Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-08-24
HELMER RETURNS
TO ALMA MATER
Leaves Central Normal to
Become Director of Ath-
letics at Alma College
MEETS APPROVAL OF ALUMNI
Helmer One of Few Alma Coach
es Who has Made Good
Six Years at Normal

III. A. Helmer, one of the foremost
athletes ever at Alma college and
for six years athletic director at the
Central Normal School, Mt. Pleasant,
has accepted the offer made him by
President II. NJ. Crooks of Alma col
lege and will become head of the ath-
letic department at the Presbyterian
institution this coming September.
This announcement was officially Civ
en- out this week by the college au-
thorities and by Helmer himself.
While it has been practically set
tied thing for some time as far as
the college people were concerned, it
was doubtful whether Helmer would
be able TO secure a release from the
Normal so late i'm the season. Hemer
will fill the vacancy created by the
resignation of Coach w c. Bleamas-
Ter, who will have charge of all de
partments of athletics at the Univer-
sity of Moscow, Idaho.
Helmer is one of the few athletes
of Alma college who has made a rec
ord in the coaching profession. I'm
mediately following his graduating
in 1908 he accepted a position at Cad
lilac where he did some teaching and
had charge of the city's athletics
Cadillac was unable to hold him long
CT than two years and he left that
city for Mt. Pleasant where he be-
came athletic director of the state
institution Helmer has been at the
Central Normal School for six years
and propably could have remained
there just as long as he liked.
Until Helmer went to Mt Pleasant,
the Normal hadn't been in the habit
Of hiring a regular athletic director.
1t was sort of an experiment, but an
experiment that proved mighty val
liable for the Normal people. Helmer
went to work facing the same prob
lem that confronts every normal
coach-short course students. His
first attempts at turning out top-notch
teams naturally didn't develope into
very much, but gradually the athletic
spirit began to show signs of real
life and teams of formidable ma
ture began to go out into the state
from the Normal. During his six
years stay there Helmer has had
some OF the fastest aggregations in
the state not expecting any of the
smaller institutions, and on several
occasions he has carried away scalps
from his Alma Mater.
Helmer's record in Alma college in
very few instances has been equalled.
He was a good student, good lead
er, mighty fine fellow and great
athlete. In having all tlese charac-
teristics he couldn't help, but occupy
a conspicuous place in the life of the
institution. Helmer was active in the
work of the Y. NJ. c. A. and for four
years was a member of Zeta Sigma
literary society.
Harry Helmer never saw foot ball
until he dropped his suit case in front
of Pioneer Hall. When local critics
looked him over Alma's football stock
took a sudden leap upwards and for
four years Helmer was one of the
big causes for keeping il there. For
four years every team that went out
rum Ainia SVieSe III tIdCh, DdSeDdll
and football and for three years
basket ball found Helmer a member
of the squad He was captain of the
football teams for two seasons and
also headed the track and baseball
men during his course.
The Alumni of Alma college are
particularly glad that Helmer has
been chosen to guide Alma athletics.
He is the first graduate coach that
Alma has had to take over the entire
supervision of that department of the
institution. His ability as a coach
and as true leader of men can not
| lac questioned