Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-30
NEED A BIG FIELD
High Schools Feeling Lack Of
Training Facilities.
OPINIONS OF DIRECTORS
All Seem to Want Place Where
Games May Be Held and
Practice Had

need OF a centrally located athlet!e hsll
for the high schools Of this city. Again
this year with the opening OF the con-
tests came the same trouble aud cry.
Where Will the interhigh school atl-
letic events take place? And agsm
Their many followers see the great need
of a stadium, where all these numerous
game couia be held.
Bill to.ey, one OF the best known
athlete authorities and trainers in this
section OF tie country, says:
"kveryoody has been giving money for.
and helping 10 pulld the piaygtounas ia
all sections OF our ETY. out no one seems
10 ue.lI IL necessary 10 pIovlae the prop
eli GROUNDS anc.c our n,sn scuoui DoHs
cou.u DC progeny ueN.iopcu. business
IS really tile o"4y scnooI wnien nas
- ii.nas um OF any SAFE. o. That ~ suit
ANY equipped, aiId not one OF the nye
has AT pace Tor outdoor WON. our
boys neea me FRESH ar. TOO. ana IN the
early faii anu agdin IN the sp4-ng, the
men should nave place Wuien they
could use Tor tLelr physical culture eN-
crosses ana athletic ua.ning. rsdch of
Oui hlgn schools IL Soie.y IN need OF "A
large. ievei neid right near the school
puIiGIng, and also neld tnat would be
contrary located for al nve schools, Tor
the .ntern.gh school series.
All the local SCHOOLS nave some excel
lent material for athletes, put they .ack
any KIND of place for THESE men To be
developed in the proper way. Several OF
them are now without even suitable
grounds where foot ball practice can he
held. and therefore II can hardly be
expected that they can put out teams
that will do them justice on the grid ron
The majority of the different he d. now
used are several miles from the schools.
thus making IL quite late before the men
can start their practice, and many Oh
them are also obliged to walk tins dis
lance, as they are not I'm c rcumStances
to afford the car fare every day.
Mr.. c. w. Hecox. the we'll known and
successful Technical High School foot
ball coach, says:
"If we are to have athletics in our
schools, IL Is as essential that we have
q place where these athletic events may
be held, as 1t is to have our school
buildings. In the nine years existence
of our school We have paid out over
81, 200 I'm rent for athletic fields on which
to practice and play our games. TINS
money comes from the students of the
school. and ii seems quite enouLh Tor
them to furnish the equipment Tor their
teams without being called upon to pro-
vide for the athletic fields. Moreover. by
the present arrangement for the secui M
of athletic grounds. the nigh schools
are placed in an undignifed position. as
their representatives are forced to strike
whatever bargains they may with those
having the desired grounds at their dis
posal. Innumerable uses could be made
of such a field IL We had it, In the nrst
place, more games could he played. The
high schools could form "A league. playing
a series Of games instead of sn9le
game with one another. thus doing away
with the outside practice games scheduled
by each high school team. and played to
gain the experience necessary for their
single interhigh contest. BY increas ng
the number OF games played between the
various teams, the objectionable element
of the contests as they are now played
would be eliminated-namely, the nerve
strain caused by the supreme Importance
attached to winning each game played,
and by the uncertainty of attacking an
unknown opponent. With large Held
belonging to the schools, more pupils
could engage in athletics. and thus those
pupils debarred from games by scholastic
requirements could have the benefit of
athletic training. AS IL is those who need
II the most are deprived of ii through
ticipation in athletic sports.
It is not only for foot ball that a
centrally located field is sorely needed.
and as each branch of athletics comes
into season this same question is asked
by all. 1t cannot be satisfactorily
answer until Congress. assisted by the
school authorities. gets busy and pro-
yides a suitable high school stadium.
This year at the critical moment
Georgetown again came to the front and
offered her field for the opening con
test of the series Otherwise. the first
game would undoubtedly have been
played on some undesirable field in
far section of the city where but few
of their many followers would have
found it convenient to reach. After
numerous efforts on the part of the
board of athletic advisers. composed or
one man representing each school ar
rangements were made with the uni~er-
sity whereby the high schools r"'ld
hold their foot ball games on the Blue
and Gray gridiron for this seaser
With such a field as the one suggest
ed by DR. Davidson all ave of t'e hi"h
schools would have place not only Tor
the regular games OF the series INT
for their daily practice as we'll as IL
would be possible for all the teams 10
practice at the same time and with
out interfering with one an"ther S"ch
a plan was tried last year in the use
Of the American Lea que Park. when TIE
teams Of Central. Business and Teen
practiced on the same gridiron wlthou. ,
any inconvenience. With all the high
school teams practicing and PLAYING on
pronertv belonging to the schools, IL
would be far easier for the authorities
to maintain high school standards or
discipline.
With such a field the student body anu
public would be assured a comfortable
and safe place to view the different con
tests, and there could be no repetition OF
last wears experience. when champion
shin base ball games were played on
field with no accommodations for specta-
tors At that time many comments
were made upon the fact that Washing.
ton provided no place for high schooi
athletics" and comparisons were MADE
which showed the National Capifai 70 %
behind many other cities in this matter
Besides the numerous athletic events
comes the High School Cadet drills. sham
battles and grand review. Last year
many thousand enthusiasts We're obliged
TO stand down on the ellipse for several
hours during the terrific heat OF the
afternoons late i'm May. to witness these
events. Only a very few seats were pro-
vided and these were turned over TO gov
eminent officials and to the relatives or
the cadet officers.
In a city of this size where there are
40 many schools, and where there is such
great interest taken by the public IN
scholastic events. il hardly seems fair
that the school should be placed at such
disadvantage. and the public at 50 much
Inconvenience and discomfort. There ~
hardly another city in the country where
such friendly rivalry and enthusiastic
spirit exists between the schools ana so
much interest is taken by the public as
in the schools of Washington. and Yet
they are but poorly repaid for II all.
A Country Girls Romance.