Volley Ball
Volley ball is another team game which is rapidly becoming popular among girls. It may be played indoors or outdoors and can be enjoyed by large groups of girls. The game is a combination of tennis and hand ball and consists of keeping a ball in motion over a high net.
Many girls, particularly the young and those who are weakly, are compelled to refrain from indulging in many of our most popular games. These can play volley ball without running the risk of any serious injury. There is no bodily contact with opponents. The ball is soft and does not injure the one hitting it or anyone who may accidentally be hit with it.
The space, ball and net usually can be acquired with little difficulty, and the ball and net are very inexpensive when we consider how long they last and the number of games which can be enjoyed by a great many persons before they have to be repaired or replaced.
While the rules call for a definite size of court, it should be remembered that a good game can be played and lots of fun enjoyed in school rooms and other places that may be available, where the space and other requirements are less than those specified.
The rules for the game are revised annually by a joint committee of the Young Men’s Christian Association and the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are published in Spalding’s Athletic Library.
Philadelphia Hockey League
By Josephine Katzenstein.
[The Philadelphia Hockey League has been successfully organized as is told by Miss Josephine Katzenstein, a member of the Lansdowne hockey team. Miss Katzenstein has been chosen for the All-Philadelphia team every year since its start. Previous to this, she played on the Bryn Mawr ’varsity. It is needless to say that she is one of the best forwards that ever played in the Philadelphia League.—Editor.]
When we consider that before 1901 field hockey for women was hardly more than a name in and around Philadelphia, and that since that year enthusiasm for the game has so steadily grown that we have now perhaps the finest hockey league in the country, we may justly feel optimistic on the subject of athletics for women.
In 1907, there were eight hockey clubs in this vicinity—enough to organize an inter-club hockey league. Merion Cricket Club, Belmont Cricket Club, Lansdowne Country Club, Germantown Hockey Club, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Moorestown Field Club, Haddonfield Hockey Club, and Frankford Cricket Club composed the league. Later Belmont went out of existence, Frankford and Moorestown withdrew, and Temple College joined the league. Now Lansdowne, Germantown, Haddonfield, Philadelphia and Merion have second teams, while Riverton plays only in the second league.
The different teams must have distinguishing colors, and no club joining the league may use the colors already adopted by another club. So far Temple is the only club far-sighted enough to play in bloomers instead of in hampering skirts. It is hoped by many that all may soon follow her wise example. Professionals are barred from competition on any league team. A team may be admitted to the league upon application to and approval by the Executive Committee. Each team has to play two matches with every other club in the league—one on the home field and one on the opponent’s.
Since 1908 a committee formed of a representative from each club has chosen an All-Philadelphia team to play outside teams, after the inter-club games are over. This has proved an incentive to consistently good playing all season, as one knows that the critics’ eyes are on one in every game. It has also helped to spread the interest in hockey.
Bryn Mawr, New York, Baltimore and Rosemary Hall (Greenwich, Conn.) teams have been met repeatedly by the All-Philadelphia team.
Activity of Missouri Colleges
By Miss Lorena L. Parrish,
Physical Director Howard Payne College.
It is with pleasure that I take this opportunity to give you a glimpse of the work of the Junior Colleges of Missouri in Athletics.
In 1914, the organization known as the Junior College Athletic Association of Missouri was formed. Up until this time there were only a few of the colleges devoting much time to athletics. Howard Payne has for years been one of the strongest supporters of athletics for women, not only within her own college, but a strong advocate of intercollegiate sports. Since the organization there have been four out of the seven junior colleges which have taken up active intercollegiate basket ball-Christian College and Stephens College, both of Columbia, Mo., Lindenwood of St. Charles and Howard Payne of Fayette. I feel confident that in another year the remaining three will join our ranks. We also have our tennis tournaments every spring.
In the year 1915, we started for the first time work in track and field athletics. A dual meet was held here on May 17 between Howard Payne and Stephens. It met with such overwhelming success that we have planned to make it an annual event. There were several physicians present at the meet, and they were very enthusiastic in their praise of the work, saying that it was one of the finest moves that had been made within recent years for the development of our girls. Notwithstanding these facts, there is still a great deal of prejudice against this particular form of athletics, and the two questions that are uppermost in the minds of a great many are: “Are we taking chances with the girls’ future health by allowing these sports?” “Do the advantages gained overshadow the possible danger?” These questions should be given careful consideration by the physical directors and they should see to it that the girls under their charge receive careful training and supervision. It is only in this way that we shall be able to break down the prevailing prejudices. I should say that under proper conditions and supervision the gain in health and strength far outweighs the risks of danger. Here in our own school the girls who are most active in athletics are the healthiest and are rarely ever absent from classes because of illness.
Since the meet held here in Fayette in 1915 was the first intercollegiate meet of its kind for girls in this section of the country, it might be of interest to include in this article the various events used:
Target shooting
50-yard dash
Base ball throw
60-yard hurdles (3 hurdles)
Discus—2-l/2 pounds
75-yard dash
Shot-put—8 pounds
Running high jump
Basket ball throw
Running broad jump
220-yard dash