FOOTBALL IN SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22429, 16 June 1938, Page 17

FOOTBALL IN SCHOOLS

REPORTED HOSTIUTT TO ASSOCIATION ATTITUDE OF .WELLINGTON HEADMASTER “ATTEMPT TO STIFLE SELFEXPRESSION OF YOUTH” « ' [THE PRESS Special Service.! WELLINGTON, June 15. “I have not. the slightest desire to see Association football introduced into this school, and will use all the influence I have to prevent its introduction,” said Mr W. A- Armour,'headmaster of Wellington College, in a recent letter to the management committee of the Wellington Football Association, which had written to Mr Armour offering to discuss with him the question of obtaining for the college a suitable ground for Association football, and the possibility of the introduction of the game into the college. “In reply to your letter of May 3, wrote Mr Armour to the secretary of the Association, “I wish to reiterate that I see no good purpose .in having an interview with your chairman and you. I have not the slightest desire to see Association football introduced into this school, and will use all the influence I have to prevent its introduction. Besides the lack of grounds mentioned in my last letter, there are very many other reasons why. it is inadvisablo to play Association football here. These I enumerated to your association on a previous occasion. The authorities have considered it right to provide another winter game, which is not a football game, and that is why hockey is played here during the winter, as well as Rugby football. I shall be glad if you will m future refrain from addressing me on this subject.”

Deputation to Minister This letter was produced by Mr J. i Meltzer, chairman of the management committee of the Wellington Football Association when he and others waited s upon the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister i for Internal Affairs, as chairman of the National Council of Physical Welfare and Recreation, to protest against the hostility to Association football in secondary schools. Other members of the deputation were Messrs J. A. Mu- i burn, chairman of the Council of the New Zealand Football Association. Mr F. Campbell, vice-president of the New Zealand Football Association. Mr W. J. I. Vaney, a member of the Council of the New Zealand Association, and Mr W. J. Arcus, secretary of the Wellington Association. Association football was a good true British game, said Mr Milbum, who led the deputation; but there appeared to be antagonism to it in some primary and secondary schools. The game was played in all countries of the world, and he saw no reason for antagonism to it here. It was not desired by the association that its game should oust any other sport; but in certain secondary schools there were boys who were not allowed to play Association though they had played it at primary schools. That was not British fair-play. Mr Campbell said they realised that Rugby was the national game, and they had no wish to alter that state ox affairs; but Association football was not getting the consideration that other sports received, particularly at Wellington College, The boys had either to play Rugby or stand on. the. back, and standing on the bank would not improve their physique or advance their development. Hockey Introduced The Minister: What is the real objection? Mr Campbell: The headmaster says it is lack of grounds, but within the last two years he has introduced hockey. We have offered assistance to them. I think it was suggested that they should have the use of the Basin Reserve, and other places; but Mr Armour is definitely against the idea. Mr Meltzer said the deputation would not have come to the Minister if it could have fought the issue Itself. Although it was only a matter of sport, there was an important principle involved —the liberty of the subject and free expression of thought on the part of the youth of the country. Though, Mr Meltzer said, he was speaking of Wellington only, here an attempt was being made to stifle the self-expression of youth in Wellington. The Minister: It is not going -to take place. Mr Meltzer: It has reached the stage of a public scandal. The provocation is such that I find it difficult to keep temperate. However, the strength of our' case will not necessitate the use of invective on our part I shall adhere to the facts., The view taken by the deputation continued Mr Meltzer was summed up in a statement from the Wellington Primary Schools' Headmasters' Association which said; Deputation’s View. ‘‘lt will be understood that there are limitations to the variety of teams for which adequate coaching and supervision can be provided, yet there are many to whom, for various reasons, hockey and Association football make a greater apepal than Rugby, and an effort is made to cater for these lads as far as possible. Association football in schools has, in the past, had to overcome unjustifiable • prejudice; but this is now happily very rare. It is recognised that there is room for different types of sport, and as far as circumstances allow every facility is given to boys to play the game of their choice.” Mr Meltzer said the Wellington Football ' Association was mot the rival of other, codes; but wanted every boy to play the sport he preferred. To say that would result in mediocrity was ridiculous. Both kinds of football were played in all big schools and universities in England, with the exception of Harrow. In his reply the Minister said he wanted the people of this,country to play, irrespective of the form of play. They must be free to chose what form their play would take, and so enter into it, enthusiastically, and his object was to afford them all the assistance he could. The matter raised Tty the deputation, he thought, was one for the Education Department. He knew that the Hon. P. Fraser, who was in charge of that department, was 100 per cent, behind his proposals, and he suggested that the deputation should place the position before Mr Fraser, who might desire to call a conference of head teachers when he knew the position. Conference Suggested The representations 'made, said Mr Parry, would be placed before the National Council. The Minister said that a kind of aristocratic idea had grown up that certain forms of sport were ... Mr Campbell: Tonier? The Minister: Yes. And the sport is not played for itself and the good it will do for the participant. Representatives of the two associations subsequently saw the Hon. P. Fraser, and though he said be could not interfere with the internal workings of colleges, he agreed tq facilitate a round table conference, at which he would preside, among members of the association and the headmasters of colleges. The Wellington Football Association notified Mr Armour and Mr P. M. Renner, principal of Rongotai College, of the deputation, and Mr Fraser’s offer, and invited them to attend such a conference. ■Mr Renner has signified his willingness to attend. So far, Mr Armour has not replied.