Green Light for Sports
Charles Twichell 1942
To accommodate the addition of war-related courses, Headmaster Halleck Lefferts announced that afternoon athletic practices would be shortened. Lest any members of the community jump to the conclusion that athletics should, perhaps, be abandoned altogether, Editor-in-Chief Charlie Twichell stated categorically:
“No greater mistake could be made than in minimizing athletics on account of the perilous war this nation has entered. What are soldiers worth if they are not good athletes that “can take it?” The idea that baseball and basketball, for instance, are luxuries that ought to be abandoned until after the war is over is ridiculous. Recently, Congress went to bat for the wartime continuance of professional baseball. Also, college schedules have been left in their entirety. Our competitive athletics with other schools will continue until such time as all athletics universally cease. Athletics are considered, if not on a level with scholastic work, at least the next most important function in the school’s life. Through them, the school’s pride is built and that certain indefinable something called school spirit arises.”
