THE "DEGREE" RULE

The abolishment by the University of Pennsylvania of the "degree" ruling by which holders of degrees from other colleges were prevented from representing the University in athletic competition, is one of the most radical moves in intercollegiate sport in years. Though reaffirming the three-year eligibility limit, and further deferring to the University council of athletcs the authority to determine the eligibility of Pennsylvania players in individual instances, Pennsylvania takes a step directly contrary to the whole trend of athletic development in recent years.

Fred W. Moore '93, graduate treasurer of the H. A. A., declares the decision of Pennsylvania to be, in his estimation, a retrogressive step. "At Harvard we believe that when a man enters a graduate school for professional training, he 7is far too much occupied to compete in intercollegiate sport. He is then training for a specific life work. That has been the opinion of both students and faculty members of the graduate colleges. If the change means that students in professional schools will be eligible at Pennsylvania, I think it an unwise step, and there is no chance for similar action here."

Not only may the proposed change in ruling be adjudged from the standpoint of the student in the professional school, and that of his professors; it may be considered as harmful to college sport itself. Such a provision generally adopted would not only lend to undergraduate games a tone of professionalism highly undesirable; it would allow the participation of men of hardened age in contests against boys hardly out of their teens; and it would make the introduction of "ringers" temptingly easy. Above all it would give the University with large graduate schools, law, medical and business faculties, a tremendous and obviously altogether unfair advantage over the college without such graduate enrollment. It seems certain that Pennsylvania's action will be looked upon with distinct disfavor among Eastern colleges.