“Little Gladiators”

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 89, 6 July 1927, Page 9

“Little Gladiators”

GAMES IN SCHOOLS STRANGE ADVERTISEMENT By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright ' LONDON, Tuesday. "The glories are slowly but surely departing from Lord’s,” says the “Star.” Despite the centenary of the Varsity match, lhero were fewer oldtime coaches present, which detracted from the picturesqueness of the yearly gathering of the heads of Church and State, and there were fewer of the general public, because the standard of play is lower than in the day of Fry, Ranji and Maclaren. The majority of those at present engaged seem to be suffering from acute stage fright.” A controversy has developed over an unnamed public school’s advertisement reading: “Promising boy athletes accepted on special terms. Games scholarship granted.” The “Evening News” heatedly asserts that instead of teaching true sportsmanship the school is endeavouring to breed a tribe of little gladiators trained from the cradle to the grave to regard physical prowess as a commercial asset. It presents a picture of future Eton and Harrow boy professionals sharing out the Lord's gate.—Sun.