PLAYING OF SOCCER

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 151, 29 June 1938, Page 8

PLAYING OF SOCCER

WELLINGTON COLLEGE

HEADMASTER'S POWERS

BOARD'S ATTITUDE

Though it led to a discussion at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Board of Governors of the Wellington College, "received" was the fate of a letter dealing with the question of recognition of Association football as one Of the winter games at Wellington College. The letter was from the headmaster, Mr. W. A. Armour, who placed certain statistics before the board and fclso his personal.views on the subject.

After the letter had been read, Mr. X,. S. McKenzie, chairman of the board, moved tjiat it be "received." He contended that the matter was outside the board's" jurisdiction". It was a matter of internal 'management within the college, and one on which the board had never taken any stand. He thought it was purely a matter for Mr.-Armour and his masters. Mrs. Knox Gilmer asked if the headmasters i could > do as they : liked, to which Mr. McKenzie replied that the board gave the principal control of the schools and unless there * u as anything wrong he did nor think the board , should step in. MR. ARMOUR'S LETTER. Mr. Armour, wrote that on April 30, when the roll number was 678, he collected the information supplied by pupils about the games they intended playing in the winter season. The result, as shown in the following figures, he suggested, was illuminating:—Playing Rugby at college, 342; playing hockey at college, 90; playing games or participating in sport activities such as hockey, golf, harriers, etc., with outside clubs, 47; playing Association football with outside clubs, 8; non-players, 191, . Total 678.

No games, Mr. Armour pointed out, were-compulsory, though an endeavour was made to persuade boys to play some form of game. There was no restriction against boys playing for outside clubs or codes not played at the college. All that was done in this respect was to endeavour, to get boys whp played Rugby to play with school teams rather than with outside clubs, except in cases where boys lived so far-away- from the school that it was much more convenient for them to play with a, local club than in a school team.

At first sight, said Mr. Armour, 191 appeared to be an alarmingly large number of pupils not playing a winter game, and required some explanation. The number was made up as follows:—Physical disability or indifferent health 64, distance 14, engaged in work after school and on Saturdays 27, special'musical studies '3, sundry adequate reasons 16, objection of parents to winter games 12, dislike of all winter jleld games 7, no reason 48. Mr. Armour said that undoubtedly the national game was Rugby football, the game which the great majority of boys desired to play. It was the only football game played at Wellington College, he Supposed, from the. establishment of the . college, and so a great Rugby tradition had-been built up. He fcelievid that one, football game was sufficient to foster 4n a -.'school; especially if teams were properly graded, and competitions arranged with other teams of approximately the same size, "weighty prowess, etc., and as Rugby "was the football game most lilied in this country, it was natural that most, if not all, secondary schools should have Rugby as the. principal winter game.. He had also thought, however, that provision should be made for another winter game other than football for pupils, not - desirous of playing Rugby. HOCKEY INTRODUCED. In recent years he had had many friendly talks with "the gentlemen of the Wellington Hockey Association," \vho expressed willingness to help in fostering hockey in the college. Mr. Armour said he had pointed out to them on many occasions that the college grounds were without doubt the most severely taxed and most hardlyused in Wellington, but that when xnoro area becanie available he would keep the introduction of hockey in view. Mr. Armour referred to how hard he had worked in the development of a new ground, and said that gradually in the last two years or so the college had been developing play in hockey, making provision for some 90 boys—not altogether adequate provision, but the best they could do at the moment There were two masters on the stsff who looked after the hoc-1 The college principle In the control of games was to have masters in charge of tealhs. or- groups. -This was voluntary work, willingly, undertaken and very splendidly carried out. Mr. Armour referred to the number ol masters required for such supervision and the great amount of time devoted to it. At the present time the college could do with more masters for the control of the games, and it was certain that further supervision could not be undertaken. 'TEW DESIRE SOCCER." Mr. Armour submitted that it was evident from his return that very few boys, in the school played Soccer and very few indeed desired to play the game. One football game was all the college; was able-to control and supervise, and it must be evident that the number of games to be played must be conditioned by the ability and wishes of the stiff with regard to after-school activities of this nature. "I have never at any time decried Soccer as a game," Mr. Armour continued. "It is quite a good game demanding skill and giving .splendid exercise, but it Would be rather futile to enter into a controversy about the respective merits of Rugby and Soccer. Jn New Zealand, at least, Rugby is much more widely played and creates a much greater appeal than does Soccer. "If there is a greater danger In Rugby than in Soccer, which I do not admit, then that may be cited as a reason for playing it. The element of danger is a great human motive in sport." The matter for real concern, said Mr. Armour, was to see what could be done about those who, for no good reason, played no games at all. There could be no compulsion in the matter, but it seemed a pity for lads to fail to realise the training in physique and in character, and also the advantages of fellowship they were losing by nonindulgence in games, especially where no other form of exercise was substituted. He hoped before the passing of another year that he might be able to find a solution to the problem. INDEBTEDNESS TO MASTERS. Personally, said Mr. McKenzie, he thought the board, the Education Department, and the country were Very freatly indebted to the masters for the enormous amount of time they gave freely and without any remuneration in the control and supervision of games for the benefit of the boys of the school. Whereas they knew, as Mr. Dyer in

his capacity of chairman of the Wellington Education Board knew, that there had been a slackening off in this direction in the case of some primary schools, this was not so at Wellington College. He thought they should regard Mr. Armour's letter as conveying matter for their own information and receive the letter. He moved accordingly. Mr. W. B. Fitchett said that the late Mr. J. P. Firth had some rule whereby boys who did not play games had to climb "the mountain" so many times a week. Mr. McKenzie: That was for boarders. Mr. Dyer said that he did not hold any brief for Soccer, but there were boys at the college who were not playing winter games who might do so if Soccer were introduced. INSUFFICIENT AREA. Mr. McKenzie said there was not a sufficient area behind the caretaker's residence to provide the grounds that would be necessary. Mr. Dyer: Is that the real reason or is Mr. Armour doing everything he possibly can to resist Soccer coming into the school?

Mr.. McKenzie replied that he did not know Mr. Armour's intentions or his feelings, but he did know that Mr. Armour resented the tone of the letter sent him by the Wellington Football Association, and he thought Mr. Dyer would also. The association asked him to introduce Soccer into the school and gave him a certain time in which to reply. Mr. Dyer said he did not think Mr, Armour's letter was a very tactful one.

Mr. McKenzie said that the whole thing was handled very clumsily. He did not blame Mr. Armour. Mr. Armour had taken the masters into consideration, and Mr. McKenzie said he knew the masters did not want Association football, and did not want outside people coming in to take control. Mr. Dyer: If that is the reason, why not let us have the real reason? . Mr. Dyer and Mr. Fitchett raised the question of the boys who did not play any game. Mr. McKenzie said that participation could not be enforced. One point that was being overlooked was that every boy had to do physical "jerks" in school hours. Most of the boys also derived. exercise from their military training! After further discussion Mr. McKenzie said the motion had been passed, and the board would consider the next letter on the file. J The matter then closed.