Evening star., 1923-03-18

Inc system of scholastic athletic
control in the Windy city was out
TlSers at meeting last Thursday by
Edward {. Delaporte. director OF
athletics in tie Chicago publ,
schools, who was here with the cham.
plon basket ball team of Tilden Tech
Delaporte expla aimed the Chicago
system from to Z, but before tell.
ing or II here it might be we'll tc
briefly outline the Washington policy
as basis fer comparison.
System in Vogue Here.
Theoretically. high school athletics
here are controlled by the board ot
hlgh school principals. There is also
a committee of faculty members. one
from each of the high schools, that
IS supposed to take care of details
SuCh as schedules. playing fields and
ortlclals' for interhigh school con
tests. and to hear protests. While
the faculty advisers may pass unor
protests. all Of their decisions are
principals
Actually, the high school athletics
are controlled by five different
nuardS. each board consisting of the
coach and faculty adviser and some
lines of the principal at each of the
inee ne d m,sn SCHOOLS: Although play
times set before championship sea
sons start, the two schools involved
IN particular contest freouen1iy
,hse the arrangements TO suit
trt. tnrii,SeiVeS. .'. ana prearranged start
Ahs llhes mean nothing to them.
Protests Are Frequent.
Protests are hurled back and forth
with startling frequency. NOT onIv
between the teams particularly con-
cerned In game. but often by a
lnlru party, seemingly looking far
S SSltead, ofhcials are selected by the
proved by the board of principais
then when playing time arrives the
same FACULTY advisers wrangle biz :
teriy over the employment of off
las theV selected before the open
ing OF a campaign.
mere 10 no place to take these
nehts for settlement eXcept to the
IacuIty advisory board. where thev
EEtimtsraLy Eit, start, or to the board of
1tten is not as unbiased as it should
pc. They could of course. be brought
before the superintendent but un-
fortunately that official apparently
must rely too much upon the argu-
ments of the boards that really
Drought about the difficulties
mere is no concerted action in
sthletic control here and no real di-
lectlng head to enforce concerted ac-
tlon The superintendent has enough
10 Keep him busy in other organiza-
ton work. To add to his burden the
direction of athletics would impose
loo great task upon one person.
ne same Is true of any of the princi-
pals. They are doing a great work
now in other lines. But the athletic
muodle here never Will be cleared un-
I'll there Is centralized control.
Plan in Windy City.
The Chicago system. as outlined by
belaporte. would be worthless with
out a general director. 1t is a bit
more complicated than the theoreti-
cal system here. but no one of the
various committees is called upon to
overcome all obstacles that may con-
front the schools and none can act
independently of the others. They
must keep in liaiSOn through the of
flee of the director of athletics. who
is the city school superintendents
personal representative in all of the
students sports activities.
the director of athletics in Chi
Cago certainly is boss of the works
and he has something to boss, too.
for there are twenty four high schools
in the big town along Lake Michigan
Here Is how he handles the situation:
IN direct charge of inter high school
athletic relations is the board Of con-
troll including faculty member of
each of the high schools. This board
Is officered by president, vice presi-
dent, a secretary and d treasurer
elected by itself incidentally. no
athletic coach. whether faculty mem
Der or not, is eligible to a place on
the board
Ranking just above the board of
control is the athletic committee OF
the board of high school principals.
This includes just few of the heads
OF the tWenty-four schools and is
board Of review more than anything
else. 1t directs the enforcement of
rules formulated by the board of con-
troll and also may recommend the ath-
h,- hn
schools
In addition to these standing COM
mlttees there is a special committee
Tor each sport fostered by the schools
hacn committee prepares a program
for it's particular activity, subject to
the approval of the board of control
ofnclals for games, playing fields and
other details are considered by the
various sports committees in arrang-
Ing their programs.
Students Must Toe Mark.
The students to compete for their
schools must measure up to the ath-
letic eligibility code established by
the city athletic director. ANY al
legged violation of the code by a school
must be reported by the other school
directly involved, and to make the
protestant realize that he is engaged
in serious undertaking the protest
made to the board of control must be
accompanied by a fee of S.
Unlike the Washington system, the
Chicago system does not permit an
outside party to enter a protest
against a school. Should believe B
is playing an ineligible athlete against
and protest, the protest would not
be considered c would have to reg
lister the kick or A could make 1t only
so far as its game with B was con-
cerned
There is a board of appeals to con-
slider decisions on protests handed
down by the board of control, but the
latter body is rarely reversed, ac-
cording to Delaporte. The board of
appeals consists OF the officers of the
board of control. the chairman of the
principals athletic committee and one
member Of the committee of the sport
IN which the ground for protest origi-
mated. The board of appeals decision
is final.
Each school conducts its own athletic
program, but its inter-high school rela-
tions are subject to supervision by the
boards and the director. Before any
playing season starts the board of con-
troll makes the rules for the ason and
they stand. Eligibility rules differ little
from the Washington code, except that
student is not permitted to partci-
pate in more than one sport in a semeS-
ter. Those who play foot ball are there
fore barred from basket ball and the
spring track team boys must keep out
of base ball.
Foster Mass Athletics.
Mass athletics are the rule and every
student In the high schools, boy or girl.
IL