Evening star., 1921-09-04
BY CAPT. ARTHUR G. DUNCAN.
O. r.. c.

Fell the experiences gath
cred from the world war.
opening as they did new
vistas in almost every
phase of our everyday life, none
was 30 vital to US as a race. SO
fraught with dangerous conse-
Quences, as the one that brought
US face to face with the astound-
ing realization. that the ratio of
the physical unit among us had
reached an alarming figure
H. ]. Koehler, Lieutenant Colonel.
L. 8. A.. Master of the Sword.
Sound sportsmanship and physical
fitness is more readily developed
through participation in mass athletics
than by any other method. This is
the consensus recently expressed by
offlcials of the United States Military
Academy. The believe that person
al contact with ones fellows In
frienly rivalry is the best medium
through which to inculcate fair play
and square deal.
MASS athletics from its inception at
West Point in 1920 has demonstrated
to be groundless the apprehension tnat
due to the spirit with which cadets
20 into competitive contests. sucn an
elaborate scheme Of activities. most OF
tyDe. would result in q large number
Of injuries. Considering the numbers
engaged, the percentage OF injuries
sustained has been incredibly small
No injury Of a serious nature has oeen
recorded.
The incalculable value Of mass
training has already manifested itself
in various pronounced ways in the
. Individual cadet and in the corps In
general. Aside from the many physi-
cal benefits it has already proved a
most powerful aid to discipline. By
establishing athletic democracy
which brings members Of the various
classes into most personal contact. q
mutually of respect is engendered
between individuals and classes tina,
cannot fail to contribute very ma
terially. eradicating any tendency on
the part OF upper classmen to take
advantage Of fourth classmen-rela-
lively speaking. members OF the
freshman class.
As most Of the activities at West
Point are contests in which the par.
ticipants are brought into contact
with one another. in which personal
courage and daring play very de.
cided role. manliness. aegressiveness
conception are developed in a degree
impossible by any other means
Hundreds Of cadets in whom these
! attributes might have never beer
! vitalized, are for the first time given
a chance to find themselves. In this
consciousness of their ability to do
and in the object sought. this under.
taking--the Introduction Of mass ath
letics in military training-is with.
out precedent. In general. the whole
scheme Is founded upon precisely the
same principles upon which the
United States Military Academy 1.
founded and to which she owes the
of learning the world over--the
equality Of her students in every re.
spect and in all things.
In q course OF mass athletics such
az West Point affords, competitive
intercollegiate athletics have q wei
defined place. as the evils charged
against them do not exist, or are re.
duced to q minimum. However, from
tho very nature Of tho restrictions
both as to the number and the DUAL.
ity Of the participants, and on 40.
count Of conditions that are at va.
Rance with the principles OF mass
training. but which are imperative
the sole object 10 to win, these lat
ter, despite the promise given them
are the least valuable In . school OF
mass training, 30 far ~ their in.
fluence upon the physical standard OF
the studVt body in general is con.
cerned.
This statement 10 not to be accepted
a. IN sndeavor to dfsparage inter.
collegiate athletics or to detract from
their importance-it Is Just q com.