The Washington times., 1933-01-16

Tor the 1lfSt time since It's lori
What is much more important,
the conference today enjoys the
respect and admiration of many
persons who prior to last week
end had little or no respect for
that body. s
When representatives Of the
University Of Virginia, Maryland,
North Carolina, washington and
Lee, Duke, South Carolina, v. M.
l., v. p. l., North Carolina State
and Clemson voted unanimously
to place responsibility for ath-
letics where that responsibility
rightfully belongs-with the ara
demic officers and boards Of
trustees of the colleges, univer
stiles and inStitutes-the new and
virile Southern Conference accom-
plished more in a scant half-hour
than the old Southern Confer
ence accomplished in IL years of
life. ~.
Bare Of CamOuflage v
1t was refreshing to sit in on
the meetings Of the new confer
ence at Richmond last Friday and
Saturday. Honesty prevailed.
There were few, If any, efforts at
Subterfuge. AS result, many of
the numerous suspicious, which
existed before the withdrawal of
the Is far Southern colleges from
the conference, we're eliminated.
The clear enunciation of poll
cies by the conference marked one
Of the most important progressive
steps taken. Four premises were
set down in black and white as
guides to future activities. The
four make interesting reading.
They are:
/. That athletics are valuable
only in so far as they serve funda-
mental educational purpose
namely, to develop leaders of the
highest type.
2. That under conditions known
to be prevalent in certain institu-
tionS, such as flagrant recruiting,
Subsidizing and low scholastic
standards, the fundamental pur-
poses Of education are not being
served, and that, on the contrary,
entirely wrong principles are be-
ing inculcated in students by such
examples as subterfuge and decep-
ton as have no place in any edu-
cational program.
Unity Serves Cause
3. That the South, acting as a
unit through the medium of its
Standardizing agency, the AsSocia-
ton Of Colleges and Secondary
Schools of the Southern States,
best serves its educational ends
through such unity rather than
through divided organization.
4. That, if athletics are to be a
part Of the South's educational
system, designed tc serve the most
useful purpose in this system, then
logically athletics should be uni
fled and not divided.
The conference, further, re-
duced to writing, so that all
might thoroughly understand. its
Interpretation Of its own desires.
Those desires, as expressed, are
to conserve and promote the
above mentioned premises, to the
end that idealism and high char.
acter may be developed among
the Students"
Investigation Is Certain
The petition from the Southern
conference to the Association of
Colleges and Secondary Schools
of the Southern States to conduct
an investigation of athletics in all
institutions under the latter's jur-
isdiction, undoubtedly means that
the Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching will
make that investigation.
The second petition which asks
the academic Standardizing body
to pass a regulation to the effect
that any of its members found to
be subsidizing athletes, or permit
ting athletes to be subsidized, be
deprived of rating as a standard
college, probably means that edu-
cational officers and boards of
trustees will finally realize that
they must accept full responsible
ity for and place athletics in the
category where athletics belong,
as a necessary adjunct to educa-
ton.