Above all things, the association should be kept free from politics. Politics is enough to ruin the best-regulated enterprise. The offices should not be looked upon as spoils, and divided among the several component associations. Elect those men to the offices who are the best qualified to carry out the work and to fulfil the duties entrusted to them. In almost every school, or association of schools, there is one man who is recognized as a "worker," one man whose interest in whatever he undertakes is such that it helps him to perform his duties better than others could. Such a man--such men, indeed, are needed to take charge of and conduct the affairs of the National Association. If such men are put into office, the organization cannot fail to be prosperous, and to reflect credit upon all the institutions that are members of it.
The Thanksgiving day game between Berkeley and St. Paul's, the first of a series of annual contests, should attract a large crowd. Both teams are in prime condition, and good football may be expected. Berkeley will undoubtedly win, and St. Paul's will score if her men get the ball in the first half. On the other hand, if St. Paul's kicks off, and the ball goes into Berkeley's hands, the New-Yorkers will have things all their own way should they score in the first ten minutes of play. St. Paul's is weak in defensive work, and her men seem to lose heart if scored against early in the game. I can not quite account for this in a team that has had such good training, but it is a characteristic particularly noticeable this year. Their offensive play is good, and the men put up a fast and strong game in both halves--when they don't lose heart. The centre and guards are weak, but the other positions are pretty well taken care of.
[Illustration: Platt. Baker. Linn. Starr. Glenny. Starr. Brown. Hare. White.
Hall. Loraine. Goldsborough. Cluet. Gardiner. Symons.
Captain Starr is a veteran player, although new to the position of full-back; he is a fair runner, a good punter, and better at plunging through the centre than at circling the ends. Blackstone and Goldsborough are good running half-backs, not afraid of the crowd, and the latter is particularly clever at following his interference. Baker, at quarter, passes well, is a good general, and tackles hard. Both the end men follow the ball well, and Weller is the strongest defensive player on the team, but is liable to get pocketed by the interference. Gardiner, at tackle, is another strong man in the line, and is a ground-gainer when given the ball. Symons, the other tackle, is a new man, but is learning rapidly, and is one of the best tacklers of the eleven. Cluet blocks poorly at centre, but breaks through well; his guards, Glenny and Brown, are somewhat slow, and do not hold their men. They will have their hands full with Lefferts and Hayden.