The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-02-11
ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.
EDITOR OF THE EVENING Posi-:

Slr ILL cOnnecGlOn with the IGGG6rS
which have recently appeared 10 your
columns on hygienic conditions in
schools, may | say word in behalf Of
association football, with view te
| enliSting the cooperation of other ed
licators In its behalf as bearing init,
mitely on this subject? Without en-
tering into discussion as the relative
merits of this game as compared with
American Rugby, it is enough to recog-
nize it as fine, wholesome sport that
should attract normal boy. or man,
from its own inherent qualities; and
be of the first interest to schOolmas-
tiers as an unusually desirable means
of exercising all the boys and men in a
school, with a view to keeping them
in the best physical condition for
work. At present there is unquestion-
ably a traditional sentiment against
this sport among boys and college I'M
dergraduates, because, as / see it, it
has in name and superficial aspect
similarity enough to the other sport
to be disparagingly compared to it in
an offhand manner, when in reality,
there are slight grounds for COMPARE
son, the two games being so entirely
different in the exercise OF the facul-
ties involved in play.
Association football is a game of in
cessant activity for every player on the
team, with the possible exception of
the goaltender, and, irrespective Of
size or weight, the qualities demanded
OF every one are endurance, quickness
of body, and nimbleness of wit. One
must be able to range up and down the
field, and, within limits, back and
forth upon it, untiringly, while CORE
latiOn of mind and muscle must be
perfect to enable player to avoid the
obstacle presented by charges OF OPP
poneuts, and to grasp, and take adj
vantage of, opportunities to further
his sides interest by directing the
ball. at TIE proper moment, to the
foot OF another player on his side, who
is in better position to advance the
ball. True enjoyment of all sport
comes from the conscious, or, prOba-
bly,, more often unconscious, apprecia-
tion of the perfect functioning of all
the faculties, and the opportunities
for satisfaction in this respect in the
play OF association football are almost
limitleSS, and more clearly recogniza-
Die as one advances IN proficiency in
the sport: Moreover, as pleasurable
FRAMING Tor obner games and sports, it
Is unequalled. The power OF sustained
actlvlty that comes through running,
ana OF immediate response, through
Gne constant demand for quick action,
are directly applicable to such sports
as hocKey, track atnletlcS, particular
~ tennis, ana SO on through the whole
llS6. An one, therefore, VINO has sim
ply prayed bne game as recreation at
Tunes wnen MS own special sport may
noU, Ior Inc reason OF season, be posi-
Die, mas lad up stores OF reserve and
new powers 1or the time when he
lakes IS up again. But such an asso-
claUlon OF loeaS IS naturally foreign to
Ine mind OF growing boy until it has
oeen opened to the direct advantages
} ~ S~-De-FSe@ S~Nk
lence.
10 nelp 10 give Unls SPORT proper
recognition, and TO enable It to take
us place among our games, must large
y oe' tnerefore, a matter OF educa-
blon. moreover TO become OF perma-
menu value IL muSt Zoe chosen by the
american BOY Tor reasons sufficient to
ppeal 10 MIN as a game ne wishes TO
play. I6 cannot be a prescribed course.
IN a proper way, ana particularly by a
sympatnetlc ana intelligent attitude
on Lne part OF the teachers, opportun-
lty Tor the sport should be provided
ana an interest be created, which in
the course OF a rev years may perhaps
become general. Almost all masters
can-or surely they should be able TO
lake part IN this sport, as there is
no more effective way OF bringing the
stan and school into pleasant relation
snip, ana the oenenclal results Will be
shown IN discipline and In the class
room. rms has been the universal
custom IN the English schools, and OF
ldU6 III UIle G6rmdU, where Ul0 COlQl-