New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-22
Organization To Be Along
the Same Lines as
Phi Beta Kappa.
CANDIDATES MUST
PASS REAL TESTS
Movement Finds Many Active
Supporters in East, Par
ticularly at Yale.

ticularly at Yale.
Phi Beta Kappa. the college fraternity
which honors scholarship, has a rival in
a new organization which purposes to
r,ake athletic proves significant. The
movement started in the Middle West
but has spread TO the East and has found
many active supporters, particularly IN
Yale.
The Yale Daily News in describing
the society for athletes. saws.
The society will be secret in general
way and will resemble the two societies
that have been formed for excellence IN
the college curriculum. Phi Beta Kappa
for academic and Sigma Xi for scientific
merit.
These two societies have long been
recognized as 81 mark OF recognition OF
,nertt IN these two lines. and the society
which is being formed is designed to rec
ognize in a similar way general athletic
merit.
The organization will be known as
Sigma Delta Psi. and membership will be
won by the ability 10 attain satisfactory
marks In a list OF specified athletic events,
.ust as a general academic scholarship
mark entities student of that depart
tnent TO membership in Phi Beta Kappa
and q mark OF adequate merit in scientific
achievement TO membership in Sigma ri.
The requirements for membership IN
the full or regular grade have just been
ANNOUNCED. They include twelve all
around athletic tests. as follows; lo-yard
dash, II 3-5 seconds: 12p~yard hurdles, ~
seconds: running high jump. feet; run
ming broad jump, Is feet: putting l6-pound
shot. 30 feet: pole vault. feet inches
throwing baseball go feet; punting foot
ball. 40 feet: Smile run, IS minutes 30
seconds: 10-mie walk. 2 hours 80 minutes:
ioo-yard swim and tumbling tests not yet
specified.
There will also be Junior grade IN
membership. admission 20 which will be
through slightly modified tests. as fol-
lows: loo-yard run. 10 seconds; 12o-yard
hurdles. 20 seconds; running high jump,
4 feet inches: running broad jump, 10
feet: putting 16-pound shot, 20 feet: pole
vault. feet: throwing baseball, 200 feet:
punting football. 90 feet; Smile run. 20
minutes; 1o-mile walk . hours; swim, 50
yards.
The idea has been taken up here en-
Enthusiastically and II is expected that
there will be a large entry list for the
events, which will be held about the close
OF the college year. From the lists the
charter membership of the new society
will be created.
The tests are designed TO strike a
balance between the events most common
TO American university athletics. The list
was framed by the athletic directors at
leading American universities, the idea
spreading from Indiana University, but
receiving prompt response and consider
able development in the East.
"One Of the rules of membership is
that college letter won in any sport
shall count for the test in that sport.
That is, membership on the college foot
ball team will abolish the need of compe-
ttion in tho football test.
Or W. G. Anderson has expressed his
views on the subject as follows:
1t has seemed 20 me for number
OF years that all-around development is
better FOR the average student than the
effects OF specialized effort. Consequently
i have urged our men to take part II
several forms Of physical activity rather
than one.
~ have lent emphasis TO this fact. i
the man was considering his bodily eff
cheney rather than his acquisition OF ath
1etic honors.
There is perhaps no department ir
the university where prizes Of some kind
nre not offered to those who excel With
pue going into n discussion OF the wisdom
NJ thus rewarding man for hard work.
wish 10 say that under the present con.
httions in our departments Of education
favor giving an. exceptional student
rome physical evidence OF our apprecia'
ton OF his excellence In bodily achieve
nent.
If the pin or key" offered by the
new society Will stimulate any student &c
take better care OF his body. let him
have II.
The change in the training Of the
academic freshmen next year Will place
number Of consistent workers in line
Tor the badge or the new key, and It is
yafe TO say that the man who wins this
Insignia win deserve It.