Vergennes Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Vergennes, VT)

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TIIE BLUE AND WHITE. 11 What Part Should Athletics Have in the School? When athletics were first introduced into educational schools they were, no doubt, intended to be a secondary matter. The professors saw a need of physical exercise to counterbalance the great strain of mental work. But the love of American sports has become so firmly rooted in young men that athletics have been made in some schools the primary aim of the students and the instructors. Where it is possible, there should be athletic teams, so far as they do not detract the attention of the student from his work. Many reasons can be given to support the statement. Let us look at a few of them. A football team made up of hard, clean, square players, advertises the school which it represents and probably gives it a good reputation. A school .without a team of some sort is, nine times out of ten, a small, narrow minded, out of the way institution, with no standing whatever in the literary world. Again, a school which has an unruly, disorderly lot of fellows to represent it, will never grow larger or be influential among others. Such representation is often worse than no team at all and ought to be avoided. In college, athletic teams are quite necessary to uphold the school and promote its welfare. But the matter is being abused to a great extent, so much so, that some find it necessary to discontinue them. This, however, is not wholly due to the place which they occupy, but to the character of the game, and we would add, the character of the players. There are here in the New England states certain colleges where students go wholly and solely for the purpose of making the football and baseball teams. In nine cases out of ten these men have a very low standing in their work. In the December (1905) numbers of the ..“Colliers National Weekly” there was a series of articles by David Starr Jordan, president of Leland Stamford Jr. University entitled “Buying Foot Ball Victories.” Mr. Jordan considers the situation in the West rn and Middle states. He says that it is a demo sLz-mg fact that men are hired in an open way to attend college for its athletics. In one case a star foot ball man demanded $500 to return and this was granted. Mr. Jordan has looked up all the records of these professional men and he says on his own authority, that they are in no condition whatever to enter into the college work and that the professors give them what they term “special examinations ” The Captain of the University of Wisconsin’s, foot ball team,- Capt. V under boom, Mr. Jordan says takes oratory, sociology, constitutional law, and foot ball. This is only one of dozens of just such men. But we need not go West to see the evils of athletic graft. It. exists in Eastern colleges as well as in the Western. What we need is a Mr. David Starr Jordan to bring to light these evils. No one can deny that they do exist and yet no one has the sand, so to speak, to do in the East what Mr. Jordan did in the West. To understand what the attitude of an ideal college or a smaller school should be toward athletics, see what John A. Johnston, governor of Minnesota, says, in the December number of “Colliers.” He writes “I most severely condemn the practice in university athletics which cultivates the spirit of victory and victory alone. University athletics should be placed on the highest possible ground, and foot hall teams should lie truly representative of the student body rather than that the institution be subordinated to its athletic department. The encouragement of attendance for foot ball purposes is a vicious thing. It is very true that there are some colleges that believe in clean athletics. In one instance the very best of the foot ball men were ruled off the team because of deficiency in their work. We ought to be glad that there are some few men who oppose athletic graft. I think that the aim of the Vergennes High School is to have the foot ball and base ball teams truly representative as Mr. Johston says of the student body. This has been the sentiment of the instructors and I trust will continue to be. » Woodman, ’07.

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10 TIIE BLUE AND WHITE. lie was soon flying at breakneck speed toward the village to inform the bank officials. After hearing his story, a police force was quickly summoned to receive the would be robbers when they should arrive. Promptly at eleven o’clock one of them crawled in through the side window and was suddenly seized and thrown to tne floor; the other one' was also soon caught and securely bound. Harry was then called before the bank president and bountifully rewarded for his timely assistance in saving the bank. Just then the news came that the game had been postponed a week on account of showers, which began in the second inning. But this is another story. Elizabeth Adams, ’06. [To be continued.] My Autobiography. When first I saw the fight of day, I thought the world was a black and dull place, and no wonder, for I was born in a coal bin. When I was a few days old, my mother carried me to the woodshed where I sported and played with a lot of other children about my age. I was then ushered into the kitchen, but met with a rather warm reception in the shape of a cup of hot water hurled at me by the cook. When about a year old, I was asked to participate in a concert to be given by a number of young bloods. Of course I at once joined the band. At our first rehearsal, on the gable end of the roof, where we had all raised our melodious voices in heavenly music, a comet came sweeping along the ridgepole, in the shape of a number eleven shoe. It struck right into our midst and hurled several of us from the roof; that is why I am now bobtailed. I lost the rest of it that night when it came in contact with the comet. My next experience was of a thrilling nature, One day while frisking about in the woodshed I was captured by two boys, who carried me to a field which bordered the house on one side. In this field was a large pond, now covered with nice glary ice. The little rascals then split two English walnuts in half and tied a shuck on each of my feet. They put me in the middle of the pond and gave me a shove. At every step I took, I slid in every direction, but finally with the aid of the wind I reached the shore, and in short order was home in the coal bin having mother take the things off. I was soon witness to one of the most shocking accidents, that ever happened in cat-dom. Of course you all know that when running we steer ourselves with our tails just as a ship is guided by the rudder. Well, poor Tom Scratch, who is a greyish color, was sleeping in the woodshed, where the hired man was chopping wood. Poor Tom looked so much the color of the wood, that the man mistook his tail for a small branch. He seized it, pulled it over the block and severed Tom’s tail close to the body. When Tom struck the giound, he bolted through the door, and started on a wild run, but alas, he could not steer himself and so cut all kinds of geometrical figures on the garden. At last he brought up against the barn cellar wall and dropped dead. Every time I recall this vision it stirs me to tears; 1 shall not be able to write any more this evening because of the scalding tears that are pouring from my eyes. Foster A. Young, ’06.

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12 Memory Pictures. THE BLUE AND WHITE. With fond remembrance turning To childhood's happy days, What pictures rise before me, What scenes ot merry plays. I see the winding river That flowed with rippling song, The alder-clumps and willows That marked its course along. What sweet delight it was to wade Where the shallow water ran Over stones so cool and smooth, Or soft and shining sand. I see again the quiet pool O’er which the low pine leaned, The broad, flat stone beneath its shade, From dazzling sunlight screened. ’Twas there I loved to sit alone In solitude secure. And gaze into the shadowed depths, So clear and still and pure ; Where straying sunbeams glanced and shone. And little fish at play Darted swiftly here and there, Black, red, and silver gray. I mind me of the wooden bridge, The great, black pool below, Where the waters moved so silently, And the whirlpool eddied slow. How oft with fearful look I viewed That pool so dark and dread, And wondered at what awful depths Might lie its sandy bed. On grassy hillsides just beyond, The first ripe strawberries grew, And through the nearest treetops tall The school house rose to view. In yonder green and shady wood, We sought for wild flowers fair, Or wintergreens with berries red. And fragrant maiden-hair. Oh many a merry game we played. And bright the hours did seem, And many a gallant boat we made, To ride upon the stream. Ah well! too soon we wake to find That life is not all play. That earth holds much of weariness, And many a darksome day. But life holds also much of jov, And sunny days there be ; God’s earth is full of beauty, If we have eyes to see. BARTER kh Hus hh mtu; IS AT KINGSLAND’S STORE EVERY FRIDAY. EYES EXAMINED AT PATIENTS HOME WHEN PREFERRED.