ATHLETICS IN SCHOOLS. 677 



ATHLETICS IN SCHOOLS. 



THE Honorable Edward Littleton, an authority in English higher 

 education, has written a notable article in the " Nineteenth Cen- 

 tury " on " Athletics in Public Schools." He canvasses the system 

 with some thoroughness, and arrives at independent conclusions re- 

 garding it, which Avill be of special interest on this side of the Atlan- 

 tic, now that such vigorous efforts are making to adopt the same policy 

 in our higher schools. We accordingly give a summary of the chief 

 points of his essay. 



He begins by remarking that intelligent Frenchmen are in the 

 habit of highl}^ commending the English public schools. But, when 

 asked the reason, they always refer to the admirable '■' cidte of ath- 

 letics " which English students enjoy. This surprises the English- 

 men — iirst, beKi'ause the French have no such thing in their schools, and 

 the Frenchman is therefore speaking about that of which he knows 

 nothing ; and, second, because the English themselves are beginning 

 to have profound misgivings in regard to the influence of this marked 

 feature of their educational system. 



Mr. Littleton first states the undoubted advantages to be derived 

 from athletics. They are to be encouraged on the grounds of health, 

 as there is unquestionably an hygienic value in games for boys. Again, 

 pastimes afford a relief from the repulsive restraints and monotonous 

 labors of the schoolroom, and are thus promotive of enjoyment. There 

 is, moreover, a benefit in the discipline they afford. The boy who is a 

 member of an athletic club or combination is " forced to put the wel- 

 fare of the common cause before selfish interests, to obey implicitly 

 the word of command, and act in concert with the heterogeneous ele- 

 ments of the company he belongs to." Those, besides, who secure the 

 posts of command, " feel the gravity of responsible oflice, and the dif- 

 ficulty of making prompt decisions and securing a willing obedience." 



But the diflflculty at once arises how to restrain athletics, so as to 

 get only their undoubted advantages. They have a tendency to excess 

 which becomes subversive of the fundamental objects of the school ; 

 and for this excess Mr. Littleton shows that the outside public is very 

 largely responsible. How rapidly this influence has been developed and 

 brought to bear upon the schools during the present generation is well 

 illustrated by the following passage : "Any one who played in the 

 Oxford and Cambridge or Eton and Hai'row cricket-matches thirty 

 years ago can testify that there were scarcely enough spectators to 

 form a continuous line round Lord's cricket-ground. In the latter 

 match it was not found necessary to use ropes till 1864, while now, 

 such is the importance of the annual pageant, that it affects the dura- 

 tion of the London season. At about the same date a few keen parti- 



