The Sad Necessity of Curing Football

(From The Worcester (Mass.) Telegram) Dartmouth's president writes of intercollegiate football with the sympathetic understanding of one who has himself engaged in college athletics and with the judgment of a mature executive who would preserve football s values without permitting the game to exceed its proper proportions as a feature of youth's educational era. Dr. Hopkins' letter, published elsewhere, is well worth reading.

The chauges he suggests will meet with opposition. Taking the college senior out of intercollegiate athletics seems a doubtful remedy. We took the freshman out of varsity contests some time ago, but he still has opportunity to represent his class. Suppressing the athletic impulses of the young man in his last and happiest year of college may have the desired effect of turning his mind toward more serious things, but the cure is one of high cost. We should wish to be well assured of its efficacy.

The increase of varsity elevens from one to two, with resultant simultaneous matches at home and abroad represents novelty in the East although there has been some experiment with it in the West. Clark University operates such a system with its debating teams. It would almost certainly have the effect of diffusing and thereby lessening interest. Evidently Dr. Hopkins feels it would calm hysteria and keep the undergraduates from traveling so much. It merits much of consideration.

Probably we simply have to do something to reduce the evils of football. And that—let us frankly admit—is too bad. For in our hearts most of us relish those evils. We revel in huge throngs, the tense excitement, the exaggerated importance of the "big match." We ought not to—but, gosh, how we do love it.