The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1916. ATHELTIC SPORTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 1, 25 November 1916, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1916. ATHELTIC SPORTS.

Some discussion regarding track athletics and whether they are harmful to young men, has been going on in America newspapers lately. In the Medical Times several physicians give their opinions and amongst them may be mentioned Dr John W. Bowler, professor of physical education and hygiene and director of the gymnasium at Dartmouth College; Dr. G. L. Meyland, professor of physical education at Columbia University;'Dr. D. A. Sargent, president of the Sargent School for Physical Edu-j cation; Dr. A. H. Sharpe, athletic' coach at Cornwell University; Dr. C.I Ward Crampton, director of physicali training in the New York City schools and secretary of the P. S. A. L.; Dr. j W. A. Lambeth, director of physical, education in the University of Virginia, and Dr. William G. Anderson,) director of Yale University gym-j nasium. These authorities are practically unanimous in asserting that the question is to be answered in the! negative if athletics are carried on; with the proper safeguards. Dr An-, derson, of Yale, has prepared a table of statistics on the lives of Yale, athletics covering a period of fifty] years which shows that the Yale athletic does not die young, nor ofj heart disease the leading cause of the greatest number of deaths but the percentage among non-athletics from I similar causes and that a comparison based on the statistics of insurance companies is favourable to the athletic. Dr. Anderson, however, says' that although the average athletic is not short lived there is no adequate proofHhat bo owes his longevity to athletics. The only rational criticism that can be advanced against school or collegiate athletics, according to one authority, is that the environment of a college athletic after lie graduates does not generally afford him an opportunity to carry on bis usual physical activities and no other form' is substituted. Dr. Lambeth

; .i the University of Virginia says there is as little danger in modern athletics, conducted under proper supervision as there is in going to church or digging potatoes. On the contrary, he thinks that feehle- minded hoys often build up their constitutions through athletics. There is some tendency on the part of many of the boys and young men of to-day to consider athletics too strcnuoub, !niL it is not too much to hope that more, manly views may come to those. referred to if encouragement from the right rpiartcv is given.