At a meeting of the Executive Committees of the different Athletic Associations, held Feb. 25th, it was decided to publish the following petition, which was handed in to the Faculty at their last meeting. This petition was not published at the time because the Faculty wished to keep the affair quiet, and it was thought best, in order to gain the desired end, to work with the Faculty as far as possible; but seeing that such a course would to accomplish the wished for result it has been determined to make the petition known to the whole body of students. This petition was written very hastily, and is given below just as it was handed in to the Faculty:

The recent action of the Faculty in passing a series of resolutions bearing on athletics has occasions fillings of surprise and regret, not only among the students, but among many graduates and others who take an interest in the welfare of the college. In consequence of these feelings it has been deemed advisable to draw up, and present to the Faculty, a inexpediency of these resolutions, in hope that it may cause the immediate revocation of, or a radical change in, the resolutions in question.

The drawing up of this statement has been entrusted to a committee, appointed by the various athletic organizations of the college, all of which are more or less affected by the action of the Faculty; it has been duly ratified by the executive committees of each of these organizations.

In submitting this statement, we would not wish to be understood as impugning, in the least, the motives of the Faculty in passing these resolutions, as we are convinced that they have at heart the best interests of athletics in particular, and of the students in general. The difference between the Faculty and the students on this question is not so much one of kind as of degree, and as the practical experience of the latter in athletics is apt to be greater than that of the former, we think their opinions ought to be considered before any final action is taken.

Both Faculty and students are anxious to elevate the standard of athletics in college, and anything having this tendency, which shall be proposed by the faculty, cannot but meet with the hearty approbation and co-operation of the students.

Do the resolutions recently passed have this tendency? We think not, and in order to show wherein they fail, we shall first consider them separately, and then set forth their effect on the various athletic sports in college.

Our attention will be confined entirely to the resolutions, it being understood that the preambles are neither fully endorsed nor supported by the Faculty.

The first resolution provides:

"That every director or instructor in physical exercises or athletic sports must be appointed by the college authorities, and announced as such in the catalogue."

Believing that the management of athletics, which are a means of recreation, and form no part of the regular college curriculum, belongs principally to the students, we object to the appointment by the college authorities of instructors in athletics, without giving the students a voice in such appointment. For the appointment of unsatisfactory instructors might lead to the seeking, on the part of individuals, of outside instruction, thus tending to defeat the general purpose of the resolutions against professionalism.

In case the college authorities are determined to appoint such instructors, we take it for granted that their salaries must come out of the college funds; for it would be manifestly unfair to call upon the students to subscribe money for instructors who might be personally unsatisfactory, and in whose choice they had had no voice. But if the students should refuse to subscribe, as they might do, unnecessary inroads would thus be made on the already oyer-taxed finances of the college.

Finally, this rule, if allowed to stand, would tend to defeat one of the very purposes or which those who drew it up are supposed to be stiving-the placing of all athletic contests between the various colleges on a footing as nearly equal as possible. For the larger and richer colleges could afford to pay more for athletic instructors, and would consequently be able to get better men, than the smaller and poorer colleges.

The second resolution provides:

"That no professional athlete, oarsman, or hall-player shall be employed, either for instruction or practice, in preparation for any intercollegiate contest."

While there may be an honest difference of opinion as to be the expediency of rules, excluding all professional aid from college sports, the number in favor of such rules, both in an out of college, is probably so large, that any reasonable measures proposed by the college authorities, with the view of abolishing professionalism, would meet with but little opposition among the students. In view of this, although we are not prepared to admit the expediency of this rule, we waive all objection to it for the present, and will willingly unite with the Faculty in giving it a fair trial. We do not believe it wise, however, to endanger this fair trial of an experiment, in which we are all interested, by loading it down with other and foreign restrictions, which we believe to be opposed to the best interests of athletics.