596 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



records, are, first, that the college disorders, as a whole, have not in- 

 creased since the introduction of athletics ; and, second, that one class 

 of disorders has sensibly diminished. Of course, other influences have 

 contributed to bring about these results. Still, even if the claim in 

 behalf of athletics of a special influence for good in this respect be 

 not allowed, it can not be fairly said that the evil effects of the system 

 are such as to overpower all the other good influences. 



As to those evils which are capable of remedy, and of which the 

 remedy has not been before expressed or implied, we will take up that 

 of unnecessary expense. It has been before shown that the expense 

 of the system is not enormous, considering the good done. But un- 

 doubtedly it is greater than it need be. Moreover, it will naturally 

 tend to increase. Still, it is well to remember that, as the number of 

 athletic organizations increases, the increased subscriptions demanded 

 of the students begin to waken some of the thoughtful among them 

 to wiser discrimination in their giving, and to a sharper watchfulness 

 of the management of the associations to which they do give. Conse- 

 quently, new care in the spending of money is required of each univer- 

 sity organization, and a healthy suspicion on the part of the students 

 is developing itself. In other words, each athletic interest begins to 

 act as a check on the extravagance of the others. Still, money is inevi- 

 tably wasted, in consequence of the inexperience of the young men. 

 Each oflicer, as a rule, serves but a year, when he makes room for a 

 new oflicer, who is as inexperienced as his predecessor. The expe- 

 rience gained each year might be made serviceable by associating with 

 the incoming treasurer a permanent graduate treasurer. The vice- 

 president might be elected to become president as soon as the year's 

 service of the president expired, so that he would serve as vice-presi- 

 dent one year and one year as president, his service thus extending 

 over two years. It has also been proposed to consolidate the athletic 

 interests under one salaried superintendent, who should be a gradu- 

 ate. The objection to this plan is that, though it might secure a 

 more consistent and economic management, it would destroy the pres- 

 ent healthy rivalry of the athletic interests, and relieve the students 

 themselves of the responsibility of success or failure. Besides the 

 changes suggested, a general auditing committee for all the interests 

 should be formed consisting of graduates and undergraduates. At pres- 

 sent, though the accounts of all the interests are published, yet nobody 

 feels it his particular business to object to any one item. If a graduate 

 finds fault, his complaint is not worth much, as only undergraduates are 

 supposed to know the needs of to-day. A committee of both graduates 

 and undergraduates could audit the accounts, and would be able to make 

 suggestions which would be sure of a hearing. By such changes in 

 the system and the economies which ought to result from them, field- 

 sports, such as base-ball, foot-ball, and lacrosse, should be self-support- 

 ing. The income derived from gate-money should meet the expenses. 



