Phin went down to help Sam, who would go, although he was not much
better, Tom Woolley reported that he had received a message from that
Cowaree fellow, the same one who was so uncomplimentary, that orders had
been received from headquarters that a place was to be found, the very
first desirable vacancy, for "a plucky, wide-awake fellow" who had
substituted the night before in the Orinoco office. And a free pass had
been ordered for Miss Mary Jane Dusenberry, with the compliments of her
friend the president of the road.
[Illustration: INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORT]
As there has been occasion more or less of late to deprecate the holding
of so-called "junior" events in track-athletic meetings, it is perhaps
an appropriate time to devote some space to the subject of athletics for
younger sportsmen, and to try to impress them, if possible, with the
fact that any kind of training for boys under sixteen years of age is
not only inadvisable but absolutely injurious. If boys of that age wish
to take regular exercise--and they all should--there are better things
for them to do than to train for contests of speed and endurance. They
will do better for themselves if they will restrict their endeavors to a
milder form of athletics, to simple body motions or calisthenics. This,
of course, is not so interesting, and I know these words will fall upon
many deaf ears, but their truth will be recognized none the less by
those who have the slightest experience in such matters.
It is perhaps natural that young boys who see their older companions
constantly at some kind of preparation, or training, for some branch of
sport, should wish to imitate their elders, and go in to some similar
kind of regular work. The older athletes, and those who look after their
development, ought to use all their power to prevent the youngsters from
trying to train, instead of encouraging them, as they do, by offering
medals as prizes in "junior" events.
The last thing that growing boys should try to accomplish is to get
hardened muscles. This sort of thing retards growth and development,
thereby defeating the very end that the boys think they are attaining.
The best kind of training for the younger lads is to keep regular hours,
both for meals and sleep. They will find this more beneficial than to
keep a regular hour each day for running or jumping or putting up heavy
dumbbells. The boy who gets his breakfast, luncheon, and dinner at a
regular hour each day, and who sleeps eight or nine hours each night,
and who bathes every morning, will make a much stronger man than the boy
who trains for "junior" events.
But, as exercise should form a part of each day's occupation, the
sixteen-year-old boy should take his exercise in a way that will do him
the most good. He will probably not find it so interesting at first, but
he will soon discover that he is becoming a better specimen physically
than his fellows who can run a hundred yards or a mile under a certain
figure, that really does not mean very much.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.]
There are a number of body motions that can be performed at home alone,
or in the gymnasium with others, that develop the chest and the arms,
the back and the legs, so that when the time comes when it can do no
harm for a young man to enter into regular athletic training, his
muscles are supple, his skin is clear, his chest is deep, his back is
straight, and his legs are firm enough to allow of the natural strain
which comes from any kind of training.
[Illustration: FIG. 2.]
One of the simplest methods of developing the strength of the legs is to
stand erect with the hands on the hips (Fig. 1), and to perform what is
called the frog motion. That is to bend the knees and to squat down,
rising at the same time on the toes, and keeping the body erect, from
the waist up (Fig. 2). This motion should be continued up and down until
you feel tired. Stop at once when the slightest sensation of fatigue is
felt. At first a boy will not be able to perform this motion more than
ten or a dozen times, but if he keeps it up every morning he will soon
find that he does not become tired until he has dropped and risen again
some seventy-five or a hundred times. The important point, however, that
must be kept in mind all the time is not to overdo.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.]
Having gone through the exercise just described, for a few minutes, it
is well to try something else that will exercise a different set of
muscles. For instance, stand erect and lift the arms high overhead, the
palms turned outward, and then bring them rapidly down to the level of
the shoulders and up again (Fig. 3). Do this a few times, and then try
another arm motion. Stretch the arms forward, the finger-tips touching,
and then swing them horizontally back as far as possible, rising on the
toes at the same time (Fig. 4). As in the case of any other kind of
work, this practice will tire the novice, but at the end of a few weeks
it will be surprising to note how long the exercise can be kept up
without fatigue.
[Illustration: FIG. 4.]
These three exercises will be found sufficient for the first few weeks,
but thereafter a greater variety may be adopted. An excellent exercise
is to stand erect, with the hands lifted above the head, thumb to thumb,
and then to bow over forward, keeping the knees stiff (Fig. 5). At first
the hands will not come within eight or ten inches of the floor, but
within a week or so it will be an easy matter to touch the carpet with
the ends of the fingers.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.]
Another movement that will develop the muscles of the waist and back is
shown in Fig. 6. Stand erect, with the heels together and the arms
akimbo, the hands firmly settled upon the hips. Then move the body about
so that the head will describe a circle, the waist forming a pivot about
which the upper portion of the body will move. At the start the circle
described by the head will be very small, but as the muscles become
limbered and the waist becomes supple the body will swing easily about
through a much broader area.
[Illustration: FIG. 6.]
There is no use denying that all these things are at the start
uninteresting, and I know from experience that even with the best
intentions there will be a strong temptation at the end of a week to
give up the whole business. But here is where the sand and determination
of the American boy must prove itself, and the lad who sticks to the
monotonous exercise in his own bedroom will be the one in after-years to
stand the best chance for a position on his college crew or eleven.
There was a man in my class in college who as a boy lived in a small
town where there were no athletic contests. Some one told him that if he
wanted to get strong he ought to start in in the morning and dip between
two chairs, lacking parallel bars. His adviser told him to dip once the
first morning, twice the second morning, three times the third morning,
and so on. It is evident that on the last day of the year he would dip
365 times, if he could only keep up this regular increase. He soon found
that he was unable to do this, but he was surprised at the end of the
year to notice how easily he could dip a number of times between two
chairs, whereas his playfellows could barely perform the act three or
four times.
When that boy came to college he was the strongest in our class about
the chest and arms and back, and could perform wonderful feats of
lifting himself and of dipping on the parallel bars in the gymnasium.
But, unfortunately, the man who had suggested to him to dip each morning
between two chairs had not thought of telling him that he ought likewise
in some manner to develop the muscles of his legs, and so he was
consequently overdeveloped from the waist up and under-developed from
the waist down. This goes to show that when exercising it is imperative
that all the muscles of the body should be given an equal chance,
otherwise some parts of the anatomy must suffer at the expense of
others.
A very little exercise performed regularly and for a long period will do
much more for any boy or man than vigorous exercise performed for one
or two hours a day for only a few weeks during the year. It is the
little drop of water falling constantly that wears away the stone.
[Illustration: CORRECT WAY TO HOLD A HOCKEY-STICK.]
The accompanying illustration will give a better idea of the proportions
of a hockey-stick, and the manner of holding it, than any description
can do, better even than the photograph published in the last issue of
the ROUND TABLE with a brief description of the game.
The members of the Arbitration Committee of the New York I.S.A.A. at a
recent meeting voted to ask the University Athletic Club to accept the
responsibility of acting as arbitrators in any future disputes between
the schools. It is to be hoped that the University A.C. will undertake
this, for a committee of college graduates can, beyond question, be more
serviceable to the interests of amateur sport in this matter than any
committee made up of individuals whose interests are closely related to
scholastic athletics.
It is pleasant to note that the officials of the N.Y.I.S.A.A. refused to
allow the tie between Berkeley and De La Salle for the skating honors of
the League to be settled by the unsportsmanlike expedient of gambling.
One of the schools wanted to toss a coin to settle the matter, but this
was very properly overruled. There is only one step from this sort of
thing to the settling of all contests by the arbiter of a coin without
taking the trouble to go to the field. That is not sport. When it is
proved (as in a jumping contest) that two contestants can do no better,
after repeated attempts, one than the other, it is just and proper that
some method be adopted to determine who shall have the medal--although
the points _must be split_. If both contestants agree to toss for the
medal, well and good; for the medal is merely an evidence of success,
and does not in any way affect the merit of the contest which has
already been settled and recorded, before the owners of half a medal
each determined to take the chance of possessing two halves of a medal
or no medal at all.
The renewal of athletic relations between Exeter and Andover seems to
have put new life and energy into every branch of sport at the New
Hampshire school. An enthusiastic meeting of the entire school was held
a few days ago in order to collect money for the management of a
track-athletic team, and a very respectable sum was realized. More men
have turned out for practice than for many years at Exeter, and the
Captain of the team feels greatly encouraged over the prospects for the
winter and spring season. A team of Exonians will go down to the big
in-door meeting of the B.A.A., and a still stronger team will probably
be gathered to represent the school at the New England I.S.A.A. games in
June. Dual games with Worcester and Andover will probably also be
arranged. It is pleasing to note this renewed activity at Exeter, for
there was a time--just about ten years ago--when the P.E.A. accepted
second place to nobody in athletics. The decadence which the school has
just passed through, and from which she is now making a vigorous
endeavor to arise, may prove to have been a blessing in disguise. The
fact that all this was the result of questionable methods in sport
should stand as a glaring proof that straightforwardness, after all, is
the only path to success in athletics as well as in any other work.
Exeter now stands as a champion of purity in sport, and for that reason
we may very well look forward to her brilliant success within the next
few years.
In connection with the news of activity in northern New England comes
the report from New Haven that the Hillhouse High-School will not put a
track-athletic team into the field this spring. At a recent school
meeting this action was definitely determined, and it was voted that the
school would support a baseball team only. If it was found that the
school could only support one of these two branches of sport, the choice
to keep up baseball was a wise one, but at the same time it is
regrettable to see so strong a member of the Connecticut
Inter-scholastic League as H.H.-S. fall out of the ranks. So far as I am
able to ascertain at the present writing, the reason for dropping track
athletics was purely financial, but as the Connecticut Association seems
to be rich just now, perhaps this obstacle may be removed.
The comment upon the dispute over the football "championship" going on
between the Southbridge High-School and the North Brookfield
High-School, printed in a recent issue of this Department, has called
forth a number of letters from partisans of both sides. The actual
standing of the affair seems, however, to be very clearly settled by Mr.
T. E. Halpin, Vice-President of the Worcester County South A.A., who
assures me that there existed no league for football in the Worcester
County South A.A. this fall, and that therefore there was no possibility
of there being any "championship" of football in that association, since
the W.C.S.A.A. claims no jurisdiction over football affairs. It would
seem that Southbridge and North Brookfield have been wasting a great
deal of valuable breath and writing-paper over nothing, and if the two
schools are uncertain as to which is the better in athletics, they might
preferably wait until next spring and settle the question on the
baseball-field.
[Illustration: W. S. McCLAVE OF TRINITY WINNING THE NOVICE RACE AT
STAMFORD.]
At the Skating-races held recently in Stamford, W. S. McClave, of
Trinity, proved himself one of the cleverest of the skaters present, and
won several important races. The illustration on another page represents
McClave winning the novice race.
It has been decided that the race between the crews of the Milwaukee
East Side High-School and the St. John's Military Academy shall take
place on the last Saturday in June.
It seems necessary to repeat every few months that the editor of this
Department can pay no attention to anonymous communications.
Correspondents who desire to have their questions answered, whether by
mail or through these columns, must give their names.
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[Illustration: PISO'S CURE FOR CONSUMPTION]
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QUESTIONS FOR YOUNG MEN.
ON EXAMPLE.
There is a famous statement of the average preparatory-school boy, which
has been so often made that it is historic, to the effect that he can do
whatever he pleases because nobody will be fool enough to follow his
example. He feels that men older than himself--men in college, or
graduates of college, or grown-up men--may be setting example to others,
but that he has not sufficient influence with any one to induce him to
follow his example in anything. Sometime after the preparatory-school
boy has grown up he will find that from year to year the same feeling
sticks by him, and that he never considers himself a person worthy to
set example to any one else.
If he only realized it, he would discover that even as a
preparatory-school boy he is looked up to by the younger boys in the
lower classes and by those who have not yet arrived at the point where
they can enter a school at all. In other words, you, as a schoolboy, are
setting an example to somebody else just as certainly as is your father
or your grandfather is setting an example to others; and the feeling you
have, that you are responsible to no one as an example for what you do,
is wrong. It is very simple to understand this if you think it over a
moment. For instance, a member of a college 'varsity team is a great man
to the members of school teams. If they see a member of the 'varsity
team drinking and smoking, they believe that it is proper for them to do
so, and yet if you were to ask this man if he realized what an example
he was setting, he would maintain that nobody was fool enough to think
of looking to him for guidance. And this influence not only spreads over
younger men in the school, but has a strong power in the college itself;
for the fact that an athletic man is looked up to at the university and
that the athletic man lives a normal life induces a great many other
members of the university to take him as an example; and as a matter of
record the strict training and the loyalty and thoroughness required by
captains from members of their teams have done much to raise the
standard in our big colleges to-day.
Every boy, therefore, should always bear in mind that he has a name to
keep up and a record to keep clean, not alone because it is right to do
so, but because he can never tell when some one else may not be looking
to him as an example and may not be tempted to do things unworthy of
boys because he does them. There is perhaps just as much evil on the
other side of the question--that is, where a young man (or an old one,
for that matter) feels that he is continually an example to others, and
lives two different lives, one for the benefit of his friends and the
other for himself. The example is of no value itself. It is merely that
you, living your daily life, entering into sports and into studies at
school, can never tell when your school-mates or persons whom perhaps
you may never know may not be unconsciously observing your actions, and
be accepting them as standards for themselves.
Thus every man and boy and girl is at some time or other, and often
frequently, a guide or example for others, and it behooves him or her to
bear this in mind from day to day. It should not cause worry; the
responsibility of it ought not to weigh any one down; but the idea that
you can do whatever enters your head, provided that in your mind you are
satisfied that it is right for you, is not always correct.
* * * * *
TRYING HER IN A SQUALL.
A good story is told of the late Captain R. B. Forbes, who was
interested in some seventy sail of fine vessels, and who built many
clippers for the India and China trade before the general application of
steam. It seems that while testing the sailing qualities of a
clipper-schooner, she was struck by a squall in Boston Harbor, fell on
her side, filled with water, and went down. Fortunately she had a boat
in tow, which saved all hands. He would not start a sheet nor luff her
into the wind to prevent her being capsized; he was determined to know
what she could do in a squall, even at the risk of his life and the
lives of a select party of nautical friends he had with him; and
although this experiment may have been of intense interest to Captain
Forbes, it is doubtful whether his invited guests relished their
position. Later she was raised without much trouble and had her spars
reduced. For years afterwards she was famous along the coast of China
for her speed.
Captain Forbes's brother, Hon. John M. Forbes, now in the eighty-fourth
year of his age, has an original steel clipper of the following
dimensions: Length on the water-line, 125 feet, 154 feet 6 inches over
all; has 27 feet 6 inches extreme breadth of beam; is 12 feet 6 inches
deep; has engines of 400-horse power; is fully rigged as a two-masted
schooner, and has a steel centreboard 21 feet long by 6 and 7-3/4 feet
wide; is a complete sailing-clipper as well as a steamer, and is the
only vessel of the kind in the world. She is also unsinkable; if full of
water she will still float, having air-tight compartments along her
sides like a life-boat.
Under sail, with a working breeze, she will stay within nine points in
three minutes; by the wind, sail eight knots; and going free, twelve
knots. She is named the _Wild Duck_, has been in service about two
years, and has been quite successful under steam and sails.
* * * * *
THE CAT.
The cat's a happy animal
When blows the winter bluff,
Because she purrs and dreams all day
Within her downy muff.
But I am sure when summer comes
And roasts us with its glare,
She'd like to be the Chinese dog,
That hasn't any hair.
R. K. M.
* * * * *
SAILORS AND THE SMALL BOAT.
It is a curious fact that few seamen can handle a small boat with
facility. This applies chiefly to the crews of sailing craft, as the
large steamship corporations long ago realized this failing among
sailors, and instituted a series of boat drills on their steamships that
have been productive of excellent results. Knowledge of the workings of
small boats is a requisite that every seaman should possess, and young
men intending to follow the sea for a livelihood should acquire it
before they tread the decks of a vessel, as they will have but little
opportunity afterwards.
The wise forethought of steamship corporations on having their crews
drilled saved many lives at the wreck of the steamer _Denmark_, as
something like 734 persons were transferred from her to the _Missouri_
without a single accident in mid-ocean during a heavy swell. It follows,
therefore, that those who seek recreation on the water would do well not
to go in any boat, unless it is in charge of an experienced boatman, and
is amply supplied with life-preservers. Boats ought to be ballasted with
fresh water in small casks, instead of stones or iron, so that, in the
event of being capsized, the ballast may help to keep them afloat. A
young man who may have been only a very few times in a boat, under
favorable circumstances, assumes he can manage one. He makes up a party,
the wind freshens or a squall ensues, he loses his head, a capsize takes
place, the boat sinks, and the chances are that he and his companions
will be drowned. Those who go boat-sailing ought to leave as little to
chance as possible.
[Illustration: STAMPS]
This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin
collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question
on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address
Editor Stamp Department.
This is the height of the auction season. One auction a day is a fair
average, and several lists with reserved prices have been sent out to
prospective buyers, who are asked to compete against each other by mail.
The straight auction where no stamp is held at a reserve will always
commend itself to collectors. In the few instances where it was
suspected that "a string was attached to the valuable stamps," such
dissatisfaction was aroused that no self-respecting or far-sighted
dealer will countenance any thing which savors of unfair bidding.
In the issue of January 5 I referred to a rumor that the Bureau of
Engraving contemplated a new issue of U.S. stamps. Although no official
notice has been given, it is believed the government intends to issue
the new set during the International Postal Union Convention which meets
in Washington this spring. I advise young collectors to look up the
blank spaces especially in the current issue. For instance, the
guide-lines now used make eight varieties of the 1c. and 2c. stamps,
viz., guide-line at the top, bottom, left, or right, and the lines at
top and left, top and right, bottom and left, and bottom and right. Then
there are the three varieties of triangles in the 2c. stamps, and also
the marked varieties in the color of the early compared with later
printings.
BALTIMORE.--The Nova Scotia 1c. black is worth 30c.; the 5c. blue
about 10c.
E. C. WOOD.--U.S. stamps issued before 1861 are not available for
postage, but all issues from 1861 are valid to-day.
J. E. KINTER.--The "Army and Navy" is not a coin, but is one of the
many war tokens issued in 1861.
J. MANN.--The early Portugal have been reprinted. The Argentine
1892 2 centavos and 5 centavos were formerly high-priced, but of
late they can be bought for 75c to $1 for the two.
A. DANBY.--The Cape of Good Hope first issue were triangular. They
are slowly advancing in value.