SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 220, 29 June 1938, Page 2

SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON HEADMASTER’S VIEW.

THE ASSOCIATION GAME

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON,. June 28

The reasons for his refusal to receive a deputation from the Wellington Football Association to discuss the proposed introduction of Association football into Wellington College were contained in a letter from the headmaster (Mr W. A. Armour) read at a meeting of the College Board to-day. Alter a long discussion, the Board decided to receive the letter and take no other action.

On April 30, just after the cricket son-son ended, wrote Mr Armour, he had collected, information supplied by the pupils about the games they intended to play during the winter season, the total /roll at that time being 678. No games werte compulsory, as they were played after ordinary school hours. The return indicated as follows: —Playing Rugby at the college, 342; playing hockey at the college, 90; playing games or participating in sport activities such as hockey, golf, harriers, withi outside clubs, 47 ; playing Association football with outside clubs, 8; non-players, 191. At first sight, added Mr Armour, 191 seemed to be an alarmingly large number of pupils not playing a winter game, but in a large school there were always a considerable number of boys with weak eyesight, with ailments of various kinds preventing participation in games, and some who suffered, from general debility. It was to be regretted that 55 pupils had no adequate reason for not playing games, and appeared to be quite indifferent to the opportunity afforded them. ‘.‘Now, as there has been undue publicity in the press regarding the omission at Wellington College of the game of Association football,” Mr Armour continued, “the Board may be interested to have information on the matter. The national winter game is undoubtedly ' Rugby football, a game which the great majority of boys desire to play. I believe that one football game is sufficient to foster in the school, but gradually in the last two years or so we have been developing play in hockey, making provision fur some 90 boys' It is not generally understood hew many masters are required for, or liow much time they devote to, the supervision of games. We can hardly coyer all our Rugby football teams by supervision. It is evident from the return furnished that very few boys in the school play Soccer and very few indeed desire to play Ihe game. “I have never at any time decried Soccer as ai game. It is quite a good game, demanding skill and giving splendid exercise. A matter for -real concern is to see what can lie clone about those who for no good reason play no games at all, and here is a problem requiring consideration.” “This is quite outside the jurisdiction of the Board,” said the chairman (Mr L. McKenzie). “It is a matter of internal management, and purely one for the headmaster and masters.”