The San Francisco call., 1910-03-12
ORGANIZED PLAY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS


high jump, standing jump. A.
Friday-Sack race, flag race, %lay
race, three legged race.
The foregoing events are to be the
fixed athletic events OF the day. They
should be properly managed and con-
sidered as important as though they
were championship games Classih-
cation by weight should be avoided
unless necessary, as it is preferable to
arrange the boys according TO sizes. In
all schoolyard competitions open 10
boys from different classes arrange
the preliminary heats that only one
boy from each class will be in each
heat. If semfnal heats are in order
before the final is reached 1t may be
necessary that two or three boys from
the same class compete in one heat, but
it should be made a point to separate
them as much as possible in order to
increase the competition.
The rigid discipline of field and track
games will be one of the greatest
allies to general school order. 1t is
one of the greatest helps in developing
in the boy those valuable traits of
character, self-control, obedience, hon
est effort and the spirit of fair play
All athletic events, whether merely
preliminary or otherwise, even to the
decision of championships, should be
conducted in a strictly official manner
For schoolyard athletics as herein de-
scribed, the number of persons in charge
need not be great. These games are
preparations for larger championship
meets and for the proper conduct OF
such affairs many regulations are es-
sential.
In the handicap games the method
of allowing the advantages is gen
orally known among the more advanced
athletes, but the following example is
nevertheless given illustration of
how such events are conducted. Scratch
races among the pupils will of course
be instrumental in deciding the best
competitor the second best, etc, and
a record should be kept of all per-
formances. Suppose, for instance. the
results in the standing high jump
scratch are as follows: First, John
Jones, 3 feet inches; second D. An
derson, 3 feet 4 inches; third, II. An
drews. 8 feet / inch. In addition
the records OF all other boys should
be preserved also. The following han
dicap jump would be in order: John
Jones would be scratch. d. Anderson
would have handicap of inches and
III. Andrews inches.
Boys should not be allowed to take
part in too many events or be permit
ted to compete to the point of exhaus-
ton. Oyerindulgence in athletic com=
petition will tire the youngsters Of the
sport If they are allowed to take part
in two or three events on one day and
the enthusiasm will be found to grow
less In answer to the argument of
not allowing boy to compete in more
than one event it has been said that
youth will run in the streets without
restriction, but this is not the kind of
running that is mental strain on a
boy. AS soon as a boy is placed in
competition he becomes nervous. 1t
gets on his mind and the mere thought
of the final test that is coming has
been known to upset not only school
boys but trained athletes as we'll. The
games as advocated by the Public
Schools athletic league to show any
benefit must be the kind of work that
enlists the entire class; let them all
take their turn in putting the shot,
high jumping. running and other ac-
tivities. A boy should not be wor-
ried when he is at play. The athletics
in the schoolyard should be none other
than play, without preparation, rules
and regulations being favorable only
to the extent of allowing all an equal
opportunity to demonstrate his or her
superiority at jumping or running,
whatever it may be.