Sports Down, Changes Due--Co-ed Sports

The increase of women in the Houses will force changes in the House Intramural program, Floyd N. Wilson, director of intramural athletics at Harvard, said last week. "The issue at hand is whether to retain the system as it is or to change it because of Radcliffe," he said.

Intramurals Down

Participation in intramural sports has declined in recent years and Wilson suggests that the women in the Houses are the reason.

"Because of the girls brought into the Houses, there are less men available to play," he said.

Wilson cited the low participation in House tackle football this year as an example of the effect that women have had on House sports.

Popular Sport

Traditionally a very popular sport in the fall, tackle football has declined to such a low point this year that Adams House and the combined team of Dudley-Dunster House have dropped the sport because of a lack of players.

Ken Bollin, athletic secretary at Dunster, said yesterday. "Women in the Houses aren't all to blame. The influence of women from Radcliffe is certainly a big issue, but I think that the decline in House sports began way before the girls came."

Attitudes Changed

Most of the athletic secretaries agreed yesterday that attitudes have changed over the years and that the competition among the Houses is not as strong as it used to be. There seems to be a movement away from the fierce competitiveness of a decade ago.

Changes Necessary

Mike Sherman, athletic secretary at Dunster, believes that changes will have to be made if House intramurals are to survive.

"House athletics will have to include more women. More co-ed activities must be the answer and I see it as inevitable," Sherman said.