The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-24
ROOSEVELT GOES
AS HARVARD MAN
CONTINUED FROM PAGE Ii

because the athletic spirit is essentially
democratic. Our chief interest should not
lie in the great champions in sport. On
the contrary, our concern should be most
of all to widen the base, the foundation in
athletic sports; to encourage in every
way a healthy rivalry which shall give
TO the largest possible number of stu
dents the chance to take part in vigorous
outdoor games.
Play Something.
ct is of far more Importance that a
man shall play something himself, even IL
he plays it badly, than that he shall go
with hundreds of companions to see some
one else play WE'LL and it is not healthy
for either students or athletes II the
terms are mutually exclusive. But even
having this aim especially In view, it
seems to me we can best attain 1t by Civ
ing proper encouragement to the cham
pions in the sports, and this can only be
done by encouraging intercollegiate sport.
AS l emphatically disbeleve in seeing
Harvard or any other college turn out
mollycoddles instead of vigorous men,. T
may add that | do not in the least object
to sport because 1t is rough. Rowing,
baseball, la crosse track and field games,
hockey, football are all of them good.
Moreover. it is to my mind simple non
sense, q mere confession of weakness, to
desire to abolish a game because ten
denotes show themselves. or practices
grow up, which prove that the game
ought to be reformed
Football.
Take football for instance. The pre-
paratory schools are able to keep foot
ball clean and to develop the right spirit
in the players without the slightest neces-
sity ever arising to so much as consider
the question of aboishing it. There is no
Fat fft
show the same capacity, and there is no
real need for considering the question of
the abolition of the game. If necessary,
let the college authorities interfere to stop
any excess or perversion, making their in
reference as little officious as possible,
and yet as rigorous as is necessary to
achieve the end. But there is no justifica-
ton for stopping a thoroughly manly
sport because it Is sometimes abused,
when the experience of every good pre-
paratory school shows that the abuse is
In no shape necessarily attendant upon
the game.
Courage, a Prime Necessity.
1--WE cannot afford to turn out of college
men who shrink from physical effort or
from a little physical pain. In any repub-
lie courage Is a prime necessity for the
average citizen II he Is to be good cit
izen; and he needs physical courage no
les sthan moral courage, the courage that
dares as we'll as the courage that endures.
the courage that will fight valiantly alike
against the foes of the soul and the foes
of the body. Athletics are good, especially
in their rougher forms, because they tend
to develop such courage. They are good
also because they encourage a true demo-
cratic spirit; for in the athletic field the
man must be judged not with reference
to outside and accidental attributes, but
TO that combination of bodily vigor mad
moral quality which go to make up
prowess.
II trust need not add that in defend
ing athletics ! would not for one moment
be understood as excusing that perversion
of athletics which would make it the end
of life instead of merely n means in life.
1T is first class healthful play, and is
useful as such.
Serious Work of Life.
But play is not business, and is a very
poor business indeed for a college man
10 learn nothing but sport. There are ex-
ceptional cases which ! do not need to
consider: but disregarding these, L can
not with sufficient emphasis say that
when you get through college you will do
badly unless you turn your attention to
the serious work of life with devotion
which will render 1t impossible for you
to pay much heed to sport in the way
In which it is perfectly proper for you
you play and work while you work; and
though play is mighty good thing, re-
member that you had better never play
at all than to get into condition of
mind where you regard play as the Sc
rious business of life, or where you per-
NIT it to hamper and interfere with your
doing your full duty In the real work
of the world.
Word to Students.
are good; study is even better; and best
of all is the development of the type
of character for the lack of which, in
an individual as In a nation. no amount
8 of brilliancy of mind or strength of body
+. will atone. Harvard must do more than
produce students; yet, after all, she will
fall immeasurably short of her duty and
her opportunity unless she produces
great number of true students, of true