2 THE ACORN Basket Ball and the Student Students whose principle business is to study, often find difficulties in selecting a suitable game for their physical education. They desire a game which is in season when out door exercise is least inviting, which does not require so much time and attention that to concentrate their minds on their selected vocation becomes impossible, and which affords the best social advantages. The game which best answers to these requirements is not the generally adopted game of foot-ball, but one which receives a more important place in the athletics of progressive schools each year the game of basket ball. Because this game is played when nature invites the student to confine himself entirely to his books and because it gives the most exercise in a minimum amount of time, the most concientious student can adopt it. The disagreeable weather and long evenings during the five middle months of the school year too often compel the student to confine himself to his books without taking some invigorating exercise. And since many students consider time wasted as they consider hard-earned money wasted, they are anxious to adopt the game which gives the best exercise in the shortest time. The delays which are unavoidable in field game practices do not affect the indoor practices. Because of the greater activity required of basket ball players, the same results can be obtained in forty minutes of basket ball practice that can be obtained in a whole evening of foot ball practice. After a basket ball game the player can study without interruption, but after a foot ball game the player can only try to study while bearing the pains of his bruised limbs. It is in the use of the increased energy that basket ball makes most time. During the strenuous foot ball season, the players energy must be used entirely for his physical development. He can seldom, in the remainder of the year, make up the foundation work of his studies which has come without interruption to the student who has chosen basket ball. It must be evident to a close observer that athletic sports are most needed during the basket ball season, that they should be only a means to the students end, and that they should be such as can be regulated to different physical constitutions. Even though foot ball more than basket ball has recieved the attention of well educated men, it gives no more scientific training, same good judgment is necessary in determining the style of playing THE ACORN 3 different teams on different fields. The foot ball signals are more complex only in the number of men directed by them and not in the number of plays directed by them. Since basket ball requires faster playing than foot ball, the proper execution of basket ball signals gives better mental discipline. As the spectators and umpire can see clearly all ungentlemanly conduct, it is absent from nearly all basket ball games. The students who admire clean, scientific playing must favor basket ball. Basket ball not only excels in its reasonable demands on the students time and its clean scientific exercise, but also provides better social advantages. Since each basket ball game is not confronted by a big financial problem, the contests are more frequent. School spirit is exchanged with a greater number of schools. With a clear view of individual players and plays, credit can be bestowed justly by those who do not understand the details of the game. As basket ball is played indoors, it can be played during either the day or night. This makes convenient a banquet, a dance, or other social affair immediately after the game. In this way a basket ball game makes possible the realization of the social aims of the school. The ambitious students will continue to recognize the advantages of basket ball until it becomes the popular game of the best students in all schools. George C. Ensign '07.