Page 158 - YB1901

Hthletics at Western Maryland, 1900--1901. " If' If' TWITHSTANDING the stringent and determined opposition en- countered by the promoters of athletics in all the colleges, the immense benefit to be derived from athletic training stands every- where unquestioned and undisputed. We grant that a too free participation in sports on the part of any student is detrimental to his intellectual develop- ment. They' represent the negative poles of college life, and each may materially interfere with and injure the other. But does any parent wish to see their son returned to them, after the scholastic year is finished, pale and emaciated? Were our bodies us for abuse? It is the aim and object of athletics to promote that development which is especially needed by the student; to render an active mind yet more active by clothing it with a robust body. To put out men and women into the broad fields of life who are developed on all sides, who enjoy the life of the mean," and who are fully capable of enduring life's varied duties and With this aim in view, striving to promote the students' welfare,. we have labored earnestly to make athletics a success at Western Maryland Col- lege the past How far we have succeeded is not for us to judge. \Ve and hope our college has been assisted and made more promi- nent by our efforts; and we who depart this though we leave to those who are to succeed us a vastly unfinished yet we hope to see the cause of athletics pushed with even greater vigor future. May they enter and push on the work heartily, profiting by our failures and magnifying our successes by their own! The year in athletics opened, of course, with the season of foot ball. This sport, so distinctly a college game and so widely recommended by athletic instructors, has had an unexpectedly successful year at W. M. C. The team developed unexpected strength early in the season under the direction and instruction of Captain 1. J. Dashiell. Contrary to the manager arranged to open the season with a strong team. As it our men pro- fited by the first hard Also on the mid-week trip, which the Faculty granted us, our men unusually well. Our old rival, Gallaudet, be- fore whom we had always the dust, whom all considered above our class, was met and defeated on her own grounds. And such an ovation as the Faculty and students gave the team upon its return was probably never known -+IJ8~-