Harvard's Athletic Decadence.

Mr. Howard A. Taylor, '85, has written a letter to the Boston Herald giving from a graduate's standpoint the reason for Harvard's decline in athletics, and suggesting remedies. We quote the most striking passages:

"To the Editor of the Herald. The dispiriting performances of the Harvard University teams on land and water throughout the last collegiate year makes the present an especial time for an appeal on the part of all interested in her welfare to the authorities of the college for a radical change in athletic policy. The outlook seems particularly hopeless from a general belief that recent failures are not due to a temporary lack of material, but a wrong method on the part of the students in bringing together and selecting the material, and in putting it into proper shape. The students are rightly excusing themselves in the restrictions put upon them by the faculty's regulations; causing, as they believe, an entirely wrong tone in athletic affairs. It is time to redouble the protests that have come in rapid succession ever since the day in 1882 when the faculty began to interfere with the students in the conduct of their sports, and to demand twice as strenuously as before a return to former days.

"The following double list shows the number of young men who, presumably with an intent actually to enter college have passed in the last seven years proper examinations at Harvard for the academic department or Lawrece scientific school, at Yale for the academic department or Sheffield scientific school. This will afford the best comparison of the number of young men who have of late decided practically between the two colleges, resting presumably on the judgment of their parents or themselves:

YEAR. HARVARD. YALE.

1882 289 244

1883 304 251

1884 297 222

1885 299 226

1886 298 267

1887 313 314

1888 325 365

[Those who actually came in the year 1882 formed the academic classes of '86, at both colleges, and the scientific classes of '86 at Harvard, and '85 at Yale; Those coming in '83 formed classes of '87, etc.]

"Here is a showing especially annoying in the absence of great dispute that Harvard affords the widest and most thorough opportunities for students in America. Fair minded people, I think, do not hesitate to accept the idea that Harvard has more educational advantages than Yale to offer, although they may question whether the student is as much pressed into accepting them. Her faculty, system of instruction, library, and tone of surrounding give her an unequalled and always increasing educational value, and no person would pass her by as insufficient in an academic aspect. That her numbers do not increase as her value should compel, is due to other cause.

"I have never heard other than two facts assigned as reasons for a boy to avoid Harvard-one by parents and the other by sons. Of the two, the dread of the supposed luxuries of Harvard life and the expenses incidental is a stronger factor against the college than the aversion of the young men themselves to a place where (by reputation) athletic contests are frowned upon and (by fact) athletic contestants are of inferior calibre. The parental prejudice is widespread, while the boys get their ideas only if they have attended the large boarding schools. Yet it is almost as plain that the failure of athletic interests has caused the parents to coincide with the sons' resolution to avoid Harvard as that such a fact has caused the sons so to decide. Whatever of luxury and extravagance exists at Harvard is closely connected with her fall in athletic spirit. Ten years ago, before the college was so continuously beaten, the honor of a position on the University team was sought after by every man of a class, college popularity being greatly dependent on the prowess of the bat and oar. So long as the positions were desirable, it was natural for them to be filled by men whose families had wealth and social standing; for such men came to college with bodies better reared and trained for skilful athletic work. Continued defeat has caused positions on university teams in the last five years, literally speaking, to go begging. In the class of '87, there were men fitted by health and strength to lead the crew to victory, but who refused to sit in the boat and so refused with impunity. Neither the anticipation of success nor a feeling of honor on the subject had sufficient power to bring them back to hard training. And these were the kind of men who, lacking the incentive of a frugal life, had the means to indulge thoroughly in the opposite, and through whom the repute of extravagance has fastened itself on our college. From a place at the front themselves, they have grown to be satisfied with a cheer for their successors, and some money proceed on the game.

"The Faculty have full control and their regulations amount to as follows:

1. Matches are prohibited before 1 o'clock on Saturday and 4 o'clock on other days.

2. No college club or athletic association shall play or compete with professionals.

3. No person shall assume the functions of trainer or instructor in athletics upon the grounds, or within the buildings of the college, without authority in writing from the committee.

4. Students competing in games must have a prior physical examination, and be declared physically sound.

5. Match games outside of Cambridge must be played on Saturday, unless special permission otherwise be had.

"Such being the present state of affairs the following changes appear to me advisable:

1. That the committee be simply advisory in nature, with neither powers nor responsibilities, and existent for the purpose of furthering an exchange of views between all college interests, and of preventing misunderstanding. That it adopt "recommendations." and not "rules" for the students.

2. That the faculty regulations 1, 4 and 5 be continued as rules furthering the general education and health of the students, over which the faculty proper have supervision.

3. That the faculty regulations 2 and 3 be repealed and abandoned, and that the faculty resign full control of athletics to the students, subject to advice from the committee.

4. Furthermore, that the changes be made suddenly and in order, that their combined effect may powerfully revive the interest of athletics in the college.

"The first thought in the minds of the opponents to such a proceeding is that it would simply prove a return to "professionals." Likely enough the students would learn their sports from the best teachers, as most people of sense do learn. There are few attainments of body or mind that have not to be taught the learner by persons more proficient than himself, and it places no mark of evil on the teacher that he be dubbed "professional" Englishmen have not suffered from their contact with professionals, without whom no cricket club of any importance in England exists. There is no tennis court without its professional "marker" in England or any other country, and that in a game distinctly less savoring of "professionalism" than any other sport in the world. Throughout athletics and pastimes trained guides are everywhere deemed necessities for the beginner, from countries across the ocean right to Harvard's doors. Is it peculiar to one college that such influence be bad, and that the college the most refined and antagonistic to vulgarity of any in the country?

"But there is another and more important point involved in the change of Harvard's athletic policy, which I ask to be noted as the pith of this letter. Under the present system where students are at a loss to know what will be done next, or whether their outlays and training may be made naught at the last moment by some unlooked-for rule of novelty, it is not to be wonder that the teams are supported by the college listlessly, and that they themselves play with a feeling of indifference and a proneness to lay their continued defeats at the door of the faculty under whose regulations they labor with difficulty. If the tone of Harvard is today one of indifference, and if that has been brought about by the chain of events as I have related, let there be a sudden check, and the whole system will commence to roll in another direction. A sudden and energetic in ignorating needs to be wrought upon the whole athletic atmosphere of the college, where the interference of the faculty has been only too keenly reflected by the indifference of the students. That change must bring it straight before the students that athletics are now in their own hands, that it rests with them to bring out the best results from the best material in the land, that a college devoted to extravagance cannot be a dwelling house of strength and the, letic skill, and that hard work on the part of some and strong interest and support on the part of the rest will alone bring the success that is looked for as a necessity. The blessings of such a spirit in college life cannot pass unperceived, and the method to attain them is as plain.