Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Technique Yearbook (Cambridge, MA)

Page 22 text:

1915 TECHNIQUE 21 of methods, with the thought con- stantly in mind as to the simplest way to keep tab on every activity and to make sure that it is doing its best work in financial matters. THE ATHLETIC ADVISORY COUNCIL HE early nineties of the past century-a pleasing conno- tation of antiquity-formed a period of great activity in athletic affairs at the Institute. Numerous teams were competing in the various branches of sport, and with no small measure of success, as evidenced by the fact that in 18941 Technology won both the New England Inter- collegiate Athletic Association and the New England Intercollegiate Football Association Championships. Baseball, football, and track were engaging the interests of a large number of students, while the minor sports, such as tennis, hare and hounds, hockey, etc., claimed each its liberal quotum from the athleti- cally inclined of the student body. Each team was an independent unit, formulating its own policies, draw- ing up its own regulations, and ad- ministering its own funds. This somewhat chaotic state of affairs, coupled with the marked limitations of the income from and for such activities, led to the gradual decline in the Hnancial credit of Institute teams, which ultimately came to a crisis in the winter of 1896-97. By this time, the sporting-goods dealers and manufacturing jewellers would accept orders from Technology ath- letic managers only when accom- panied by the money to pay for them, and numerous heavy records of indebtedness, carried on their re- spective ledgers from year to year, further attested the general insol- vency of Institute athletics. Realizing that such a condition, if persisted in, meant a hand-to- mouth existence for a few years, ending in the final cessation of active participation by Tech teams in college sport, a group of inter- ested adherents of athletics, self- denominated The Committee on Physical Training, called a meet- ing on March 13, 1897. Among those who responded to the call were members of the Faculty and of the Alumni and undergraduate bodies in about equal proportion. It is interesting to note to-day the names of some of those present. From the Faculty were Professors Richards, Sedgwick, Dewey, Allen, Burton, Captain Bigelow, the in- structor in Military Science, and Mr. Boos, the Gymnasium Director, from the Alumni, Messrs. Rollins, Munroe, Briggs, Hurd, and Rock- well, from the undergraduates, Messrs. VVashburn, '97, Allen, '97, C.-E. A. Winslow, '98, and Gros- A , E ....,- 4 'EN 5'-V - -, 'E Ia? ' 'E -1 'f .i.....i gf ' ? -' 4'-: ' 'I HI. I A :A 4.1 ,- , ,,ca:,4s::22L2s?'1H-1' i!11w1...i'f ' I J ,A, 5 .1-mM: gkggggg ElI:I',,,! 5 ,,,i,r 5,f4?Q': I 3 142 V I iIg1WiQcH2Li411GZQ'icu-.- 1.1. E L Abit!! -'I.iH::,:Qf .::f1f,'QL',ms.z1m..- 2 , m.m..m..m.....'lj 3 2 XI. A 3 I -E - - - asm ::.nfL'MZQ'EFflQleNQa.:,x-: LLB . ... . . Q rw . .. .....-... m--.,....................,.mi . 1 f 9 - 1 - - X - '---2-2:21 'Z' z ' 'H T Y, X I Y'-gn-,L,,,w,,W.,,,,,,,,3,....,,5 ,,,,,,.,gi'5 .... H ,,. ..,. I.. ..... .,. ,....,,, .... . ..... . . . .pw Mi A . .. . E?f. - - gf 1 , H I

Page 21 text:

20 TECHNIQUE 1915 vision of undergraduate affairs is maintained, principally by sub- committees. Among these the most inportant are the Point System Committee, the Committee in Charge of the Union, and the Finance Commission. From the ineffectual body of 1893, the Institute Committee has in- creased in power until it is now the court of last appeal in the affairs of the undergraduates. A. C. DORRANCE, '14. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE VERY small percentage of 5 the men here at the Tinsti- 5-lf 5 tute are aware of the eX- istence of an active committee which cares for the financial conditions of the many student activities, and the valuable work which this Finance Committee carries on is only slightly appreciated. Every activity of rec- ognized worth handles money and carries on business transactions, and a few years ago the idea was pro- pounded that co-operation and sys- tem would greatly benefit the treas- urers of the activities at Tech in their Hnancial affairs. Thus the Finance Committee had its begin- ning at a meeting of the treasurers of the several organizations. By the faithful interest and service of one or two alumni, a common sys- tem of book-keeping was devised and introduced, and is now working out to great success. Every treas- urer must keep his records up to date and in the prescribed form, and a professional auditor is hired stated treas- to look over the books at intervals. This prevents a urer from becoming confused, and is an incentive to careful work. is a printed form of report There which each man is required to make out and submit at every meeting. On this sheet, the cash received and dis- bursed during the past month is balanced on one side, and the prob- able income and expense for the remainder of the year is balanced on the other side. The reason for this method is to give, in as concise a way as possible, the condition of affairs at the particular time at which the report is made, as well as the estimated general outcome for the entire year. These reports are read and discussed at the monthly meetings, and, if a man has neg- lected his duties, as, for example, the collecting of dues, it is at once evident from his report. These re- ports are kept on file by the secre- tary, and each one is compared with the one of the corresponding date, a year previous, making a sort of check system, as well as showing whether or not the activity is keep- mg up to its usual standard. The meetings are informal, and discus- sions often arise as to improvement 2 -. f7Jlhf':Pfu5'.llvwiiki-FL'F : I'lL', 753 :' -f wuz... 1 - f - - - . . , , -- MW, Lfr.-.-.1msJ....if..75' ,f 1 V., . :.:'7r-.r::f.4,e'v-,L:.:1w 'N if . : . : - Q: : ...lfffrfwi---EZ'-new-wig-., If N- r... . a . 5.4.1 ,-f7,,9'7,p:,5Q'Zw?':.ff'5x.gfQ522,'i25-1'4i?z:,:,- ' fr' i-.v,...i .-N1: !',g'f,,...l L. Q-wma FQ? aria' kfiiiii pm. .:fffffwwfffmm :i ylw - , M W H fH'11'1.a'r:it. na. 5 l 45551: nj j 4 2 g xxx- - i - --?-H-immmafcsmigmekgg :zf:,.,,gl -umm' an 1-inuiu mmf n . , 1 ' f' F' . -A-A, Y . L1 4 , saw- E.,,.f,T,,1...,L:,..,..fF,.'W,, . . . . . ., - ,-- X15 1 -., ,. - tiiTii-.:im1Hc,!W,:L,,L,4,,?',i,M:,1V -1 4: if J

Page 23 text:

22 TECHNIQUE 1915 venor, ,98. The verbatim report of their joint deliberations would be most interesting if space permitted, but the most salient points, thor- oughly discussed and unanimously agreed upon, may be summarized as follows:- 1. Freedom of athletics from Fac- ulty or Corporation control. Q. Desirability of compulsory ath- letics, or gymnastics, under a system sufliciently elastic to work no hard- ship to the individual. 3. Physical examination of all stu- dents, to be repeated at stated in- tervals with those students desirous of participating in competitive sport. 4. Establishment of some repre- sentative body of control to formu- late a definite athletic policy, under which the various interests could be uniied, a responsible financial system be inaugurated, and a per- manency to the athletic activities assured. On a motion made by Professor Dewey, a committee was authorized, to be constituted in the following manner: the Corporation to ap- point one member, the Alumni As- sociation and Institute Committee to elect two each. This was done, and the new committee, consisting of Messrs. Rollins from the Corpora- tion, Briggs and Munroe from the Alumni, and Allen and Winslow from the student body, held its first meeting April 28, 1897. The ulti- mate result of the deliberations of this second committee was the for- mulation of the Advisory Council on Athletics, which held its first meeting on January 18, 1898. The first Council consisted of Thomas Hibbard, '75, F. H. Briggs, ,81, J. A. Rockwell, '96, G. B. Burch, H. L. Morse, and Pt. VV. Stebbins, of ,99, while Frank E. Peabody, 877, was elected treasurer. A constitu- tion and by-laws were formulated by the Commit.tee on Physical Training, which were taken over for the rule and guidance of the Advisory Council, and these have stood for sixteen years practically without amendment. The records of the Advisory Council, during its life, show a great diversity in the questions which have been considered. At the time of its inception, certain rulings and decisions were made which to-day are common law, but which at the time were considered highly arbitrary, and for two or three years the chairman of the Council was familiarly alluded to as the '6Czar.', It is but fair to state, however, that to-day there is not an undergraduate who passed through the stormy and critical period of the first five or six years who would recommend a reversal of the rulings of that time, such as the abandonment of intercollegiate com- petition in baseball and football. T Q Z ,f -v. vw::rezwem' ' fs-'f - ' I l lilll ..... ILIITTZTII lk ,fl an.. ,-..,,.l-, .....,,.,......,,.,a . . z a az . ,rw -,- qgaua Y, LN l 1.5 T .5 VTHE.-Em,MC?Am7nq,5jn L:na