Evening star., 1911-08-30
For many years the physical condition

For many years the physical conoltloh
of students in schools, colleges ana uni
versities was so neglected that the very
word student" suggested an attenuated,
hollow eyed stoop-shouidered Individual
who stumbled when he walked ana had
far less strength than the average youth
Then came the demand for athletics. and
soon every college and university In the
land had its organized teams for base
ball. foot BAH and other sports calculated
TO call into play the entire muscular
system of the body. Within twenty-five
years the change has been so great that
now the athletic department OF q school
or college is Of recognized Importance by
the students, faculty and general pub
lie. To the students athletic suprem-
acy frequently seems to be of para
mount Importance and, in some institu-
tions, scholastic attainment appears to
have taken secondary place. Thus the
pendulum has swung from one extreme
to the other and IL now seems likely to
reach its middle or proper, position.
College athletics have become so serious
a menace to the health as well as to the
lives Of those participating in the con-
tests to call for some immediate rem
edy. Each year begins new enrolment
Of men and boys carried off the foot ball
field dead. or crippled for life, and public
indignation has become aroused FIRE.
quently that some change I'm athletic ar
rangements must be made in the near
future. The colleges themselves, 10 a
certain degree a. least, admit this, and
the director Of athletics OF the University
of Pennsylvania advocates doing away
with much of the severe training now re-
quired for member OF an athletic team,
which frequently, at the close of the con-
test, makes man morose or hysterical.
1t is claimed that the athletic require
ments of the modern colleges are too
high, The aver
Athletes Secure age student real
Special Privileges. o,,,c,assed and 50
foregoes the game he ought to be able
to enjoy with physical benefit. The train
ing of the picked athlete separates him
from his fellows. He is given separate
quarters and special diet is provided
for him. These provisions lead 10 spe-
cial privileges. which are sometimes
abused to the great detriment, OF the
school discipline.
The publicity given to the game fire.
quently is allowed to react harmfully
upon the students participating. The
athletic game becomes a spectacle whlch
people pay large fees to see. Conse-
quently. the students instead of playing
for the enjoyment of the game and their
own physical improvement are placed IN
the attitude of performers VINO must
please an audience. To win the game al
all hazards is considered more desirable
than observing the law Of fair play. and
often unfair advantage is taken OF an
opponent. which would not be permitted
if the game were played strictly Tor It's
athletic value.
The remedy for these evils, in the
opinion of most college authorities,
consists in lowering the standard OF
athletics so as to keep them within
reach of more students, and then dis
couraging undue training. To large
extent the separate table and other
distinctions made between the regular
student and the athlete must be abol-
ished IL athletic games are to be made
of first benefit to the students partak-
ing of them. instead Of being simply
a means Of public entertainment. 1t
is held that there should be less at
tention given to winning the game and
instead there should be cultivated the
higher sense of honor to be found in
a Clean manly sport The sting of de-
feat should be as nothing compared
with the consciousness of winning
unfairly.