Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-11
GIVE REASONS FOR
'MONTCLA|R BREAK.
Academy Authorities Offer Ex-
planatory Letter on Cessation
of High School Contests.
ANNOUNCEMENT Is TIMELY

In circular letter to its alumni
Montclair Academy has made public
the reasons that prompted the recent
action of tine athletic association in
breaking off the athletic relations
with the Monbclair High School after
the conclusion of the present semester.
The action has aroused considerable
curiosity among the residents OF
Montclair and its vicinity, and the
academy's announcement is most
timely.
The set of reasons offered to the
alumni follows:
High school teams are trained by
professional coaches hired for the
purpose. Academy teams are trained
by members of the faculty. The
moral effect of the former system is a
matter of serious concern 10 all col
leges at the present time. 1t is an
influence worth removing from pre-
paratory school athletics.
The rivalry has grown to point
where personalities are freely in
dulged in. At the last football game
the name of an academy player,
resident of Montclair, was frequently
called, SO that all spectators must
hear ii, with the Smash him that
accompanied it, 1t was awkward for
our town students.
large crowd attends the football
game when played at the club. We
are unable to obtain cent Of revenue
from this game, where We feel we are
half the attraction.
The various problems of coaches,
officials, neutral basketball courts,
finances, management Of teams,
makeup of teams and conduct of
spectators seem impossible of
mutually satisfactory solution The
High School does its best-and better
than the average high school. OF that
We are certain, but their problems
and ours are different, with seldom n
common ground for the settlement of
dispute. Private schools should COM
pete with private schools. This is
present-day tendency.
Schools in the same town are too
closely located for the best spirit of
rivalry. The constant presence of
the rival spirit is TO be deplored-
civically, morally and athletically
Antagonist resuts-the spirit of play
disappears. The one-time famous
contests between Newark High School
and Newark Academy were lost TO the
city of Newark for similar reasons.
The Importance of the games has
grown to unhandable and unjustifi
able proportions. Values become I'M
duly inflated, rendering sound ath-
letic development and profit well-nigh
negligible. There is much in the Eng
fish athletic system that is desirable.
Our scholastic work suffers serious
handicap under existing conditions
for days, both before and after the
games.
Modern athletics are everywhere
suffering from the spirit of the age
the end rather than the means. This
lis particularly true with the con-
6itions in Montclan. The very in
fiation of the Importance Of the
games, and desire TO win. result in
n nervousness that often causes
actual illness before games. From
the physical standpoint, the question
is a serious one.
The academy is no longer merely
81 private school 1t is now an integral
part of Montclair. We have the
largest enrolment in our history. The
Future seems bright. In the interest
of our town students, coming in in
creased numbers, we must refuse tn
engage in an over-keen intertown
rivalry which tends to segregate them
from their natural town and High
School friends The atmosphere in
time will be clearer under the new
fNln fiOng