true that IN the old days
almost the only measure of popular ap-
prevail by the student body was that Of
scholarship or literary excellence Since
that time interest in athletics has devel-
oped, and, indeed, interest in many other
subjects that may properly claim the at
teution of the students. Life generally
has become more complicated and has
/ presented more avenues for individual
/ EFFORT and individual application than
/ fifty years ago athletics have developed
/ rapidly because they furnish a means Of
competition between our university and
/ other universities. and where you have
/ a spirit of competition. there is apt to be
/ a going 10 extremes, which needs moder-
alton. but the Yale method Of dealing with
/ this matter generally has been to leave
/ to the student body a large discretion.
with the hope. which has been justified.
/ that the public opinion of the country
would have its effect upon the students
and lead them themselves to place re-
/ straint upon excuses in respect to ath-
! letics."