The New York herald., 1922-01-20
Columbia Wants Interest
in Sport for Its Stadium.

AS far as Columbia University is
conceraet the recently announced views
OF President Lowell of Harvard on the
subject OF intercollegiate athletics are
not likely to be received with any too
great amount, of warmth and enthusi-
asm. If the head of that university had
his way there would probably be a dras-
tic cut In athletics of all kinds so far
as they require public tests of compara-
tive skill with rival institutions of learn
Ing. Columbia, with its recently acquired
Dyckman tract of twenty-six acres. pur-
chased with the exclusive idea of build
ing several stadiums that college ath-
letics may be carried ON on a still larger
scale. is scarcely in a position to say
that it frowns on such activities.
A canvass Of several of the leading
athletic and educational authorities Vi
the Morningsde Heights Institution
nlade last night would seem to indicate
tEat while Columbia admits there are
many faults existing in the present sys-
tenn of intercollegiate athletics, they are
greatly overcome by the benefits Incl
cent thereto. Columbia always has stood
for athletics for every man in college
end indeed such Is prescribed during the
first two years of the academic course.
Referring to the charge of President
Lowell that the educational side of the
college is being lost sight of in the de-
velopment of athletics, quotation from
President Buffers recent yearly report
might be interesting. Under the head
ing Country Club or College President
Butler says:
From it's first establishment until
about forty years ago the American
College was universally looked upon as
an Institution for the discipline and in
struction of young men who had sue
cessfully completed the work of the
lower schools and were able to meet the
tests prescribed for college admission.
Following the civil war and growing out
of the rapidly increasing wealth of the
country and the DEVELOPMENT of more
or less leisure class. the notion began
to gain ground. the college was an
, agreeable place in which 80 finish the
formalities of an education without
troubling much with discipline or
| scholarship, to participate in manly ex-
| ercise and outdoor sports, and TO make
useful circle of friends who might be
helpful in after years. Little by little
the serious business of the college was
pushed into the background by such as
entertained this notion, and the college
came to stand In their eyes as a most
inviting and satisfactory form OF
country club. with incidental facilities o..
reading and study"
But" says President Butler and this
might he construed as an answer to
President Lowell's statements ''to be
sure the members of this group are
relatively small In numbers. but they
often gain an influence and notoriety
out Of all proportion ia their size
A later passage in his report, more
over. where the president speaks of the
proposed stadium, clearly indicates that
he is Interested In athletics for all
Speaking Of the $4,000 900 needed to de-
velope the stadium. he says in part :
But so great Is the Interest in the
project and so strong In its appeal to
students and alumni. that 1t Is permis-
sible TO hope that this sum could shortly
he acquired by Gift. Were the
Dyclman property to pass into the pos
session OF the university cit has since
been purchased for approximately $780,
o00) and to he developed as planned. all
these needs would be met (referring TO
outdoor sports. athletic contests and open
air demonstrations). and the city Of
New York would be greatly the gamer.
So far as physical exercise and out
door sports are concerned. the students
af Columbia would have their needs
met for long time to come"