New-York tribune., 1910-12-26
COMMENT ON SPORTS
Revolt in School Athletics Should
Be Stamped Out.
DEMAND SUMMARY ACTION
News and Views On Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.

News and Views On Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.
xo words are too strong 10 characterize
-. puer.Ie. ill-advised and misguided action
-..he high school games committee and the
<,eh School Principals Association in
s@,os-stztrls the efficiency Of the Public
Schools Athletic League in the wonderful
~r--a, y Is carrying on. IN denying recog-
r,tso- Of the games committee Of the parent
NV. which in point ot fact should be
acknowledged as the supreme court Of
school athletics, the instructors and p-in-
es,s1s are inviting an upheaval which is
su-e 70 work great harm in the proper con-
Auc, o. sports under the jurisdiction or con-
.-oi or the Board OF Education The re-
ssfaon-if such Il NAV be called-should be
.-srue6 CIT forthwith. AT the annual
meeting Of the Public Schools Athletic
1sagre On Thursday no mention was made
OF The insUrgeEt action. bur II strikes me
.hs+ the time has come for Egerton L. Win
throp IL president OF the Board Of Edu-
,gt;cr 70 recognize the impending danger
:
g cessation OF hostilities. It is one thing
% fight for independence. but it is another
,h.r- 70 declare g civil war, when the in
-erests Of all concerned are supposed TO be
the same
AZ first I was disposed to agree with
James E. Sullivan when he said that the
--frcfpals OF the various high schools were
-7or alive &c the serious nature OF the posi-
zion taken by the high schools games COM
-rir1ee and not thoroughly familiar with
-he situation The snarling and barking Of
the instructors who make up this connft-
Tee Rave been justified, however, by the
rrincipals' association, which makes II ap-
-esr as Il the responsibility for the childish
and ridiculous action could not be placed
mon the shoulders OF those who make up
that committee II is a poor time 10 dis
claim any connection with the Public
Schools Athletic League, after accepting the
many benefits accruing from membership
s1,d after referring certain cases 20 the
games committee Of the organization for
Judgment General George W Wingate did
not express himself TOO strongly when ne
said IN The Tribune Friday that ne
could not understand such insratiIude as
payment for what had been received
General Winsate.- James E Sullivan, j
Ward Champion, r r Guggenheim and
their associates il the Public Schools Ath-
letic League have sacrificed much valuable
time and devoted an endless amount OF en-
ergy 10 improve conditions in school attn
let5cs- L has been their purpose TO inter
est the boys and girls in clean sports, to
raise the standard of their physical well De-
tne and 10 instil high sense of honor and
fair dealing This building OF character as
well as physical prowess cannot be over
Looked in the work Of the league during
the seven years OF its existence It has
made for good. and the results were plainly
- indicated in General Wtngate's annual re-
-,or1 at the meeting on Thursday. II VIII
h. : c-xinz shame II this work is hanlpered
n checked bv body Of men who are AFRO
eating 70 themselves Al authority and con-
rolling force which they are not quallned
20 exercise e one may Judge by the Green.
I-nser and Balieu cases
II will be interesting to hear the views OF
The educators on new football when the
intercollegiate Athletic Association Of the
United States meets In annual session az
he Hotel Astor On Thursday. This asso-
ciation. be IL known. is made UP Of faculty
representatives from seventy-odd colleges
sn6 universities throughout the country II
was organized five years ago. when the hrsJ
crusade against football vas started. Al
hat time the chief purpose Of those who
-esnonded 10 the call Of Chancellor Mac
C-acken Of New York University was 70
-=<o-rn bv tearing down The total aboli-
ton OF football was demanded The game
US rainted IN the blackest terms Fortu-
-arely for one Of the most popular and
~frile sports OF college men, cooler heads
-revailed. Captain Palmer z. Pierce, L 3
A 2 representative at that meeting from!
West Point with the aid of some Of the
DELEGATES who believed IN reform by build
sng I'd. saved the situation al its most criti-
ca. point, and in a measure saved the game
since then the association has broadene6
rs scope and extended its influence in the
most amazing way It's declared purpose IS
-lct 70 control, but 10 direct and encourage
al manner Of sports among college men in
keeling with the high principles OF educa-
rior. Much has been done to bring about a
more healthy condition. Proselytizing, semi
Professionalism and other cancerous
z-cvrhs on clean sport have been dlscour-
egeS. and whereas some evils growing OUT
Of rhe unfortunate desire 70 win al any
cos- Green in from time TO time. they have
leen reduced 10 z minimum. All credit for
rhis happy condition does not belong 70 the
intercollegiate Association Of the United
States as some OF the leading colleges not
e--oUcd IN the membership have done JheiE
par. but The association has worked z
great good. and is in position to do
great deal more through tts influence n
erHsring z more lively interest among the
faculty representatives, in what the boys
aye doing outside Of lecture hours
7 seems q pity that Yale, Princeton and
Cornell viii not lend their influence ahc
prestige by joining the association tnus
making il absolutely national in It's scope
Croer the constitution. no college or UNI
versity can in any way lose its individual
fty, 50 far as the conduct of its own sports
Is concerned Harvard and Pennsylvania
are members and IL is hard 10 understand
what objections the three first named uni
Versities can have TO lending aid 10 such
worthy cause Captain Pierce is not dis
ccuraees and still hopes TO secure the CO.
operation Of all three, and his efforts arc
deserving cf the prol er reward