The Washington times., 1912-12-11
Philadelphian Says Washing
/ ton High Schools Are
T., Below Standard.
LACK OF FACILITIES
l. ROBS OF INTEREST
Few Local Institutions Have Any
Sort Of Grounds To Use
Ssa!. For Training.
BY BRYAN MORSE.

That Washington high schools are far
behind other cities In athletic develop
ment and standard and in the manage
mont Of athletics. 10 the opinion Of
Eddie Dennis. the Georgetown football
coach. Bennis. in comparing Washing
ton with Philadelphia. his home town
and the place where he has been c $50.
ciafed with athletics for Q number cf
years. hnds the National Capital lack
alSnsy lSny a Dso5sSs q assiss
slow. but Bennis. and others who have
had experience In athletics and with
athletic teams 9 lo9g. enough i, ,,nn time snS 70
that this city has been and will continue
to be years behind the times.
,oSSs Issns ssms, 0ns here Of ass sse Bsnns
biz high schools Of the city and upon
being told that one Of the teams me-
forming was the last years champion
stated that in neither weight nor abiiity
Philsdeiphia champion team.
Better In Philly.
"Our hish schools In Philadelphia put
out teams Of much better ability. are
stronger In every way and have better
material than the Washington elevenS
We draw as much as 1900 or 1900 peo-
Quoted Just as any big college game Is
IT was surprised to learn the way
they d9 things ssre 4as rs
without the proper number Of officials:
understand. too. that one OF the high
schools has Its football captain appoint-
ed BY the faculty and that the boys
have little or no say IN VINO sna.i SosSn ;Sa
q. who shall be appointed 10 'eao '"e
"other activities in .Philadelphia arr
far and away ahead OF the Washington
hish school spoTsS we anVf league ana
championship games. we devote mucf
time 10 swimming In the winter. AND
our track teams, especially that OF Cen
trs' hiSh School dndasx !. ss soSS1 co1ene no' 0c'
Others Express Thoughts.
Bennis' opinion Ii only that which hal
been many times expressed by otheI
persons who have seen Washington
high school athletic teams. Football
and baseball, with an annual ttacs
door meets are the only things thai
washington high schools take part In.
In the past. several teams, notably re-
lay teams. OF more than average abuit!
nivai at Philadelphia. and one Or Nv.
good men in years past. like Paul Coo.
and sidney Kent; Blackstone, Dicl
been sent to compete in other her, cities; S.,,
do not make enough money to properi!
support athletics. In counter claim Il
the assertion that the sports are run oi
such . small scale and that interest hai
not only been allowed to die down. bu
has been discouraged to the extent thx
good teams and healthy interest hav'
become almost thing unknown.
For hve years past Eastern Higl
School and Business have not had an!
Busincss, with thousand students. ant
Eastern with more than 100, are unabl
to get up enough interest In track 4
successfully compete with the othe
schools In the annual track games.
Tech Never Won.
Tech. with 100 boys. has never won {
track meet In the annual games, ant
has never had q basketball team which
compares with teams In this or othel
Saass: Central Hish never has had .
that there 10 no gymnasium at the {
street institution but there has no
been enough interest to start the gam,
or to rely upon the active steps taker
A lack OF the proper facility to indulg,
In the sports has been the chief faul
. with the retardation Of development ant
the lack Of interest in high school ath
letics. When high school stadium
was proposed some years ago the mat
ter was taken up with interest. but u
far little has been done to give the higi
schools the proposed place to play thei
games and to hold their annual meet.
Central. Business. Tech. and Eastern
are without proper places to train base
ball, football, and track teams. West
ern has . back lot to play baseball ant
football on. and all OF the schools ar
having difficulty year after year. |,