DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 95 



KEFORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL CULTURE AND 



ATHLETICS. 



To the President: 



I have the honor of submitting the following report of the work of 

 the Department of Physical Culture and Athletics for the year ending 

 June 30th, 1909 : 



As in the past, the work has divided itself naturally into the two gen- 

 eral lines; the developing and maintaining of representative college 

 teams in all branches of athletics, and that work given to reach as far as 

 possible, the entire body of young men and to assist in building up for 

 them strong, healthy bodies and manliness. 



The several athletic teams representing the college have had a success 

 ful year. The football team did not suffer a defeat during the season. 

 Of the games Avhich this team played the one most worthy of mention, 

 was the nothing to nothing game Avith the LTniversity of Michigan on the 

 local field before the largest crowd ever at an athletic event at the col- 

 lege. The basketball team again won the state college championship. 

 The relay team w^as the best the college has ever produced and repre- 

 sented the college at Philadelphia in the annual games of the University 

 of Pennsylvania. The track team had a good year and again competed 

 in the Western Championships upon the invitation of the Western Con 

 ference Colleges. At this meet the w^estern two mile championship, 

 which was won in 1908, was again won. The baseball team won eleven 

 out of the fourteen games played ; while the tennis team won all its 

 matches except the one with the University of Michigan, which was a 

 draw. 



The department has made a special effort this past year to reach and 

 interest as many of the young men as possible. The usual class work in 

 indian clubs, dumb bells, bar bells, free arm and breathing exercises, 

 apparatus work and games was offered as heretofore, while inter-class, 

 inter-hall and inter-society competition was carried out in all branches^ 

 of sport, thus inducing a larger number to take some sort of exer- 

 cise, as well as offering wholesome recreation and an outlet for the sur- 

 plus animal spirits of the young men. In this effort, I believe the de- 

 partment has been more successful than in past years. A larger per 

 centage of young men has elected to do work of some kind and it seems 

 as if the interest and support has been better than in the past. 



I wish again to call your attention to the necessity of a gymnasium 

 building. The armory is not only not at all adapted for work in physi 

 cal training, but, used as it is for all purposes, has become so over- 

 croAved that at times this year, the work became disorganized and some 

 had to be entirely abondoned. This lack of time and space effects, prin- 

 cipally, the regular class work in physical training, planned especially for 

 those who do not take part in athletics of any kind and which really is 

 the vital work of the department. This branch of the work is so essen- 

 tial to the life of the institution and to the health of our students that we 

 can not afford to overlook it. 



