The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-14

came as the result of unusual play, but she
tals She does not meet her RESPONSE bi!ities,
you see. This is forcefully explained at the
time and not only the girl herself but her
team mates receive n lesson in loyalty and re.
sponsibility which will affect their future &C.
tlon on the athletic field as well in life.
At the beginning of new term when a girl
begins to take an interest In athletics she
naturally wants and expects to be on one Of the
teams, she does not make 1t, but is told that
she may join the practise games and that she
may nave chance later to take a substitutes
place. Being perfectly human. and therefore
not perfect. she does not take the suggestion
kindly or seriously, she stays away from the
games entirely OF sulks along the side lines in
everyday clothes rather than in her playing
costume This is one Of the commonest acts
OF disloyalty toward her classmates among the
new students.
There is no natural gang spirit among girls.
AS child, the normal girl plays single plays.
plays for which only one companion or per.
maps two is needed. She plays dolls house.
or If older, reads her story books. Boys on the
contrary are natural gangsters They love to
flock together. They follow leader naturally
This quality is in feminine nature as we'll as
in the masculine but it is only recently being
brought forth developed. But boys and
men have had to be trained Just as much as
girls. only their training has been going on
Tor generations. perhaps centuries. The old
troubadours, for instance were sportsmen they
had the quality which we are bringing forth
to-day In our girls and which is considered
TO be natural" TO boys But 1: is not
natural w men the new system or athletics
became included in the schools Of the country
1t was found that boys lacked this highest
sportsmanship they went into the game for the
record alone, let come what would not for the
spirit. 1t is but natural, therefore, that we
should be going through the same phase with
girls, who started practically two generations
later. We used in America TO lay our en-
phesie III The training Of both boys and girls
upon the development Of character. No mere
records will suffice unless school athletics
are making better citizens from the stand
points OF loyalty. honesty and responsibility.
they are failures
Girls learn self-confdence on the athletic
held They learn to lose sight of themselves
which is the truest self-confdence.
10 go into game with fewer members on
the'r team than on their opponents and to
night bravely, gives the fighters a self-coni-
aepce that nothing else give. The girls
md themselves speedily under such condi-
lions Tney have to. else they could not play.
would not say, however, that in every in.
stance responsibility to others in an athletic
contest presupposes a permanent sense of re-
sponsibility to others throughout life. This is
a form of faculty psychology no longer be-
lieved in, but do believe that in many cases
1t helps lot The person who proves her
responsibility in small things is apt to prove
them In the larger things of life.
Aside from selfcontro as ordinarily ex.
pressed. the modern system OF athletics
teaches girl to take open criticism grace
fully. Girls inherently resent criticism. Rows