University of Virginia Library

PHYSICAL TRAINING.

     

WILLIAM ALEXANDER LAMBETH, M. D., Ph. D.,	Director of the Gymnasium.
HENRY HADEN LANNIGAN,	Associate Director of Athletics.
PEYTON MONCURE CHICHESTER, A. B.,	Instructor in Physical Training.

The method of instruction pursued does not adhere blindly to
any system, so called. Proper recognition is given to any method the
whole or parts of which have been useful or which indicate efficacy;
for, however valuable any system may be, it cannot be maintained in
its entirely without the consideration of hereditary tendencies, and of
individuality in physical possibilities, physical conditions, and physical
tastes. The plan of individual training is encouraged in every case,
and especially where an examination discloses the student's inability
to pursue general or concerted exercises, either from threatened injury
or inability to profit by such work.

Students, upon entering the University, are entitled, without cost,
to a thorough physical examination by the Director. The examination
includes an accurate measurement of his physical proportions, a careful
examination of the condition and action of the heart and lungs
and the strength of the principal muscular groups; at the same time
information is solicited concerning his heredity. Upon the basis of
the information so gathered instruction will be given as to particular
exercises and the use of the various developing appliances, as indicated.
The examinations are repeated at intervals, the changes noted
and new work suggested, if desirable.

In addition to individual work, daily classes are given in light
gymnastics—marching, figure running, calisthenics, dumb-bells, and
clubs, adapted as nearly as possible to individuals of all ages and
physical conditions. The exercises are gradual and progressive, commencing
with the simplest movements and proceeding to the more
complicated and arduous when the more rudimentary forms have been
mastered.

During the winter months gymnastics which require great strength
and agility are indulged in by those who are fitted for these classes by
previous training. This work, of admitted spectacular character (yet

having its usefulness), is terminated by an annual gymnastic tournament,
usually in the first half of March.

The Faculty regulations on athletics require that members of the
University athletic teams shall give evidence of satisfactory physical
conditions by making the following strength tests when deemed necessary,
in addition to the regular physical examination: Members of the
football teams are required to make a strength test of 1300 points;
members of the baseball team a test of 1100 points.

The points are reckoned as follows: The strength of back in pounds,
the strength of legs in pounds, strength of chest in pounds, strength
of forearms in pounds (pressure), added to one-tenth of the weight
(in pounds), multiplied by the number of times the body is lifted by
the upper arms.

The Fayerweather Gymnasium, the gift of Daniel Fayerweather, of
New York, is a handsome and commodious structure on classical lines,
situated on the eastern slope of Carr's Hill, overlooking the Athletic
Campus. The first floor contains a spacious exercise hall, equipped
with the best and most approved developing appliances, as well as
apparatus for light and heavy gymnastics, a one-twentieth mile
concave-inclined running track, a visitor's gallery, lavatory, trophyroom,
and the various offices. The basement floor is concrete throughout
and contains the baths—needle, shower, spray, tub, and plunge—
supplied with both hot and cold water; bowling alleys, ball-cage,
boiler-room, lockers, locker-room, dressing-rooms, and barber shop.
The building is heated by a hot water system, ventilated by airshafts,
registers, and skylights, and lighted by gas and electricity.

The gymnasium is open from 8 a. m. to 7 p. m. every day except
Sunday. Attendance is voluntary and free of cost to every regularly
matriculated student. Classes are arranged at such hours as not to
conflict with other University duties.

The Athletic Park contains twenty-one acres, a part of which has
been laid out into a driving park, set with trees and hedges, containing
the site for the proposed Athletic Clubhouse. Two hundred thousand
surface feet have been perfectly graded, drained, and fenced for
football, baseball, and track work. This surface was completed at a
cost of about ten thousand dollars, and the removal of forty-eight
thousand cubic yards of earth. A grand stand and bleacher have been
erected, each seating a thousand persons. The work of turfing, protection,
and decoration is going steadily on, and will, it is estimated,
cost ten thousand dollars more.

ATHLETICS.

Games and sports of all kinds are under the special direction of
the General Athletic Association, a student organization whose object
is to promote this class of physical exercises. The Faculty, by means
of its committee on athletics, exercises a general advisory control,
endeavoring to foresee and avert dangerous tendencies or excess in
physical exercises, while giving to the students, as far as possible,
entire liberty of management: a strict limit is placed upon the character
of intercollegiate games and the number played away from the
University.

REGULATIONS OF THE GENERAL FACULTY CONCERNING
ATHLETICS.

1. The Faculty Committee on Athletics is intrusted with the general oversight
of athletics, and is authorized to forbid any features in these exercises which endanger
the health or morals of the participants, and to foster the true spirit of amateur
sport among them.

2. No student shall play upon the University athletic teams except after physical
examination by the Director of the Gymnasium (or by a responsible expert officer of
the University acting in his stead and by his request) and with the approbation of
the Director.

3. Only students who act as regular or substitute members of the Athletic teams
will be granted leaves of absence to accompany them on trips away from the University,
except during vacation and holidays.

4. Special reports may be made to the President from time to time by any minor
faculty with respect to the class-standing and progress in study of each regular and
substitute player on the athletic teams, and if the President and such faculty are
convinced that his class-standing is discreditable, such student may be required to
sever his connection with such team.

5. The athletic teams shall not have contests elsewhere than upon the University
grounds with any except teams from other institutions of learning.

6. Before any student can become a member or substitute member of any athletic
team in the University and take part in any intercollegiate contest, he shall make
application in a prescribed form in writing to the Faculty Committee on Athletics,
and secure the endorsed approval of the committee to his application. It shall be
the duty of the Athletic Committee to have the executive officers of the University
endorse such application to the effect that the applicant is an unconditionally registered
student of the University.

7. It shall be the duty of the Athletic Committee to inquire into and make a
record of the Athletic experiences of the applicant, and it shall be the duty of the
applicant to appear before the Committee and answer on his honor such questions
as the Committee may see fit to ask.

8. It shall be the duty of the Athletic Committee, before it endorses an application,
to require a pledge in writing of the applicant certifying on his honor that he has
never accepted directly or indirectly remuneration, compensatory gift, valuable consideration
or the promise thereof for or on account of his athletic services, and that
he is in the proper and strict sense of the word an amateur athlete.

9. No student who has been a member or a substitute member of a football or
baseball team of another college or university shall be permitted to become a member
of either team of this University during his first session; but in no case shall such
student be eligible for these teams, at this University unless he shall have been a
student here at least five months. The above provision shall also apply to all students
who enter this university with less than 10 units.[1]

10. No person whose name appears in the catalogue list of officers of instruction
and administration of the University, and who receives remuneration therefrom shall
be a member of any athletic team representing the University.

11. It shall be the duty of the President of the Athletic Association, the Executive
Committee of that Association, the Manager and the Captain of the team
concerned, the Director of the Gymnasium, the Associate Director of Athletics, and
the Treasurer of the Association, to furnish, on request, a statement to the effect
that each member of an athletic team is above their suspicion as to his eligibility to
represent the University as a proper amateur player, before such player shall be
allowed to take part in any contest.

12. No "coach," not an alumnus, and no "trainer," not an officer of the University,
shall be employed for the purpose of instructing or training any athletic team in
this University.[2]

13. The Faculty Committee on Athletics is authorized and instructed to establish
a maximum period after which a player on a team representing any branch of athletic
sport at this or any other University or college shall be ineligible to become a member
of any athletic team of this University.

14. The Faculty Committee on Athletics is directed to assume responsible charge
of the details of the Athletic situation and to permit the playing of intercollegiate
games with such colleges only as express a general conformity with the Code of
Rules adopted by this Faculty.

15. The members of any athletic team may be allowed not more than eight days
leave of absence from the University for the purpose of engaging in athletic contests;
but no student who is a member of more than one athletic team shall be allowed
more than sixteen days leave of absence during the entire session for such
purpose.

REGULATIONS OF FACULTY COMMITTEE ON ATHLETICS.

1. "Training Tables" for football, baseball and track teams are hereby abolished.

2. No student of this University shall be eligible for any athletic team who shall
have played upon, or been a member or substitute member of any of the professional or
league teams named in Classes A, B, C, and D, in the publication of the American
Sports Company.

To the list of professional teams thus prescribed shall be added all league teams
in any State or States, which the leading University of such State or States declares
professional and from which it debars its own players.

3. The term "college" as used in the Faculty Regulations concerning Athletics is
hereby interpreted to mean any college named in Table 28 of the Report of the
U. S. Commissioner of Education of 1902, which has not less than 150 male students

of collegiate grade recorded in the catalogue of the institution in question as students
of the session preceding the applicant's entrance into this University.

In case such faculty fails to distinguish between students of collegiate and preparatory
grade, the President of the college concerned shall be requested to render
or to authorize an official decision of the members belonging to each head.

4. The term "substitute" is interpreted to mean a student who has taken part in
an intercollegiate contest.

5. The term "general conformity," as used in the Faculty Regulations, is interpreted
to mean conformity in regard to period of residence, maximum period of
eligibility and amateur standing.

6. The maximum period of eligibility for baseball and football shall be four years.
In estimating the period of eligibility the years of baseball and football shall both
be taken into account; but in no case shall a player be charged with four years'
athletic work, unless at least four calendar years have elapsed from the time he
entered upon his first intercollegiate contest, omitting from the calculation any
sessional intermission by non-attendance.

In case the player does not participate in either baseball or football during a
college session, such session shall not be counted, but if such player does play on
either the baseball or the football team during any intermediate session, this shall
count as if the player had played on both teams during such session.

College Topics is a semi-weekly newspaper, published under the
auspices of the General Athletic Association, devoted to the interests
of Athletics and the University at large.