Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
Does Football Pay?"

Inc following article IS taken
from the Round Table official paper
of Beloit College. Tt was written
by Frank G. Meyer. Of Lancaster,
who is athletic editor This is
Franks junior year in the college
and he is dong some commendable
work both in his studies and his
editorial work:
Does football pay? After the
close of such disastrous season as
We have had this fall, the question
is st least debatable one for BeIoit
students. All the objections to foot
ball as pointed out by DR.. Collie
obtain here at Beloit this fall.
Many of our men have been COM
PEELED to leave the game on account
of injuries. Freshmen just enter
ing upon college work have found
it hard to maintain a good standing
in scholarship, and the students too
have been called upon to sacrifice
much of their time to support the
team. To offset these objections,
have we gained anything? Has
not rather the defeats of the season
been a decided loss as an advertise
ment?
To many of us fairer wording
of the question would seem to be
docs successful football paY?" A
sucC ession of seasons filled with
defeats would by no means be
worth while. They would be a
poor advertisement and would re-
salt in no benefits to the team or
the students. It is fact that
continued defeat, such as Beloit
has suffered, is apt to produce an
untoward effect on the enthusiasm
of prospective students in prepare
tory schools and thus injure the
school out of all proportion to the
benefits derived from the game"
But let us consider successful
football, victorious teams properly
trained and coached. No matter
what may be said against football
a. a game the fact remains that a
large percentage of high school
students consider the athletic stand
ing of the colleges in deciding what
school to attend. This class is in
f1uenced to a certain extent by
colleges football success.
Judged also from the student
body standpoint successful football
pays. Athletic victories increase
college spirit and loyalty. Although
we have won but one home game
this season the team has been well
supported and the spirit has been
strong. There is something about
football particularly that makes
enthusiasm intense and spontaneous;
it may be because football is
primarily a college sport. lie sue
cessful, football will be, as it has
been in the past, good advertise
ment for the college and will in
crease college spirit.
By an almost unanimous vote the
student body has voted to retain
football as an intercollegiate sport.
But if this move is to be considered
as wisely taken, then our football
next fall must be successful; if we
are to go on as we have this year,
football will not pay. I'VE must
turn over a new leaf" We have
learned many lessons this FALL let
us profit by them. Keep up the old
spirit that has been so manifest this
year, the spirit that even at the
close of this most unsuccessful
season would not for moment
consider the temptation to quit;
keep up the ideals of Beloit athletics
as they have been handed down to
us from the past; keep up the old
time love and loyalty for our school,
the determination to do something
for our college, and at the close of
the next football season, Beloit will
rejoice in the fact that she did not
abolish the game, will realize that
football, If played successfully, does
pay.