New-York tribune., 1910-02-20
JIM RICE'S PUZZLE
4P4THY ABOUT CREW
Effort to Get More Columbia
Men Into SQu1d.

Although the graduate directors Of the
Columbia University crews have threatened
from time to time to abolish rowing first
in the freshman class. and. more recent
ly, in the varsity crew, the fact remains
that conditions among the students on
Morningside Heights, so far as rowing Is
concerned, are just about the same as
last year and the year before last. There
has been for several seasons more or less
apathy In regard to crew affairs. despite
the fact that each year Jim Rice has
turned out a combination that has proved
itself about good the best in the
Poughkeepsie regatta.
It is believed now, however, that the stu
dents should get another of their periodical
scares, and the directors. therefore. have
issued an ultimatuIn that unless more can
didates report, the crews will be abolished
This Identical situation came up last year.
when Rice. whom every one on Morning
side Heights idolizes threatened to quit the
game and let the crew go. That threat had
the desired effect, and betw cen IS and 100
men finally came out for the crew. This
wear conditions were wretched at the be-
ginning but as the weeks have passed
they have picked UP gradually, and now
there are about seventy-flve reporting Tor
practice daily. The latest ultimatum of the
rowing club is expected to jump this num-
ber up considerably.
The crew situation at Columbia Is Pc
c,liar one For seasons back emphasis
has been laid on the development of the
varsity crew. Some attention was PAID 10
the freshmen, but the four-oared combina-
ton has been merely incidental II IS be-
lieved that something will be done very
In .
affairs Several suggestions have been
made that separate rowing clubs be organ
lied among the undergraduates to be used
as feeders for the varsity and freshman
SQUADS. It has been said that some scheme
such as this is the only remedy for row.
ing at Columbia, that is, II the Blue ana
White is to have championship crews.
IF is impossible to build up first class
combinations year in and year. out. from
varsity squad numbering barely fifty men,
for the quality varies from season to sea-
son. and where there may. be g. dozen really
first class varsity oarsmen one term. the
succeeding year may find only two or three.
and the empty places In the shell have to
be filled with mediocre men. This lack OF
material is what has handicapped Rice for
several years. but 1t has each year been
hoped that the season following would see
better spirit and more men rowing. As 1t
is the number remains almost stationary
The latest plan of the rowing club is to
abolish varsity rowing for this year. but
on Its face this seems to be another way
of cutting off ones nose to spite ones face.
for this is not the only year to be consid-
cred If the necessary steps can be taken
whereby students at large are brought to
take interest in rowing not with any
intention of making a varsity or class
crew but more for the sport of rowing. 1T
is believed that the problem will be solved.
For the last week Rice has had three
varsity eights rowing in combinations on
the machines, and he has also had four
sets of freshmen There are about enough
varsity men to make up another eight, but
they cannot report at the regular periods,
so that they receive their instruction sep
arately with the freshmen. This is about
as many men as the coach had last March
when the crews went on the water. The
squad is not large. but it is not much
smaller than Rices squads have been in the
past. The directors feel. however, that 1t
is not quite large enough yet, so they have
decided to get some more men out.