The Washington times., 1918-01-27
By SOL METZGER.

The advocates OF sport for all" in
our educational institutions have
adopted a slogan which appeals to all
classes. 1t is the most universally
popular athletic propaganda ever
launched upon the American public.
The war has crystsllized it. There
fore every educational or athletic
man who talks on sport during these
strenuous days is as given to a
laudation of this idealistic form OF
physical culture as is the politician
to patriotic phrases. Like all ideal
isms sport for all" is far more easy
to eulogiZe than to accomplish.
Unfortunately, sport for all has
been dealt with entirely too general
ly. Few of its advocates have got
ten down to fact. There has been an
avoidance of the practical and COM
plex problems its realization in our
college would have to surmount.
Vital points have been carefully
avoided for glittering generalities
and high-sounding phrases.
Witness the Yale-Harvard situation,
no" ludl mas OuN
favor OF intercollegiate athletics.
Here we find worthy gentlemen de-
voting much time to an arrangement
of intercollegiate sport and but little
to a plan OF what they are striving
for. They are inconoclastlc-not con-
stractive-in their public methods OF
dealink with the situation.
Because of this they have been sub
jected to much censure at the hands
OF the press and we find them in a de-
fensive position, whereas, as advo-
Gates OF a new regime in college ath-
letics, they should be on the often
sive.
II seems as though both sides in
this present intercollegiate athletic
tangle--if they only knew it-Rre
striving for much the same suit.
Take the two eXtremes-the prUfes-
sional coach and the academic agita-
tor. The former wants more and more
experienced candidates for his teams:
the latter wants every student play
ing these games. II would seem they
are on common ground.
"ThOse Dried PrOfeSsOrs.'
Unfortunately there is another type
in educational work which Is at odds
W llI AAAt NACNo VI AAlN ~ "
above. I refer to those dried profess
4ors who oppose all athletics. They
are pacifists. They have no place in
the work or play Of a nation. Balanc-
ed minds were never more needed
than today. Consequently this type OF
educator may be dismissed in dealing
with any athletic problem.
Having seen wherein all balanced
striving FOR much the same thing let
us now examine the question OF sport
for all. Sport for all ages far beyond
the realm of intercollegiate athletics;
far beyond the vision OF intra-mural
sport; and extends itself throughout
our whole educational system, else IL
misses its mark. Its realization is a
big work. The college can in no way
solve IL alone.
But our colleges can do much TO
force a comprehensive plan OF sport
for all and a nationwide scheme OF
physical education at the same time
IL they deal with facts. just as our
long ago realized It in so
far as II relates to our two service
schools at West Point and Annapolis.
Let US. for the sake OF brevity. deal
with the problem only in so far as
the college is concerned.
II our educators are In earnest in
their acclaim OF this sports-for-a all
because OF the splendid
results its establishment would have
both upon the man power OF the ma
tion as well as upon the health OF the
they need but require q
physical standard, along with the
mental a. an entrance requirement to