The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-02-18

cant blame Red.
How about that contract he
signed with his manager Pyle and
then later denied to the University
president and Coach Zuppke?"
NY senior shrugged his shoulders.
"Qh. well. forget all about that.
We didn't think OF that as being
particularly wrong
But he signed contract while
he was still playing college football,
and he did deny 1t to the president,
didn't he? Don't you feel there is
some moral question ~
Yes, but who wouldn't have
taken the money!
Money Is the thing, then, isn't
it," asked.
Sure that's what we come here
for-to learn how to make money.
That night ! coralled six fresh
men.
The first, In answering my
question as 10 why he had come
10 college, said: "WeII, ! figure
II fellow goes to college he's got
q little edge on the other fellows.
He can make money q little
easier. That's the reason 1 came"
With slight variations this was
repeated by the other five. None OF
them had come to college with any
dream or ideal except to make 1t a
little easier to make money. And,
OF cuorse, TO each of them. Fed
was an IDEAL
kept at 1t. Sooner or lafer, ]
was sure, / would find al least one
students who felt that there was an
other side to all this. I tackled two
II men on Reds team. Onc Of
them had known early last year
that there was some sort of agree
ment between Manager Pyle and
Grange for Reds advent into pro.
fessionalism-and he didn't care in
the least.
The second football player was oo-
sessed with Red as the hero-dad
heroes OF college boys can dc no
wrong. Always it was the Red
deserved his big money and they
hoped he got it all.
Then, the last evening l was at
the university I met a third MEM
Der OF the Illinois team. He was
man earning his way through
school / asked him what he
thought about Red Grange. "Of
course I wish him good luck-but
/ think he did wrong in deceiying
Zup and President Kinley about the
contract whe had signed. / don't
blame him for taking the easy
money, but / do blame him for not
telling the truth
I wanted to pat him on the back
Here was one man, at least, out of
the so had talked with who saw
a part of the folly and extraya.
gance of it alone out of so Who
hadn't been completely blinded by
hero worship, by the dazzle of quicis
and easy dollars.
was ready to leave. felt sad
and a little bitter.
All the 1000 mile ride back to
New York 1 tried to analyze
what it was that had happened.
1 thought Of the great brick and
stone fraternity houses of today
city clubs costing so, 20, 80 thou.
sand dollars. thought of the
tremendous buildings, the 10000
students-the impersOnaI. hard.
ened university that was rearing
its proud head out Of the mem.
cries Of the past.
Something had gone forever
something rather flne ana sentie.
1 suppose it had mostly to do with
| the chance to dream. For dreams
do belong to youth, and II college
men have lost their chance to dream
they have lost something precious.
After all. teaching boys and girls
to make dollars may not be all
there is to it; possibly they should
be taught as well how to make
dreams and ideals.
| know there are still thousands
of splendid boys in this particular
uniyersity-and almost half of them
so eager for education that they are
earning their way through No
where else but in America could this
happen.
That's the reason these boys de.
serve the finest traditions and
backgrounds of American ideals
something little finer than alumni
demanding winning teams, 5000 600
football seasons, exploited alma ma.
tiers. subservient faculties. And
! these boys don't seem to be getting
these ideals any longer.
Maybe the universities are not IN
blame-but anyway, l don't believe
want my boy, Bobby, 70 60 to
one.