New Britain herald., 1924-12-29
DEPENDS MODERN
 COLLEGE SPORTS
Western Conference Director
 Plays So-Called FeministS :
By The Associated Press.

''N.i' . 't 'E.'''N itiA AhN h tL Nlll' classes Of the games critics which
 he labelled aS "feminists, destruc- tonIsts and educational commun- ists"
 Major Grifiths remarks to be de- liVcrrJ before the annual meeting Of th" Football Coaches association of Amcrica were intended as an an- swer 10 recent attacks upon the growing importance Of football in intercollegiate lie. Among the most recent of oWspokcn critics was Dean Angel uf the University Of Michigan who asserted football was dIycrting too much attention from in, funda- mental purposes of University train- ing.
 Three Classcs
 1 "Thoro arc three classes oC rco- pie alarmed at the growth ot mod- crn football in our schools and col icgcs," said Major Griffith. First, thre are the femiuists. Thcsc per sons suggest that tho boys who play football these days do not dert,q any fun or pleasure from playing. They suggest that spring practice should be abolished because 1t is all hard work aHl no fun, They either would have our boys not try so hard to win or play only games that are not fatiguing and that do not entail any physical hardshlpz. Americans are tlc only people who play American football Possibly q half million boys played football ihLs last fall in the United SEues. When American civilization becomes aged football no longer will he played here, as some thing else less trying and encrvating will be substituted. The men who play footbal have something Of the sDlrl, of the pioneer. Football stands for masculine America in the req sense Of the word and the fact that it appears 10 the imagination Of our people shows that our civilization is suI virile.
 Then there are the destruction- ists, who would build up intramural athletics by abolishing or curtailing intercollegiate football. They do not realize that it Is possible to have competitive teams and mass athle- tics at the same time. Last year in tho Western Conference 72 per cent of the maIn students were enrolled iu some physical et1ucation activity or other. At Williams college this fall e3 per cent Of tho men were in athletics. At the University Of Hi nois physical education is required of all incoming freshmen for four years. Further some Of thfse men arc alarmed because the students do not show the same enthusiasm for their class room work as they do for their football and they believe that if football were abolished these game students would transfer their en- thusiasm from the gridiron 70 the class room. Not many will agree that this promise is tenabIe.
 Educational destructionsts also believe that football coaches are paid higher salaries than leading educators. The Carnegie board for the advancement of teaching some eme ago published d report of survey made in one section of the United States, which Bhowel that the average salary paid football coaches was S3,00a. IYen f if were shown that the average salary paid football coaches was in cXraSS Of the average salary paid collegr pro- tcssors l have yet 10 mcct an athlc- tic coach who has made enough morov hy athletic coaching 10 per nit him 10 live in comfort in his old s". Granting, however, that the football coach does receive q high CT salary 'hon the head of ano'her department in tho university, it doHs not necessarily follow that it his salary were decreased The salaries of tho acadelnic men would thereby be u0r"7seI
 Then there arr the educational communists who VI ou,d not have one part of the educatjoua program gl,- on more prominence than any other part and who ielIevc that f one ac- rjUty is sVcceeding out Of propor- ton B should be restricted. Possibly f thy would spen4 more time in building up their own activities they would accomplish moro than they can Iupe tO accomplish ly attacking tn" physical education part of the educational program. Theirs is the 1 philosophy ot the sociaIistically minded br.thr~n Of our country who wou,l limit success aGl punish those who sUoretd,
 "The murc Of football Is o~suro1 if tho msr charged with tho respor- yjhI,iry rf aImJn.s'elitg 'ootbao arI fro other atheuc activities conduct | t.+m IT sucn v3y as 'o e-r7e so- Crty. Through thr medium ol our games oe are impro' ing t'e man u.rs and morals ot society, are teaching Ia,sous of loyalty ooopcra- ton. r..'os observation anl fair