THE FOOTBALL CRAZE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13872, 5 October 1908, Page 6

THE FOOTBALL CRAZE.

■■■:.l- :■,•'' ■■■■■■: :■:<■:■ :'.'.■' ■:.:..:■■-..■ ■ SCHOOL INSPECTOR'S VIEWS. • ■' _ [BY ' TELEGRAPH.OWN COBRBSPONDB»T4^^& Dunedin, Sondsy. "-.';;? =.--•■ , Exception having been taken by tho Sooth- ', land Teachers' Institute to the inclusion'of , "Prowess in Athletic Sports" under the - heading "Character and Personality" in, the promotion .of : the scheme submitted by. c ■; the inspectors, Inspector Wylie wrote to , the Southland Board yesterday urging that an athletic ;.-.training ■•'was:';b£"-.' : -'c6nsiacri|M«^^^ benefit to, teachers. The sympathies of boys ( were, other things'-.being equal, >: altogether with the.athletic teachers as opposed to the ' mere bookworm. In proportion as physical ■ gifts and accomplishments were used to lb- \ crease tho beneficial influence a teacher hw ; over his pupils, and thus to further good I educational ends, they were distinctly worthy, iof recognition. If not so used, they were*. of course valueless. . ;' ■ Inspector.Wylie continues: "I should W very sorry indeed if these remarks should be taken as implying approval of the extra- - ordinary degree to which somo sports (op'*.' ' ably football) have been organised andj_ci"* ' tivated by children of larger growth. vvaM, we may call the football craze has now attained such enormous dimensions and is now. attended with such serious abuses as to 9 }".'". it, a matter of doubt whether the game «* question can much longer receive the support of. those who have the love of the conntry at heart. As at present played it de- ■ velops craft and cunning more than strengtn and skill. It makes the serious busings or. ,- life a trifling matter beside its own hug«.. - pretensions. r It monopolises - during : a -Urge part of the year the thoughts and energise , our youth to the exclusion of all that is bcsi, in literature, science, and art. Its, devotes* have no interest in the burning •«J» ,fts "|-'.' lotions of the political, social, or religion., world. They think of nothing else but. tool- , ball, v dream of nothing else, and live• 1 ", . ■ nothing else." ' '.-• '