The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-02-23
.GOLLEGE MEN As THEY
/. DIVIDE INTO GROUPS
Some Ex eel in
One Thin Others
In Another

In Another
CAMBRIDGE. Feb. 22.-1n his ad
dress TO the members of the Harvard
Union here this afternoon, President
Roosevelt spoke as follows:
In speaking here at the Harvard
Union 1 wish to say first specia
word az one Harvard man to his fel
low Harvard men. i feel that we can
none of us ever be sufficiently grateful
TO Colonel Higginson for having found
ed this Harvard Union, because each
loyal Harvard man should do all he
can to foster in Harvard that spirit
of real democracy which will make
Harvard men feel the vital sense Of
solidarity SO that they can all join
to work together in the things that are
of most concern to the college. It Is
idle to expect, nor indeed would II
be desirable that there should be, In
Harvard a uniform level of taste and
association. Some men will excel In
one thing and some in another; some
in things of the body, some In things
of the mind; and where, thousands are
gathered together each will naturally
find some group of specially congen,
ial friends with whom he will form
ties OF peculiar social intimacy. These
groups-athletic, artistic, scientific, so
cial-must inevitably exist. My plea
is not for their abolition. My plea Is
that they shall be got into the right
focus in the eyes of college men; that
the relative Importance of the differ.
ent groups shall be understood when
compared with the infinitely greater
life OF the college as a whole. Let
each man have his special associates,
his special interests, his special stud.
les and pursuits, but let him remem.
Der that he can not get the full benefit
of life in college II he does nothing
but specialize; and that, what is even
more important, he can not do his full
duty by the college unless his first
and greatest interest is in the col.
leg itself, In his associates taken as
mass. and not in any small group.
One reason why SO thoroughly be.
lieye in the athletic spirit at Harvard
is because the athletic spirit is essen
TALLY democratic. Our chief interest
should not lie in the great champions
in sport. On the contrary our CON
cern should be most Of all to widen
the base, the foundation in athletic
sports; to encourage in every way a
healthy rivalry which shall givs to
the largest possible number Of stu.
dents the chance to take part In Wig.
orous outdoor games. 1t is OF far more
Importance that man shall play
something himself, even IL he plays
It badly, than that he shall 90 with
hundreds of companions 20 see soma
one else play well; and It is not
healthy for either students or ath.
letes If the terms are mutually exc}u.
sive. But even having this aim esps.
eially in view, It seems to me we can
best attain 1t by giving proper encour.
agement to the champions in the
sports. and this can only be done by
encouraging intercollegiate sport. AS
emphatically disbelieve in seeing
Harvard or any other college turn out
mollycoddles instead OF vigorous men
may add that do not in the least
object to sport because It is rough.
Rowing, baseball, la crosse. track and
field games. hockey, football are all
OF them good. Moreover, it is to my
mind simple nonsense, a mere confes.
sion of weakness. to desire to abolish
game because tendencies show them.
selves or practises grow up. which
prove that the game ought to be re.
formed. Take football, for instance.
The preparatory schools are able To
keep football clean and to davelop the
right spirit in the players without the
slightest necessity ever arising to 80
much as consider the question of abol.
ishing II. There is no excuse what,
ever for colleges falling to show the
same capacity. and there is no real
need for considering the question Of
the abolition OF the game. II neces.
sary, let the college authorities inter.
fere to stop any excess or peryer
sion. making their interference as lit.
tie oficious as possible. and yet as
rigorous rs is necessary TO achieve
the end. But there Is no Justification
for stopping thoroughly manly sport
because II Is sometimes abused. when
the experience Of everv rood nran.r..