Evening star., 1946-12-10
&. W.Faces Loss Of Grid Coach if Fund Plan Fails
Entire Sports 5eiup
.Imperiled by Low
Fee for Students
BY MerreII Whittiesey

By MerrelI Whittlesey
George Washington University will
lose its football coach, Skip Stanley,
and probably its graduate manager
Of athletics, Max harrington. unless
! a $40 activity fee currently under
consideration by the student body is
approved and added to the tuition
| by the beginning of the next school
year, The Star learned today.
The university administration will
act on the proposed fee If 1t Is ap-
proved by majority Of the student
body.
The issue is not threat on the
part of Stanley, former football
coach at Delaware, Harvard and
Brown, and ex-Navy Comdr. Far
rington, but if the plan does not go
through and G. w. is relegated to
a comparatively minor role in ath-
letics, it's major sports bosses will
move elsewhere.
The proposed. fee would be CO.
student and faculty administered
and each university organization
which is not self-supporting would
be eligible 70 present its budget for
approval.
Would Aid Entire Program.
Student functions, such as the
band, musical and theatrical groups,
would be expanded, but one Of the
greatest benefits would be the up
lifting Of the entire athletic pro-
gram, which would include intra-
murals, competent coaching stats
In all sports and in year or two
a combination Student Union build
ing and field house.
The plan would in no way inter-
fere with the current drive to
equip G. WIS new $4,500, 900 hos
pital, which is first on the schools
construction list.
George Washington does not
have ambitions of moving into big
time football, but the Cole nial stu
dents and alumni are anxious to
hit a medium between last years
schedule Of mostly B opponents and
a major card.
The increased activity fee would
enable the Colonials to play a
representative schedule patterned
after a game each with George
town, Maryland and Virginia. three
or four Southern Conference foes
and two teams in the class Of Texas
and Army, both eyed by O.. w. for
future schedule purposes. The bas-
ket ball schedule and the entire
court setup would be greatly
strengthened.
Student Council Backs Plan.
The Student Council, which along
with the University Hatchet, 6. VS.
school paper. is solidly back Of the
plan, canvassed leaders Of more
than 100 campus organizations. At
the first meeting representatives
voted 81 to 7 in favor of the fee,
and four Of the seven were willing
to go along If assured all of the
money would be spent for student
activities. A second meeting pro-
duced an Affirmative 800 vote.
Students sponsoring the proposal
have agreed to a postponement in
the vote. which they think will be
in theft favor as s1t viii give the
student body more time to realize
the benefits of the plan, according
to the Hatchet. More than so per
cent of the students must vote, how
ever, or the plan will not be con-
sidered, regardless OF how over
whelming the vote might be.
The average activity and athletic
fee levied on students at colleges and
universities throughout the country
is $25, and at two of g. WIS nearby
rivals the amount is more than
twice that much. At present the
II, 400 students at G. w. pay So an
nually, a fee that includes activities
other than student functions.
Plan For Part Time Students.
Considerably more than half OF
the G. w. student body is composed
of full-time students. For the bene-
fit of the part-time students, an
alternate plan has been suggested
whereby they would pay in pro-
portion to the hours taken but would
get the full benefits.
Stanley, a popular figure at G. w.
after a commendable first-year
coaching job, has been biding his
time since the close Of the football
season. He has received several
L,.A 4~L
after the student vote.
One season Of being booted Oh
one practice field after another,
shutting his squad several miles
from the school to their dormitories,
working with part-time coaches and
on a limited budget was enough for
Stanley under those circumstances.
He will remain only If an accelerated
sports program is approved.