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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1905)
iJ l'' l Athletics-Then and Now " By Professor in tho last thirty .years a remarkable transformation has taken place In tho form and organization of our colleges 1 b .. and universities. It almost seems as if tho very spirit and point of approach haa boon rovorscd. Doubtless this is not qulto truo of" any schooland is . , , xt. . aonroxlmately truo only in tho great approximaitiy o universities, leaving tho smallor col- leges practically unchanged in many cases Whether thfs change is moro chango or whether it marks a procoBS of Improvement it is not the purpose here to discuss. Tho movomont in athletic 13 moro romarkablo oven thatl that in general university lifo. Taking Nebraska University as an . , . . , oxamplo, wo And the'polnt of dopar- turo about lSflO. In tho early days, in- dividual Initiative controlled absolute- ly There was no organization either on tho part of tho University itself, or " , t , m. , f within tho student body. Tho forms of athletics woro simple and In tho main wlthoutr'doflnlto aim or ond. Running races and running against timo woro . .nrfnwi in at Irreirular intervals but indulged in at irregular Intervals, but in no case was thoro an attempt to traln regularly. The ovonts were not planned ahead, but entered upon as tho i -, !,, . f Thfl anmn innV f nrtnitinn riilod In lumnlnc con- of organization ruled in jumping con tests, croquet and lawn tennis games. Llttlo groups near somo boarding houso pitched horso shoe's somewhat regularly as an after dlnnor dyspepsia antidote. For somo two or three yearB after 1881 a group of S Btroot profes- sors, Instructors and Btudonta played .prisoner's base nearly every ploasant day ln fall and spring, for an hour or Vtwo Excont for baseball this came x ' tlio nearest having an organic llfo of X. any sport in tho University. Even " rbasoball had.no regular ayslom of do- tormlnlng membership, electing cap- ,,..,.. . IU1U, U 1UUBUU mu.U vyuo tjyui Uiu nuv hold offlcp4or moro than a slnglo game m tno nrat ton years ot tne univer- . . - .. ,,.... slty llfo. Games wcro played with th T.noin oitv nlno. which had Its firt Rnm?ArnfokHIonal catcher in Tuo8 wh ar0 condomn,nB all athletic tut0( ln tho football team aro centered our race. . Ultra-civilization .and great nrat Beim-proiubBiuuiu cutmui contests would bb worth moro to tho liopride, interest and best wishes of refinement Induce passiveness and a 187G, but these woro arranged for ln a university' world If they would aid in Ul0 Btudent hqdy. . tendency to tho path of tho least re- very Informal way. By 1884 a llttlo reform a possibility, instead of d.e- Wearing representative colors tho stance. It is well that men have regularity camo into tho baseball field, voting, all" their breath to "knocking" team llne8 up again8t the players of a Ideals to Btvly nftor other than tho but not until 1889 doeT there seem to almlngat destruction which cannot be. rlval lnstitution, imbued-with the same moro Pursuit of gain. Clean, Eealthy wnn nnv ,mnr RrP-nf cnm CouraB Is nocessaryf and a good solid 8onso of loyalty and ambition to win exercise is the buoyant factor of hu have been any regular serlcs-of games backlng to those who show that' they afl themsolves. It Is then that tho stu- an activity, and it falls to tho lot of "arranged for with a fairly definite or- possess tho jiourage and. at the same dont feei8 j.ho" tbrm of p0rBonaf inter- everyone to encounter hard, knocks, ganlzatlon to. manage tho business, time the common sense to uso their egt and endfl his voice to tho singing Besides moral and intellectual de Docombor 28, 1891, tho Western Inter- courage in puch a manner a8 to bo of 8ongajirid to tho clamor of inspiring velopment, our race needs stamina, state football organization was nor ioctea; tne s.amo year a nem meot-was hold, and tho University Athletic As- soclatlon was fully established., But this article Is not intended to bo a historical resume, so ft may simply bo noted that since 1891 tho growth has been towards deflnlteness of organlza tlon and community management, away from tho Individualistic and towards tho socialistic. In early days the University as Buch felt llttlo orno interest in tho success or failure of any. "event," for it was only the individual who had anything at stake; toda'y the failure ojr success of a "team!' Is re-, ; garded as bringing-honor' or disgrace upon' each individual, since lt touches liimas a. part of tho greater whole H. W. Caldwell the University for which tho battles. "team" t v TIie veiopment or me last fifteen years has brought with it much good and Bomo evils, although I know thoro aro those In our midst who would re- orso the statement. In early days there were few or no evils, for thoro was no sufficient nucleus" around which .... m. . .. , , , ovll could gather. That tho simple life of tne carly tImca ha8 much to bo uald for it cannot bo .denied, but in a com- Plox organization such as exists today lt cannot bo reintroduced, so thoro is nothing to do except to accept tho In- 1fe U cl0gQ organIc b(jlng and mako tho best of it. Tho old life gave no opportunity for "graft;" tho now affords It a lodging place. The remody-a moro perfect organization anij a strugglo for higher standards, p()Wer of realatanco may triumph. In tho formative days there was no unduo pressure from without to lead to an over-emphasis on winning. Todar TTJ'ZnLZl 18 danger that "rotten" methods may be roBOTiGCi tc that roughness will triumph over manllnesa. Tho remedy Is doubtless two foldin cases whore tho man Is lacking, enforce definite ruloS nfllnchln8lyJ ln cases whore mannood h tfuo M ,t ,a koopIng trUQ by a BOnsItlvo public conscience. The earlier form of athletics was so in- formal that thoro was relatively little danger that tho soriouB work of tho UnlvorsW would D0 ntKlcctod- Today g fof Bdonco play a8 woll Btudy. This calls for thought, tlmo and effort. Thoro is danger that it may ceaso to do a means anu ue- como an end Thoro was no call for money in tho anQ plunged in Exoonsivo fields, nld flnvR vou Rlmillv too K. on vour coat .- . . i bleachers, suitB, training tables, etc., wero unknown. Tho modorn athletic contest calls for money 'in two great luantitie8' Extravagance is creoping in, and with it danger to both the con- toatant and tho public. Tho betting problom Is no small ono, and its cor- ruptlons may eat into tho very heart the moral tone of University life. Those ovlls, and doubtleBsotfiors, must , - . ft1 T,nn,av.p thn7. m.v hn "u iuwi,uivu. ..v...u.., v..w j and mU8t bo minimized. Destruction .!.... ,.... ot atniotics is neitner uesirauie, nor possimo oven u it woro aesirauio. no- 1.. .. .. ... .! 1-.. frm. then, is tho only alternative. - - emclonL A moro Perieci- organization uui. , joimu iu u.oue". . 4-tt n MAfnwn a 1 lantflPAn I wo f lAti.la tho need ot. tho hour A jerome, a Folk, a"LaFortetto or a Roosevelt Is needed in every University. Tho stu- dent body l8 ln tho ma,n sound; 11 need8 BtronS leadership and It will ruu' lu uy wuuw" - concy and aa fowl ovlls M th,ls ir' Iect wona can "opo w reai,zo "ll 1U nas nad more than one regeneration. : . ' , THE. COVER PAGE. " For tho cut on the front coyor page of this lssue the, management is ln- .dobtod to,th,e Rudge & Quenzol com- pany.' This firm has always been a loyal supporter of , University enter- prises, and this kindness is only ono of tho many it has shown us. . ' . The Game of Foot af 1 - By John Springing from a multitude of aourcos. the swelllnK column-of crlti- c,Bm8 of tt , ,,,,,, , . bo vowed as tllG Incipient stages of what might develop Into a sweeping propaganda. The numerous abuses connected with the' game, though .,,,.. , ., .... L . standing in the relation of the part to " , the whole, have brought it condemna- tlon from influential sources. Tho taint of professionalism, inslduously foBtered In BpIto 0f strict rules, has i. . , l, made Itself apparent by the infection It has wrought. Unwarranted "brutal- lty through tho impression that it ieaves has lowered tho standard of the gnm(j ,n thQ oyes Qf mnny . However a diatribe against pr.ofes- slonallsm and kindred abuses Is not necessary. They are self-condemning, But lt Is intention of tho writor of thIs fletch to Bhow that footba11 aB a ,.,,,, Eo should maintain its place at the head of tho list of college athletics. no attempt is to be made to diBguiso tho un8avory elements that have cropt , to th , , ft recognition of . . . ...,, cnm. pi,oneilBlvoly and with a clear under- 8tnndIng . hI t th flfiffinRR nf tho game it Is naturally tho first impulse nttentlon to tho materlal good result- ng tQ UJa c'olleg0 when It has a wJn. nmg toam guch ft yQv q pardonaDi0 but If loft unsupported, Its refutation roadHy seems a matter of fact. Yet an, n ,,1... ia nt nni.r nninnnMn bu't lt Ja justifiable. ' rrho devotIon of the .Btudent and ftiuranI body and of the faculty to their jn8titutlon Js a power that furthers its progress. Hand In hand with Intellec- tual and spiritual development should g0 physical development. It Is over tj10 g0ry of man to prldo himself upon bjB p0WerB of endurance, agility and btrongth. Even among tho most as- thotlc people aro these qualities ad- ...., T .,. ,11. mircu.' in no gamo moro uian iooiuau ro thGV 0ffGCtivoiv called intoictlon " - nnnrPHontlnir thon tho- lipafc nf the - ' phyBlcal development of tho college anirb no meanB dIVQrCod from its cul- ll8 Pu1 awaltonod lt Ia his sense, nf nvnt in Ti!n (natUnttnn nnfl Ifa In: tnvnntn thnt la flndlnf n vont - , gan bQ donied that football fl0rvos t'0 croat0 a devotion and loy- alty among tho students for their col- Jege? TnQ lmpre8Blon8 arb lasting and the graduate going forth upon the world's highway carries them with him. The conclusion can readily be drawn that jU8t afl a unIted and loyal people make a nation strong, just bo does a upltod, loyal and active student body give strength to its institution. Right hero is a good place to call up a few other considerations. The seep-. tic will.' argue that, granting an in- crease'dpresUge for the college, such nn( influence might in reality be based upon an. infected,' athletic system,, 1 D. Rice - which may or may not bo known to or fostered by the students themselves. Yet he finds his answer in the very fact that little credit falls to the por- ton of tho collegQ Ylolatea ethics 0f the game and does not pro- sorve a spirit of fairness. Wo do not nvo to go far to And examples, but to call up -the moBt Open of these . " l f p muju would bo but to stir up past unpleas antne8s and to repeat what Itf now public knowledge. Football works its own vindication, Th Professional or semi-professional player loses casto in the eyes of his and - ho Is not B00ner Qr fetor found ouf. Tho abuses as represented by him aro ultimately corrected, though-not often wlthout an upheaval lhat shakes tho reforming institution to Its founda- t of '' investigation has already exposed in- fected systems of athletics v and wrought their purification. Such' re- BUltS "" hlpfUl l t0tW' nly ' when abuses, though known, aro al-' ,owod tQ contlnuQ dQQB tfl0 g'amQ for y- Brutality exhibited in thog'ame is repugnant topractIcally overypne. It ,B condemned wherever exhibited und . the odium caused by' Indulging in "it ought to deter any nlaver contemnlat- ing it. A player indulging In It do- scends to a fowor plane. His is but the outbreak of a savage nature, which the rules, the instructions of the coach, rous InsUncts strongly forbid. It is unnecessary and therefore all tho more at variance with tho game. JBt as abuses may creep into any system and yet be unable to spoil-It uecaUBQ or thn Rnlln nnflprivlnc nrln. . .. ... . . . . clples, just so may football be mado to suffer and cdme out of the' ordeal hotter and stronger than over. A scruple of sceptic calls-attention .to the act that there are othor athletic sports and other things that may pro- mote interest in the college as woll as football. This Js readily admitted, and no attempt will bomado to specify as to kind or degree. All. that is contend- 0(1 ln this regard is that football fos- fra lnfrnaf In n on11oo- o,1 , f ""'" .v.uw . vu..bU mm ! - crease its prestige. X . .. ., .... . "S... parting tnougnt. a sport liko ..... . ........ lootoau is a goou indicator ot tno en- orgy, aggressiveness and hardihood of strengtn and endurance. Do not, then l" UIHUUUrUKO IOULUUII. rTQUeny nn .1 i-A .1 f .... - -. LI 11 T iT played it is tt test for all Of the80 QUall- tleB- But lot brutality and professlon- alism bo weeded-out and lot tho game continue as an-honest American sport, The Registrar Is preparing to issue a special editfon of tho University calendar. Heretofore there has been a largo demand for tho calendar dur- Ing tho second semestorand in order td-satisfy tho demand this edition will be Issued next spring. r" . . A new edition of the High School "Manual, containing suggestions from the heads of departments concerning' arrangement of courses .of study, etc., is being prepared for-publication. ' r 4 M -J J Z U0MJ, 4 V".