The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-20
HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
 SETTLES DISPUTE OF TITLE
Local High Schools Policy In @ Staying Out Of State Body ( Seems To Be A Handicap
 For Them

The nearest thing to a state high school championship team that has . been apDroXimated in the past few sEsrears was rolled out on top this sea son as the final game of a tourna- j ment for the north and central Ala @bama title was played last Saturday on Berry field. Never before in the ! annals of state prep football has a plsy-oft tournament been staged and 9ssyk51e winner given a. tFle. Tho thin 8 was accomplished this season. how ever slder the direction Of the Ala = bama state High school Athletic as- '-P sociation.
 The cullman County High school won the tournam ent in which four I teams played. Tueumbis High, Shel- by County High, Coffee High of Florence e, and Cullnaan were the four teams selected by a committee picked ! by President William J. Baird of the Alabama Prep association, to play for the crown. These four teams were recognized as having the most ! outstanding claims ill central and north Alabama to the championship. tCullman defeated Coffee High in the finals.
 As result of this series of game fthe title in the northern part of the state was settled beyond dispute and the whining team crowned champion. fThis, however. was not the case in Seouth Alabama, but two undefeated teams, Coffee County High, of Enter prise, and Butler County High, of Greenvilie, played a post-season game claimed to be for the south Ala bama championship. Whether these 1.-two teams had 8 real claim may be tdisputeds as Barton academy and Sprfing Hill High both of Mobile, seemed to have very strong teams. Although each was defeated once, the Question of the strength of opponents played must be considered.
 | However. the first 2ftennDt ac- tually playing for the State High school championship was success. The tournament brought out no diff culties as to claims and settled once for-all the question. This practice seems to be very long step forward in Alabama High school athletics and should receive the support of all state prep schools.
 Local Schools Out.
 This matter, though. brings up an- other question that seems now to be of prime importance-~that is the pol icy of the city high schools. For some years past the three city high schools have held themselves aioof from activities of the Alabama State High School Athletic association and as a result have been unable to sched- ule games in the state with other teams than non association elevens of which there are few, and these are generally weak. Although Phillips had one of the greatest elevens of her career and but for little hard luck may have laid claim to the southern title. she had no clain. whatsoever to the state title. Thus 1t can be seen that her attitude of seclusion is one that Is holding down athletics at the school. The same case applies to ,Woodlawn and Ensley.
 With basketball just in the offing the local schools are up against a --{+ ia., hot HA when the matter of scheduling cage games comes up. They will be in- eligible to participate in the annual state tournament and cannot play Alabama teams that belong to the as- Sociation- This question loss the prep school tournament for Birming ham in 1921, al which time a squab- ble arose as to whether nonassocia tion teams could play members of the association. Phillips and the other city schools were then out of the association.
 quite a bit in local high school cir cles, as there seems to be some pros poets of the city schools getting into the association. Enaley high, according to current rumors, has all <eady joined the ranks and now only kYoodlawn and Phillips remain out.
 There was at first some dispute pvex rules that caused the breach, but 1t seems that as time went on Ahe matter became more of personal prejudice. Nevertheless neither side Would relent and the gap has re- mained Ynclosed. Whether Ensley's action in joining the state associa- kion will pull the others in Is ques- tion.
 It seems, though, that the better policy would be to join the associa- fion and by taking an active part in the organization amend the consti- button and bylaws to make 1t bet ker association and one that covers the whole state as it's field.