New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
COLUMBIA TO FOSTER
ATHLETIC TRAINING
All Students To Be Taught
Rudiments of Some
Form of Sport.
WILL DEVELOP MEN
RATHER THAN TEAMS
Innovation in Varsity Life IS
Result of Study Made
BY DR.. Meylan.


pr George l.. Mc,lan. director " physi-
cal training at Columbia University. is
planning 10 put into practice an innoV'-
lion in college physical training when CO.
lumbia opens for the second term 81 tie
wear. on Wednesday of this week.
BY the nan that he has IN mind Dr..
Nicvlan viii substitute for some of the
work in gymnastics and calsthcnics that
IS required Of the students. practical ate-
letlcs in the form Of rowing, running
basketball. swimming and baseball and
handban
The new scheme is TO he tried out not
50 much with the purpose of building mp
Columbia's athletic teams as with the
purpose Of giving TO every man little
training in some form OF athletics ond
thereby arouse his interest, so that when
he leaves college he will have a pracu-
cal means of recreation at his disposal
BY the new plan the afternoon classes
in physical education are to be split up
al least one a week in what DR.. Meylan
calls athletic groups. II has been deemed
advisable 10 try the scheme out with only
part OF the students at this time, rather
than with those who are taking physical
education in the morning. These athletic
groups will be so assigned that every man
in them will be able 10 practise at least
once a week the form of athletics which
he desires TO follow.
BY the university regulations at Column
bia every student in the freshman and
sophomore classes of the college the en-
gineering schools and the school OF jour
nallsm is required 10 put in at least two
hours a week in physical education.
Heretofore all the work has been in
gymnastics and setting up drills. except
FOR five weeks of work In soccer and track
and field athletics in the fall. Dr. Mey-
Ian, after studying the problem Of physi-
cal education in a large city college, came
10 the conclusion last year that it would
probably be best to substitute for some Of
, this gymnastic work practical applied ath-
ltics. and the change this week. or
rather the experiment which will be tried
beginning this week, Is the result.
Jim Rice. coach OF the Columbia crews
has volunteered his services for four
afternoons in the week to instruct the
underclass men in rowing on the ma
chimes in University Hall Edward Ken
nedy, coach Of the swimming team, Will
also give up an hour OF his time four
days week TO coaching men in swim
ming. and work in track athletics and
basketball is also 10 be taken up with the
same kind of serious and expert coaching.
III the new plan works" said DR.. Mey-
Ian on Friday, 81 think it will lead to
revolution i'm physical education and. pos
siblv. in athletics in American colleges
and universities, especially those in the
larger cities. BY means Of applied ath-
letics we will be able TO give to our
students expert coaching. We will not
select a few promising men and coach
them. orr ideal is TO give general athletic
instruction 10 the many rather than 10
the few
The latter plan is the one that is fol
lowed out by practically all Of the Ameri-
can colleges and universities to-day. If,
however. the ideal system ever comes into
vogue, we will have every man who was
graduated from college proficient TO
greater or lesser degree In some branch
Of athletics. and we will, / think. develop
great many good men in various forms
Of sport
LAS 70 is now the average student in
the American college Is graduated and
the only interest he has ever taken or has
been allowed 10 take In athletics. has been
10 stand on the side lines and cheer We
plan 10 make him get out and do some Of
the playing himself
I'VE do not want to make this work
hut
attractive that every student will volun-
teer as subject. and when that happy
day comes we will have the ideal in uni
vers!ty athletics. We have in Columbia
College nearly a thousand students, and
we have almost another thousand in the
engineering schools, the school OF archi-
lecture and the school Of journalism
When our new plan is running smooth
~ we want 20 have every one of these
students playing on some team or rowing
on some crew more or less regularly
throughout the year We do not mean to
have a man go in for this as seriously as
II he were training for an intercollegiate
contest. What we want is to build him up
physically and give him a practical form
OF exercise which he can use and enjoy
10 MS own ploNt III tHe years AFTER he mas
left college and university days behind
him.
In trying out this new scheme ! am
much indebted TO my friend Jim Rice. who
feels as ! do about college athletics 1t
IS Rlce's plan since he came TO Columbia
10 get every man interested in rowing. not
SO much for the sake OF sitting I'm a shell
at Poughkeepsie as FOR the fun and en-
joyment that he Will get from II when he
IS out for pleasure.
1--WE want 20 get Americans TO row and
play baseball and soccer football. perhaps.
and tennis with the same spirit that the
English take 10 their athletics. We be-
lieve in varsity athletics and intercole-
eia.e contests. but they should he a means
10 the development Of general athletics
for al the students i'm the university
rather than an end. intercollegiate ath-
letics should be the incentive. but they
should not be the goal"