Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-29
TOO MUCH REFORM
TALK HURTS GAME
Gridiron Sport Sound, but
Surroundings Might Be
Bettered.
BY WALTER TRUMBULL.

Milo iS open season IOT IOOL
ball reform, and all the re-
i formers are shooting at
anything that moves. Each
of them wants a nicely mounted
rule or a stuffed coach's head for
his gun room wall.
The ordinance I should like to see
passed is one which would prohibit all
mention of foot ball among old grads,
faculty members and coaches, from jan
usry 2 to September 2, II the players
wished to indulge in Spring practice.
an exception might be made between
the hours OF and g.
What the game OF foot ball needs is
a little rest. 1t should not be obliged
TO go bounding through the Winter
months lodging theories and sugges-
tons. And. in this connection, it might
be well for those who favor cutting
down the forward pass to observe that
Canadian rugby is recommending its
adoption.
am glad to see Nicholas Murray
Butler, president of Columbia Univer-
sity, advocate an endowment fund for
athletics, which would do away with the
necessity of scheduling for gate re-
ceipts That is something which I
have been preaching for years It would
make victory far less of financial con-
sideration and do away with much of
the crudgery of which Bill Roper has
been talking.
Holds Idea UnSound.
William w. Comfort, president of
Haverford, says that the college should
retain complete control of athletics.
That dpnnndc trhof Iaa Hxy
the college" and what he means by
complete control" If Dr. Comfort
visions college as a group of buildings
and faculty, l think he is wrong.
There never has been a great college
yet without few traditions and an I'M
dergraduate or two.
From my angle, especially in ath-
letics, college is in loco PARENTS to a
boy. Parents may encourage sons of
college age to practice such qualities
as craftsmanship and honor, may adj
wise them as to companions, may insist
that they perform certain family obli-
cations, keep certain hours, but few of
them attempt to dictate rules for any
healthy amusement in off hours.
Parents don't insist on arranging the
boys golf or tennis games, or telling
them which professional instructor they
must employ, especially when they don't
pay for the lessons The first re-
sponsibility of college coach is to the
boys. If they don't like him, he is in
the wrong place. If the coach is
bad influence, then it is time for the
elders to step in. And / don't quite
believe that college athletics. outside of
a certain amount of physical culture,
are a part of a college program, al
though do believe that healthful col
lege sports should be encouraged by
every college.
Better Raise Salaries.
DR.. Comfort says that college coaches
should be paid no more than members
of the faculty. 1t depends upon the
coach and the member of the faculty.
A man is entitled to earn up to the
limit of his value. I will agree that
no member of the faculty, equally valu-
able, should be paid less than q COL
lege coach. My idea would be to raise
wages, rather than to lower them, If
the workman is worthy of his hire.
Few members of a faculty are willing
to give the time to studying or de-
veloping students that a foot ball coach
gives. Many haven't the same fiery
enthusiasm for turning fair scholar
into a fine scholar that a coach has
for turning a fair tackle into a fine
tackle.
The truth of the matter is that a
great many coaches are born teachers.
while a great manv faculty members
are learned men. Where one Is both
a learned man and teacher, there
is no salary too high for him.
Copyright. 1890. by North American News
paper Alliance.)