The Washington herald., 1916-02-15
Presidents S Council of Down.
town Institute Votes to
Resume Football.
M'NEMAR GIVEN CREDIT

Football has been restored at George
Washington University. A team will be
placed on the grfdiron next fall.
BY a unsnimous vote the presidents
council Of the university yesterday after
noon decided to permit the resumption
of the sport next season.
There was not the slightest opposition
to the recommendation of the faculty
committee on student activities that this
branch of athletics be restored
The credit for the resumption Of foot
ball at the institution belongs principally
to Prof. Leslie Cleveland McNemar, of
the department of political science, sec
retary OF the faculty committee on
student activities. who has worked in
cessantly for three years in an effort
to secure SUFFICIENT financial backing to
justify the restoration of the sport.
Announcement was made some time
ago that II pledges of financial support
we're received from at least 800 students
by February Il football would be re-
stored Immediately. When the count was
taken on Saturday night II was found
that sixty-eight pledges above the re-
quired number had been obtained. But
II then was found that the faculty COM
mittee had no authority to make any
definite proposals to the student body
and that restoration of the sport still
would be dependent upon action taken
by the presidents council.
The action taken by the council means
that George Washington again will enter
the Gridiron after a lapse of SIX years.
for not since 1910 has the university had
a football team.
Active work will commence today on
the ARRANGEMENT of an attractive sched-
ule. There will be at least FIVE games
and possibly seven games on the program
for next fall Prof. McNemar said last
night that there will be not,the slightest
difficulty in arranging the schedule. Re
quests for games already have been re-
ceived from the University of West Vir-
ginia. West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Gettysburg College and Randolph Macon
College
Efforts will be made Immediately to ar
range games with Georgetown University.
Catholic University. Maryland Agrfcul-
ture College, Gsllaudet College, Johns
Hopkins University and other institutions.
1t is said that the prospects are bright
for a spirited contest between George
town and George Washington-the old
time gridiron rivals-on Thanksgiving
Day.
Selection of a manager and a coach
will be made within a week or two. Sew
eral well-known coaches are being given
consideration by the faculty committee
on student activities. One OF the pos
sibilities is Fred Nelson, who last season
coached the Catholic University team.
who turned out several winning teams al
Georgetown. and who himself is a former
student Of George Washington. II has
been learned upon good authority that
Negotiations now are under way 10 secure
Nelson as coach.
. Notice has been issued that students de-
string to be considered in the selection
OF a manager should send their names
Immediately to Dean Everett Fraser
chairman of the faculty committee on
student activities 1t is expected that
there will be a number of candidates.
There is considerable amount of good
football material in the nine departments
of the university" said Prof. McNemar
last night. but the material now avail
able should not be taken as an index to
the strength Of the team that will be
developed. 1t should be remembered that
the restoration OF football will draw to
the institution good players who are de-
sirous of getting a chance 10 win fresh
laurels. | expect there will be no diff
Guilty in getting out a squad of thirty
men by the beginning of next season
The financial success Of the game is
virtually assured. However. the solicit
ing Of pledges will continue in all nine
departments. The students should be
eager to contribute toward this sport, for
Il will mean the giving of new life TO the
most important action taken by II in
number of years. 1t will open the way
for larger growth and wider popularity
for the institution and will benefit both
university and student body"