Evening star., 1921-02-23
NEW ORGANIZATION
TOHAvE BIG SCOPE
University of Maryland Is One
of Fourteen Prospective
Charter Members.
BY II. c. BYRD.
NHE Southern Conference, COM


ganization, formed last De-
cember, most of the big institutions
south of the Mason and Dixon linz,
before Saturday night seems certain
to be permanently organized into
one of the strongest collegiate ath-
letic associations in the United
States.
At least. that is the only impress
sion one can gain from statements
made by those in close touch with
the plans and from the final infor-
nation about the meetings to be
held at Atlanta Friday and Saturday.
1t was agreed by representatives of
fourteen state universities and col!
last fall that they would come to-
gether in Atlanta later subject to the
call of Prof. S. V. Sanford of the Uni
versity of Georgia. chairman, to work
out details
Will Hold Three Sessions.
Announcements of the place and
time of the permanent organization
meetings have been sent out by Prof.
Sanford. Three regular gatherings
are scheduled on the two days in
which the conference is to get to-
gether. The first meeting. Friday. is
to take place at O'Clock, and tie
second at o'clock the same day
Saturdays meeting is to begin at 10
O'Clock. with the probabilities good
that the whole day will be devoted
10 whipping into shape a coustitu-
tion and b. laws for the orsaniZa-
ton.
The meeting should be great sue
cess, says Prof. Sanford in one of
MS letters. "as everywhere / have
been getting splendid responses. All
OF US think the time is ripe for just
THIS kind of action, and nobody with
whom l have talked feels that the
proposed organization will be any
thing but a great factor not only in
southern but in national athletics
The conference is to be organized
mainly on a basis of the one-year
residence rule. the rule barring all
atfIetes who accept money for sum-
mcr oase ball and other high stand
ards of eligibility. Just what attitude
the conference may take in regard to
playing teams outside the conference
or whether or not the organization
VIII pass some kind of rule which
Will prohibit it's members engaging in
athletic contests with institutions not
In the conference is not known. Some
feeling along this line has developed,
strenuous opposition. Undoubtedly,
though, there is going to be a strong
tendency in the organization not to
compete with schools which do not
have eligibility standards as high as
govern members of the conference.
This matter of outside schedules now
is one of strong contention in the
western conference.
Recalls an Address.
1t is interesting to note in thinking
OF the value Of such a conference TO
athletics in general and to the insti-
tutionS maintaining athletics what
was said at the National Collegiate
Athletic Association at Chicago in
this connection in one of the ad-
dresses:
iS sic hot
tions of the nation which have in
tercollegiate athletic associations or
conferences are working hac monious-
ly and proceeding in a quiet. efTec-
tive way to better their athletics. and
that the worst abuses in athletics are
to be found in those sections in
which the colleges and universities
are acting Independently. In the
former case all institutions work CO.
operatiyely and keep in close per-
sonal touch with one another, and in
that way maintainsconfiden in one
another; in the latter there is bred
suspicion and distrust through lack
of personal contact, and in independ-
ent competition other abuses creep in
which are seldom found in the con-
-ferences."
Prospective Members.
Institutions which had representa-
tives at the meeting in December and
which will be represented Friday and
Saturday are Louisiana Stare, Georgia
Tech. Clemson College, Mississippi A.
and NJ. Tulane. Ala abama Polyf echnic
and the universities of Alabama.
Georgia South Carolina North Caro-
lima. Virginia. Maryland. Kentucky
and Tennessee. The only drawback
to this personnel seems to be the
geographical location of Mississippi
a. and NJ. and Louisiana Stata II
would be an excellent arrangement if
these institutions were to become
members of the southwestern confer
ence. and two or three other institu-
tions between here and Alabama
could be worked in TO take their
places. thus centralizing the organi-
cation just little more without in
any way injurins its strength and gen.
eral effectiveness