Evening star., 1934-03-01
Have No Lasting Value.

VNTERSCHOLAST athletics among
outstanding high schools usually
are confined only to a few sports.
most Of which have no carry-over
value In later life, the survey shows.
1ntramural athletics are occupying
an increasingly important place, there
being no indication that the move
n1ent for athletics on this basis, which
came into full swing about 1925, Is
losing momentum. OF the 327 schools
studied, 231 reported a program Of
intramural athletics. AS the enroll
ment increases, the percentage Of
schools having intramural programs
also increases.
Larger schools, in many instances,
foster games which have a carry-over
value. Foot ball is more prominent
as an intramural sport among the
four-year high schools than among
any other type of school.
There is a tendency for tennis to
displace track and field and base ball
In the higher grades in the intramu-
raj programs. A total of IS sports
are engaged in by 231 schools report
ing intramural activities. In boys
sports, basket ball, track and field and
base ball lead from grade to 9. For
the girls, basket ball and volley ball
occupy the foremost positions in all
grades.
In surveying the carry-over value
of intramural sports, the survey I'M
plies that games, such as foot ball,
basket ball, base ball and track and
field should not constitute the major
athletic activities, but sports such as
tennis, swimming, golf, hand ball,
volley ball, horseshoes, bowling and
skating should be encouraged because
the pupils can engage IN them after
leaving school.
The tendency is to dovetail closely
programs of intramural athletics and
physical education, few schools using
this type of sport to make habitual
certain phases of health instruction.
No large number of schools grant
credit in physical education for in
tramural participation.
Money Angle Dangerous.
A LMOST without exception schools
~ engage in interscholastic contests
especially for boys, and an
increasing number of schools are
abandoning such contests for girls.
Interscholastic contests are limited
primarily to basket ball, foot ball,
track and field, base ball and tennis.
Golf and swimming are sponsored by
a smaller number of schools. BY many
secondary schools the sports engaged
in on an interscholastic basis are
recognized as having no carry-over
value whatever. In the small high
schools interscholastic athletics are
limited to a few sports.
Associations are strong in most
States and their regulations seldom
are added to by individual schools
The type of association to which
schools belong most frequently is the
State high school athletic association.
The regulations pertain to such
matters as the limitation of pupil
participation, standards of scholar
ship requisite to pupil participation.
and the like. In a majority of the
schools included in the study. the
pupils may participate in as many
interscholastic sports as they wish.
provided they meet the regulations
concerning scholarship, age, physical
education, etc
Scholarship standards prerequisite
to participation in contests vary a
great deal among the schools. For
example, 230 schools set up stand
ard OF scholarship passing to date in
three subjects; 2O3 set up passing the
preceding term in three subjects,
while 81 require passing to date in
four subjects, and 81, passing in all
subjects. Other requirements include
satisfactory conduct, attendance and
merit records, good hygienic habits
and the like.
In many schools the amount Of