MIDDLE AND DISTANCE RUNNING 41 



shown, even though nearly all of them were temporary ones, indicate 

 the need for better supervision. None worthy of the name is given the 

 school-boy athlete, except in comparatively few preparatory schools and 

 city high schools. Competent trainers are scarce, but medical supervi- 

 sion can readily be had. If the boys were required to pass a prelim- 

 inary examination by a competent physician and were examined there- 

 after at intervals of three or four weeks to ascertain how they are stand- 

 ing up under the training, liability to injury would be practically 

 eliminated. 



Twenty-two of the sixty or seventy colleges and large preparatory 

 schools to which we wrote furnished lists of their athletes. These lists 

 contained the names of two hundred and sixty men, two thirds of whom 

 responded to our letters. The replies are so similar in tone and so 

 emphatic as regards essentials that I believe the results shown will be 

 confirmed by further investigation involving any number of athletes. 



