The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-23
OLD ICHABOD SICK
WaShburn Not What She Once
Was Athletically.
Students, Friends and Alumni
Seeking the Cause.

Have the days of Washburn college
as a conspicuous factor in Missouri
valley athletics and as leader of the
Kansas conference passed?
Has the Old Ichabod school, as she
advanced and waXed stronger in 9TH
er ways, degenerated and deteriorated
athletically until the blue and white
colOrS and the WaShburn war songs
past glories and remainders of by gone
days when things were different?
These questions are being discussed
by students, alumni and friends of
Washburn quite freely just now, and
indications are that sentiment is be-
ing formed which will lead either to
an attempt to doctor the Sickly 1cha-
bod or to an abolition of major ath-
discussion is the result of one of the
most disastrous football seasons the
school has ever had.
Not Like Old Times.
Students who were in the school in
1900, 1903 and 1907 when WaShburn
had one of the best teams in the Mis-
souri, valley and when the Ichabods
walloped K. u, Oklahoma, Missouri
Colorado, and considered their Aggie
games as merely practice contests,
cannot understand why it is that the
IchabodS now lose to K. U. by the
score of Al to 0, have hard time hold
ing the Aggies to small score. And
students who are now in school are
trying to discover the cause for the
great slump since those glorious days.
Many theories are being advanced,
and many are discussing the why's
and wherefores, all with an idea of
remedying conditions and again re-
deeming the schools place in the ath-
letic sun.
Some are placing the blame for the
past disastrous season on the coach,
some on the faculty and some on the
students and alumni members. Those
who blame the coach contend that
Gray does not devote enough time to
drumming up players; those who
would place the burden on the faculty
contend that there is too much indif-
ference shown to athletic activities;
and the students and alumni are
blamed for not showing the proper en-
thusiasm and not making a more con-
certed effort to induce football ma
terial to enter Washburn and to stay
in school, once they have entered.
Little Real Spirit.
The students showed little enthusi
asm at several games this season, and
more or less strife among student or
CARNATIONS has been something of a
drawback for several years.
Those who criticise Coach Gray in
sist that he should stay on the JOB all
the year around and should spend the
summer liz planning for the fall sea-
son. Some insist that a new coach
should be procured, and that the col
lege should pay another man to do
nothing but manage athletic affairs
and attend to the business of making
football a financial success.
However, the coach himself has his
grievances and his troubles. After
the c. of E. game last week, a State
Journal reporter sought an interview
regarding prospects and plans for the
future, and Gray said:
ct haven't made any plans for the
future. If they would do little more
for us 1 would like to be back next
year, and think things would be diff
ferent. But sometimes / get discour-
aged and feel like 1 have had
enough"
Gray seems to think that the stu
dents and alumni should do more.
His friends think he would accom-
plish great things if given a little more
support, and even his enemies are
forced to admit that this season he
built up a semblance of team from
nothing. After the G. of Z. game one
of the best football authorities in
Kansas said that he thought Wash
burn would be making a mistake if
she let Gray get away, and he pointed
to the showing the team made against
the Aggies as proof of what Gray can
do towards making a team out CT
nothing.
Get Busy or Quit.
A Topeka business man who has al
ways shown a keen interest in WASH
burn athletics and who is a liberal
supporter of the school had the fol-
lowing suggestions to make when
asked for his opinion as to what
'.ailed'' the Ichabods:
washburn should either make an
effort tic put out ereditable foot
ball team, or else withdraw from this
SPORT entirely. Topeka is one OF the
best football towns l ever saw, and
there are thousands of enthusiasts
here. Why, more Topekans go to the
games at Lawrence and Manhattan
every wear than to the games at
Washburn right here at home. These