School Athletics.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 6

School Athletics.

OPINION OF EDUCATIONALISTS. Tho Board of .Governors ofthe We!« lington College recently asked Mr.,J. P. Firth',' Principal ■of the College,' -■to •' rp., port .'on . the question of ■ the of> athletics at tho school. . In "this irts•' port,, produced at yesterday's meeting of " the Governors, .Mr. Firth: set out in de- ■ tail; .the. athletic cum6ulum * of. th'e. : " school,, and.! said-." I', ftm; strbngly, ; .of.;i opinion that it would be a great mistake,-, —a' very great mistake-to. 'stojK.alJ''. \ side'' matches,'except''those with '.other,' secondary ' sehoole. - : The'-'fact that'.' to . isolate'case of misconduct on'''-the 'part' : ot' a" team engaged has taken place:does'" 1 not.'make' it desirable.' that- allToutside ■ matches should-be; given up." i-1 4 !! ' •v'- .'Y ■- Mr. Brandon, who. moved:"to'.have', tho. report supplied,; said;. that,it,seemed'' 1 to him that Mr. i Firth ,had not.; apprer, • bended,,what, was in,tho, speaker's mind , • and;the minds ..of-' the'. trustees.. The,badlanguage was,, onty ,'a., passing phase ''upon" which •> the' 'main question ;. was introduced. Mr.--Sra'iidpn bad no'; doubt that the • attention drawn , to the : incident would have a iasting -effect. The : ; main matter, however; was' the question ! whether- athletics, were, not; ,being- ,too.; much pursued," to the detriment;,of education dor which secondary; .schools'; primarily existed. With' the internal;; arrangements 'for" physical."culture, .as detailed •in Mr. Firth's' letter, Mr. Brttn< >> - don : ' was well satisfied;' he : thought .the ',' board would have no hesitation in say-,! inj'- they were excellent; 'but' itquestionl whether outside matches did,-not-:intcrferoi,with the thoughts; of ; the-: boys ,to such ail extent as . 1 to lead ,-,to a-. ' considerable amount: of: mind-wandering" while-'tho .boys were-, at. their lessons in 7 school.. Ho. thought .it .would' be . well to appoint., a committee, of tho Board to confer'with. Mr. Firth,'and report ..to, a subsequent meeting. " Messrs. . Leo, Warbnrton, and 'Field', agreed with' the suggestion, and Mcssri Brandon arid Lee were appointed o' com«, : mittee to so report. . :: The - following - resolution- was passed ' : last evening by the Wellington: College Olr Boys Associationlt is hereby-re-solved that • this . Association deprecates !.ny. jiroposal or suggestion ofc.-th*., part of the Governors of the Wellington':. College and Girls' High School to lay, down.' a rule' (o prevent college teams from erigaging in contests with outside clubs or associations except in the caso 'of tho'- . Annual Collegiate Tournament, and is," 'of opinion that the adoption of . such'a rule would bo. contrary to the best in. tcrcsts'of the College:and tho>boys at-"' tending: it."- ::-S