The San Francisco call., 1910-04-26
WOULD Bring
THE BOY BACK
To NATU RE
Ten Thousand Hands Stretch
Out TO Rescue Stumbling
Nanquished Runner
Would Build Fairgrounds and
Adequately Train the Ris=
ing Generation
Defeat OF High Schools May Yet
Spell Victory for the
City'S Youth


out TO save the stumbling san
Francisco runner whose tardy
stride lost him the laurels of victory
last Saturday. That the inglorious
struggle on the Stanford stadium may
yet hold a victory for him and poster
ity seems more than possible for the
easy and overwhelming success of the
country brother has awakened the COM
munity TO its neglect. The pain of
defeat has struck deeper than the high
school athletes imagined and the tardy
public conscience has awakened.
The sure and inevitable fruits OF
overconfdence and indifference. which
the teams of Lick. Lowell. Mission and
. Cogswell high schools brought home
from the big interscholastic meet at
PaIo Alto viii be forgotten in the fu-
ture annals of success if any of the
plans already suggested are put into
operation. The board of education Of
iciaIs OF the athletic leagues and asso-
cations of the bay counties and coast,
officials OF the athletic clubs and the
city playground commission seem a
unit in coming to the rescue of the de-
feated son OF Ycrba Buena. The result
VIII in all probability be the introduc-
tion into the school system OF credit
Schedule for time spent by the student
on the oval cinder path. in clearing the
high barrier. putting the shot or throw
b. ing the hammer in the field.
Defeat Brings Reward
The apathetic attitude of those in
. control Of athletics in the school de-
partment has brought forth an eN-
preston of sympathy for the plucky
Youngsters who invited defeat at the
hands Of their neighbors. ignorant of
thc fact that their sacrifice would bring
its reward. That Hast Saturdays de
feat was the logical result of the hap
hazard training Of the high school stu
dents is declared by ali those who have
closely followed the amateur athlete
on the Pacihc coast.
For years past both Lick and Lowell
ligh school teams have consistently
brought home the launels from the Am
atcur athletic league. Bay Counties
league and even Coast league meets.
IIonors have, at worst, been evenly
divided among San Francisco, Oak
land. Berkeley and Ukiah. But in the
last four years one after another the
local high school teams have gradually
dropped behind the more thoroughly
prepared boys Of the country and out
side city schools. The climax was ar
rived at in the last meet of the Inter
scholastic league. Saturday, when Low
eli and Cogsweu walked off the field
without a point TO their credit, Mission
4 high with one and Lick with but nine.
The best struggle that the San Fran
cisco boys seemed capable of placed
them sixth from winner of the meet.
Chico yelling itself hoarse in the &C.
stacy Of victory.
PHYSICAL Trainer Suggested
It is argued that the students have
been left too much to their own re-
sources in the matter of athletic train
ing. The gradual decentralization Of
the high school team as a unit in the
city is credited by some TO the pro-
fessionaI coach system. The critics of
the professional paid coach insist that
he drives the boys at a killing pace
lust prior to the meets and then sends
Them on the field stale and weary with
.sbeir spectacular training. To remedy
fhis physical director is urged for
each high school in the city, who shall
have charge of all training and ath-
lettc events. This system has been
adopted in Oakland and other outside
! schools with a decidedly beneficial ef-
feet. To encourage the work under
The director school credits are intro
duced for each hour of gymnasium or
rack work performed by the student.
At the present time both Lick and
Lowell are without gymnasium facili-
lies. and Mission high has one that has
never been used.
a system Of public baths accessible
"a. the students in the different schools
and conducted as such a system is at
present conducted in Boston and New
York. is emphasized as a necessity by
President william p. Humphrey Of the
Olympic club. who has given much
thought to the training of the young
man But two baths exist in the city
AZ the present time for the accommo-
dation Of school children, and these are
located in places not convenient to the
major portion of the school public.
The cramped Fairgrounds at most of
the schools is another evil pointed at
in explanation of the gradual decline
oS- the athletic prowess of the local
esms. According to President T. r.
Bsnnerman of the board of education
feyerv attempt is now being made to
secure as near to a complete block as
possibse in all new purchases of ground