Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-06
Attacks College AthleticsNotUp=
'held--College Teams to Invade Ha=
waii--Michigan's EasternInvasion

New York, April 5.-ThQt the recent
attacks upon college athleNcs in which
is charged that the spiriSRnd sports
nanship of inter-varsity coppetition
Is deteriorating fail to find Neneral
support is evidenced by the manN ar
icles and letters appearing in The Col
ege press of the country. While it is
admitted that there are isolated cases
which furnish grounds for such con-
sention, the opinion is Overwhelmingly
Expressed that considered in "a broad
sense the standards and ideals of col
kege sport are improving every year.
DIR. c. c. Stroud, director of ath-
etics at Louisiana State University.
! n all interesting review and forecast
pf college athletics holds that the
standard of sport and competition in
Rhe American college is steadily i'm
proving. He does not contend that
BONE of the abuses charged do not ex-
tst but he points out that each year
bees the elimination or improvement
1pf these conditions as the spirit and
Understanding of true college sports
fnanship spreads. DR.. Stroud states
IN part:
I'VE speak from many years of
practical experience when we state
shat these evils are lessening. For
Imerly these influences, if known, were
bn a measure tolerated. Moral influ-
|ences either could not speak with au-
|thority or were unheeded by the mass
Ipf student opinion if they did. How
different is it today? | venture that
&there is no coach or captain IN any
college of this land who could con-
finue to outrage decency and the
square deal, il single man of his
team made issue with him before the
Faculty of the institution or even be-
fore the court of the whole student
body. I have had personal experience
bn the faculties of four different uni
|versities in widely separated sections
|of the. country, and absolutely know
that were the issue ever made at any
|of these on any moral question that
immortality would have found no back
ing. ***
1T is, indeed, problem as many
|men have found to their sorrow when
they have attempted single-handed to
|revolutioniZe conditions. OF course,
politics and Interior motives often en-
ter into the problem. Over jealous
alumni and well-meaning friends may
Fendeavor to bring the standard of the
street and the market-place, the dol
bar standard, back into the college life.
BIT all seems an jntermirable conflict,
30 that it is natural to ask: Are ath-
letics worth the price? Does it profit
|hs to be everlastingly harassed by this
hydra headed evil of our student body
polite? We answer unhesitatingly,
EYes Everything worth while re-
|quires a struggle. Athletics have dis
placed many other evils We of this age
know not of. intercollegiate athletics
inspire the largest interest in intra-
collegiate sports, and there is univer-
sal testimony today to the value of the
latter in any educational system,
|. There is no great difficulty in keep
ing sport clean. . 1t is it's own end, and
unfairness is not sport for either par
~. Great exhibitions like our foot
ball contests have an end outside
themselves, and sometimes this end
Sevies on questionable means, Hope
full college men have much reason to
believe that our intercollegiate athletics
cre coming back to stand for what