650 Compete in Intra-mural Sports

An ambitious program has developed since World War II to permit non-team freshmen to compete athletically. Last year 650 (out of the 1,150) freshmen went out for at least one intra-mural sport.

This program is in addition to the over 15 freshmen teams that oppose other colleges, and in 1949-50 the intra-mural figure was even higher when 703 participated. The whole program parallels the set-up for the three upper classes in the Houses.

Thirteen sports were used in last years freshmen intra-mural program with teams organized in some and tournaments held in the rest. Student managers run each dorm squad, and to make the size of the squads competing more equal, some of the larger halls are divided into sections.

In the years prior to 1948, most of the freshmen intra-mural attention was focused on basketball, but last year hall teams were organized in touch football, basketball, volleyball, and softball. Tournaments were held in cross country, squash, boxing, wrestling, fencing, swimming, tennis, rowing, and track.

The intra-mural program operates within the freshmen exercise requirement, which provides that all Class of '55 members exercise three times a week. Freshmen substitute intra-mural participation for exercise credit is an assigned sport by filling out an intra-mural attendance card with the monitor.

A plaque was installed in the Union last year to record the major winner and the overall champion of the Yard The Union Committee, the self-governing organ of the freshmen, works in cooperation with an Intra-mural Athletic Council--composed mostly of students. This council organizes the schedule and handles the publicity the program requires to get a large turn-out.

Stoughton Hall was the winner last year with a total of 679 points, beating Holworthy by 55 points. The secret of success in this type of year-long competition is consistency. The Stoughton team or a Stoughton man competed in just about everything offered, including the minor items.