Greek Attitude

No Technology man who read in the metropolitan papers President Lowell's statements concerning the athletic problems at Harvard could help comparing the situation there with that at the Institute. Particularly was this true when one noticed on the same sports page the fact that the Cardinal and Gray hockey team had suffered a decisive defeat at the hands of Harvard.

Making a classic analogy of the Harvard student's attitude with that of the ancient Greek. Dr. Lowell stated that his university's object was "the cultivation of physical excellence in young men." This policy supersedes the interest in their collegiate teams, he feels. Such a principle is in direct contrast to the Romans' ideas, for their main interest was in seeing the chosen few display their prowess, and not in athletics of any sort for the multitude. With these Romans Dr. Lowell compares the huge crowds which throng stadiums in the fall, and who give to athletic contests an importance they do not deserve.

Of course we at Technology virtuously deplore the Roman attitude. Yet we wish we might write speeches as does Dr. Lowell and still be assured of large attendance at Technology athletic events, and of alumni contributions to undergraduate athletic interests. Since we are unable to do this, we must be content with the growing interest in the Greek idea.

Along with schools all over the country, the popularity of intramural sports is growing at the Institute. The essential feature of intramurals is that there be "A sport for every man, and every man in a sport." As is evidenced by the increase in interest in minor sports, in participation in interclass and Field Day events, in number of men in the various open tournaments and in participation by the fraternities and dormitories in baseball and basketball. Technology undergraduates are proving that they are not here merely to grow in mind Such a program is not characterized by the bureaucracy and over-organization common in some schools rather has the idea been self-made through the interest of students in athletics.

Harvard's and Technology's relative athletic purity affords the engineering cynic opportunity for a few sneers at Dr. Lowell's statements. Such cynicism is a bold front to hide a "sour-grape" state of mind. Our Greek attitude is perfect what the Institute should worry about is the imperfect way in which we emulate the Romans. --The Tech.