Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-26
CAVALIERS MINUS
LEADER IN SPORTS
Quitting of Brown, Who Did
Fine Work, Paves Way
for a REIMBURSEMENT.
BY III. c. BYRD.

, A REORGANIZATION of the whole
~ athletic system at the Univer-
"A sity of Virginia seems probable
4 4 The resignation of Ellis Brown,
graduate manager for the last
six years, to go into the wholesale coal
business, leaves the Charlottesville
school without head and actually puts
it in q position where it can effect any
changes In its plan of operation that it
feels desirable.
Virginia right now virtually is in the
position of a university without an ath-
letic organization, except for the COM
mittees in control. The only coach 1t
has obtained for next year is Abel, who
has been placed in charge of foot ball,
and it undoubtedly will take advantage
of its opportunities. No announcement
has been made at Virginia as to what
is intended, but it is only common
sense conjecture that 1t will not let go
such a golden opportunity to effect the
kind of organization best suited to its
needs.
Brown Deserves Credit.
It must not be thought that Ellis
Brown is leaving the university under
pressure. nor that his work at Virginia
has not been good AS matter of
fact, Brown has been urged to continue,
and certainly he has accomplished great
things during his regime. The placing
of Virginia on good relationship With
other schools in the State has been due
almost solely to Browns diplomacy,
courtesy and consideration, and that
alone has been a real achievement.
AS representative of another Vir-
Einia school recently said, ELLIS Brown
has done a fine thing at Virginia in
making the other schools in the State
like Virginia, because We like to play
Virginia and have very pleasant rela-
tionShipS now, whereas few years ago
everybody at our schools hated any
thing that was tinged with Charlottes-
vile colors."
Virginia has had for the last several
years virtually q triple control OF its
athletics. 1t has had faculty commit
tee and under that so-called three
three-three committee, made up OF
three members of the faculty, three
members of the student body and three
members of the alumni association. In
addition to this it has had graduate
manager. who was actively In charge.
This ARRANGEMENT has hardly ever been
as effective as would have been single
directing head, and 1t Is this arrange
ment that is likely to come In for an
everhauling.
It has been known for some time that
the alumni feel the system Is not con-
ducive to best interests Of athletics, and,
more or less strangely, the alumni feel
that the board on which they are repre-
scented Is not the best possible. Not only
are the interests greatly divergent, but
the sound thinkers among the alumni
have come to the conclusion that 1t is
not wise to have the alumni actively
interested in the management of ath-
letics. 1t is felt that alumni interest
should be advisory and Of type that
lends toward the helping out OF pro-
gram worked out by somebody whose
profession 1t IS to direct athletics and
who IS recognized as well able to handle
Q Job Of that kind.
An Effective System.
The system that has been found most
workable In all colleges in which 1t has
been adopted Is TO have one faculty
committee, on which there Is student
representation, and have that faculty
committee work In conjunction with a
director Of athletics, whose sole Job 1t
Is TO map out policies and generally or
ganize and direct all things that have TO
do with the athletics as they. pertain
solely to the campus and also to inter-
collegiate relationships. Under such a
system both the faculty committee and
the alumni work in conjunction with
the athletic director to carry out
his policies in building up an organ
ization and fitting its parts together to
get unified and workable program.
The only kind Of an athletic system
that Is really workable and successful
Is that involved in the above, because,
under the conditions which govern col
lege athletics at this time, it Is q real
Job for an intelligent and capable man
to attain what is desired even when he
has the whoiehearted support OF fac
uity, students and alumni, and when he
does not have that wholehearted sup
port real success is an entirely foreign
proposition.
Sure 10 Meet Success,
Just what will be done at Virginia is
not definitely known. Possibly 1t would
DO better to say Just what is being done
- not known, but 1t is known that some