THE BISHOP OF MANCHESTER ON ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5284, 2 March 1878, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BISHOP OF MANCHESTER ON ATHLETICS.

Tho active Bishop of Manchester, in opening the late session of ■winter lectures at the Manchester Mechanics’ Institution (says an exchange), expressed the opinion that athletics, as part of our educational system, arc ‘•lamentably overdone ”in the present day. The Athenians of (ild, ho said, included three things in their education letters, music, gymnastics —to which drawing was subsequently added as a fourth. Bishop Eraser, in pointing out these facts, expressed his astonishment that we should still be floundering about in the matter of education when some of the keenest intellects of the world had directed their attention to is for 20U0 years. The great dillioutly which always presents itself, and v/hich probably always must arise, is as to the proportion of attention to bo devoted to each division of the subjects. At one time — not very many years, ago there was an outcry that the grand old maxim of mens sana in corpore sano was being lost sight of, and that the culture of tire mind was forced under circumstances which were prejudicial to the health of tiro students. Then there came a rush to athletics, and as this study was one which at once commended itself to the students, it followed almost as a matter of course that tho result should rapidly be attained ; which the Bishop now deprecates. The thing has been “ overdone.” The cricket field, the football ground, ami the river are all useful adjuncts to a thorough sys’orn of education, if duly subordiaatad to tic: main business of school. They afford something more than mere physical training. In cricket and football a youth learns habits of self-reliance, forbearance, judgment, and manliness ; and, in fact, becomes a unit in a small world in which skill and perseverance and pluck will meet with a dire reward of success, and where laziness and indifference will lead to disappointment as surely as in that bigger world in which the lad will be called upon to do battle after he leaves school. The danger, however, is that a part of education so alluring to the athletic youth is apt to engross too much attention, and coma to be regarded as the be all and end all of school life ;—that his thoughts will wander from Xenophon to the coming match with the “Wasps”;—that mixed up with the adventures of the “ pious /Eneas” will be reminiscences of that encounter, with the first eleven of the Wanderers in which ■ the home team was so gloriously successful and that the outriggers will become associated with the pons asinormn iu a manner never contemplated by Euclid. We admit at , once that these athletic exercises have very important influence* upon the' healthy tone of a school in many, ways; but'it behoves the managers of public schools—which really lead the way in all such ‘ matters—to beware lest athletics should bo “ overdone!”