Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-11-26
FOOTBALL VS.. ATHLETICS.

Inc atteNuOn OF readers is Cdllcu
to an interest ing inquiry addressed to
this newspaper by the editor of Puck
la New York publication.
Is the money spent today to make
an efficient, line-smashing football
machine out of few men common
surate with the benefits conferred up
on the college as whole? Could not
the money be spent to better advan-
tage for the physical development of
every man? What do you think Of the
proposition of university army as
a form of physical schooling and as
a defensive resource for the United
States government? These, in brief,
are the Joints which the editor of this
paper is asked to consider.
The answer to the first question is
quite Obvious. The benefits derived
by the student body from the money
exactly the same as those derived by
the residents of city from the fact
that their town supports league
baseball team. If you go, you pay
your price and get pleasure. Other
wise you receive no direct benefits
TIE development Of a football squad
to defeat the teams Of other colleges
has as much relation to the physical
education of the whole institution as
intercollegiate debating, no more, no
less.
This fact does not necessarily con-
denim intercollegiate football Rather
it has nothing to do with the ques-
ton. Football is not athletics. It is
sport and belongs in a class either
with league baseball or class by
itself. If it pays it's expenses with
it's gate receipts it has right to live
IF it is allowed to draw from the col
lege fund it should be considered
purely as an investment in advertis-
iLs. If it draws from the college fund
as part of college athletics it is a
humbug. This conclusion dispOses Of
tue further question of whether or not
the money spent in football should be
invested rather in athletics for every
body.
Undoubtedly more intelligent atten-
ton should be devoted to athletics for
the whole student body in every col
lege. Practically every institution at
present offers it's students all the gym
nasium facilities they can use. In adj
dition these institutions require at
least one year of gymnasium class
work. This is evidence of good inten-
tons but of little else Unfortunately
these compulsory classes are too
much like other militaristic measures
in their ultimate effect. Instead of
teaching the physically disinclined to
value gymnasium work they teach
them to love their liberty and to steer
clear of the gymnasium for the re-
naming three years Of their course.
And the students cannot be blamed.
Compulsory gymnastics is not recre-
alton but drudgery.
And too many gymnasiums are not
pleasant play places but unlovely
looking, uncomfortable holes reeking
of stale sweat Students not already
habituated to the benefits and pleas
ures of gymnastics will avoid them.
in popularizing athletics by offering
pleasant circumstances in place OF CO.
ercion and locker rooms which are
like stables.
The university army proposition
has already been tried in most state
universities which receive a substan-
tial annuity from the government by
requiring two years Of drill from all
liberal arts and engineering students.
On the whole this is a fine feature of
university education but can hardly
be regarded as substitute for athlet-
ic training. 1t is resource, however,
which the government needs. The
present war is convincing example
of the value of preparedness for de-
tense. University military drill is one
of the measures of preparedness
which can be established without
danger of inducing militarism.-
Waterloo Courier