ATHLETICS FOR ALL

A serious objection to the ten dollar athletic levy proposed by the Crimson is raised elsewhere on this page. "Either the University must accept as inevitable the domination of an athletic hierarchy," says Mr. Jones, "or reassert its long dormant spirit of open minded toleration". This statement of the case is, it is safe to say, at least an exaggeration.

In bringing up the case of the man who prefers to spend all his hours in Widener, Mr. Jones questions the advisability of Harvard's 'athletics for all' policy, and, even deeper, the advisability of athletics in college at all. One must admit the truth of Mr. Jones' point that what fame Harvard may have has come through its intellectual preeminence. One might ask Mr. Jones, however, if the fame of the college, rather than the happiness of the men it educates, is the true goal it should strive for.

The point is that the college man, leading a sedentary life generally, needs exercise which can be received most pleasantly through the athletic facilities which the college provides; and that those facilities are not functioning at a maximum of efficiency through the neglect of the students, a neglect due mainly to the fact that busy students are not sufficiently aware of the physiological necessity of exercise. To answer Mr. Jones out of his own mouth, Harvard does not want humanity to be deprived of a genius before he has reached his prime due to some insidious malady that could have been prevented had the mental giant developed proper physical habits at a formative stage.

It does not follow that the mere possession of a participation ticket, which would be the case under the present suggestion, would force every man to take sufficient exercise. It is logical, however, that if the plant be functioning at its maximum efficiency, and there be teams and coaches in as many sports as possible, Harvard would stand a better chance of producing more well-grounded healthy men. To the man who wants to spend all of his spare hours in Widener or Mallinckrodt the ten dollar levy would indubitably be a hardship; but the sacrifice of this small minority seems the least possible one for the good of the whole. Beef athletes are no more desired in predominance than brain athletes. Harvard points to the well rounded man, and a complete Athletic Association is an important factor in developing him.