The athletic programs of American

colleges and universities have come

in for a wonderful deal of criticism

but there does not appear to be

a chance to alter the program.

James A. Michener gives background

data and comments on the difficulties.

 

1st, the United States is the only nation in the world, so far as I know, which demands that its schools like Harvard, Ohio State and Claremont assume responsibility for providing the public with sports entertainment. Ours is a exclusive system which has no historical sanction or application elsewhere. It would be unthinkable for the University of Bologna, a most ancient and honorable school, to offer scholarships to illiterate soccer players so that they could entertain the other cities of northern Italy, and it would be equally preposterous for either the Sorbonne or Oxford to do so in their countries. Our system is an American phenomenon, a historical accident which developed from the exciting football games played by Yale and Harvard and to a lesser extent Princeton and certain other schools throughout the closing years of the nineteenth century. If we had had at that time professional teams which supplied public football entertainment, we might not have placed the burden on our schools. But we had no skilled teams, so our schools were handed the job.

Second, if an ideal American educational method were being launched afresh, couple of would want to saddle it with the responsibility for public sports entertainment. I certainly would not. But considering that, by a quirk of history, it is so saddled, the tradition has turn into ingrained and I see not the remotest opportunity of altering it. I for that reason approve of continuing it, so long as certain safeguards are installed. Categorically, I believe that our schools ought to continue to provide sports entertainment, even although comparable institutions throughout the rest of the world are excused from doing so.

Third, I see nothing wrong in having a college or a university present training for the young man or woman who desires to devote his adult life to sports. My reasoning is twofold: 1) American society has ordained that sports shall be a main aspect of our

national life, with significant attention, major monetary support and key coverage in the media. How possibly can a key aspect of life be ignored by our schools? 2) If it is permissible to train young musicians and actors in our universities, and endow munificent departments to do so, why is it not equally legitimate to train young athletes, and endow them with a stadium?

Fourth, due to the fact our schools have volunteered to serve as unpaid training grounds for future professionals, and due to the fact some of the lucky schools with excellent sports reputations can earn a very good deal of funds from the semi-professional football and basketball teams they operate, the temptation to recruit young men skilled at games but completely unfitted for academic function is overpowering. We need to seriously ask if such behavior is legitimate for an academic institution. There are honorable answers, and I know some of them, but if we do not face this matter forthrightly, we are going to run into troubla.

Oxford University History