MORE SINNED AGAINST--

In his address to the high school coaches of the state Dean Holmes offers an intelligent solution to the conflict between educators and the proponents of specialized athletics by proposing the inauguration in the secondary schools of the "athletics for all" policy now in vogue at Harvard. The successful development of a large body of men in earlier years would be much more satisfactory than a small number already excellently trained in a highly specialized sport upon entrance to college. It is unfortunate that the present financial status of many of the poorer schools will not permit such expansion, but it is not improbable that should the success of the policy of mass athletics in the universities be proven, the necessary funds would be forthcoming.

Mr. Holmes' advocation of a closer connection between the coach and the student body by means of a position on the faculty is sound, and is already a necessity in the poorer schools because of less altruistic principles. The expense of an outside coach creates an exhausting drain on the athletic fund and it is often the case that he is a member of the faculty for purely financial reasons. In many of the larger private schools the coach is in closer communion with his pupils because of the mere fact that the administrator of the playing field overshadows the bookworm, at least in the eyes of youth.

The assumption that it lies within the power of the high school coach to prevent the impending catastrophe is rather a reversion of cause and effect. The secondary school has long favored mimicking the college so far as athletic policy is concerned. It is rather unfair for the big brother to accuse his adoring relative of the fault of overemphasis when he has been an erring example.