“I’ve asked you fellows around here,” he said, “because I want to know just what you’re up to; and I want you to tell me fairly and squarely.”
Hansel looked toward Phin and the latter accepted the office of spokesman. He told Mr. Ames just what they hoped to do, why they wanted to do it, and what they had accomplished already. And the instructor heard him through without an interruption. When Phin had ended, Mr. Ames was silent for a moment. Then,
“Thanks, Dorr,” he said gravely. “I’m glad to know this. And what is the sentiment of the school on the subject?”
“Divided, sir. I think most of the fellows don’t care one way or the other.”
“I dare say not. Dorr, there’s been a big change in the spirit of the school during the time that I’ve been here as instructor. Five years ago Cameron couldn’t have played on the team for a moment. I don’t know just what or where the trouble has been, but I do know that we’ve been getting laxer and laxer right along as regards athletics. There have been two or three things done here during the last three years which you fellows have probably never heard of. And, by the way, what I am telling you to-night is quite between us three, if you please. I don’t like this sort of thing any better than you do, and several times I have made myself unpopular by trying to correct it. But for the last two years I’ve been drifting along with the crowd; it’s a thankless task to pull a lone oar against the current, and there hasn’t been the help from—” The instructor pulled himself up abruptly. “But that’s no matter. Now what I want to know is why you fellows haven’t come to me before this and asked my assistance.”
“Well, sir,” answered Phin after a moment’s hesitation, “we thought it would hardly be fair. You’re coach, and, of course, you want to turn out a good team, one that will beat Fairview, and it seemed to us that to ask you to—to——”
“In short, Dorr, you and Dana thought I’d rather defeat Fairview than help you? Well, let me tell you, and you, too, Dana, that I don’t give a hang who wins. This may sound strange to you, but it’s a fact, nevertheless. I’ve watched things pretty closely for several years, and I’ve just about reached the conclusion that the school that wins more than a fair share of athletic contests is in a good way to slide downhill. There is nothing, it seems, so demoralizing to a school or college as a reputation for winning in football year after year. It brings a flood of undesirable material to the school and the morale suffers in consequence. Fellows who come here because they want to play football on a winning team aren’t the fellows we want. They introduce the ‘win-at-any-cost’ spirit, and its that spirit, as you fellows know, that causes just the sort of trouble we’re experiencing here now. ‘Win at any cost’ means trickery and dishonesty.”
“You fellows can count on me, but you must recollect that I am in a difficult position. I can’t put Cameron off the team; he would appeal to Dr. Lambert, in which case he would, I fancy, be reinstated. In fact, there is very little chance of doing away with Cameron this year. Perhaps if you succeed in changing the sentiment of the school from the present one of apathy and worse to one of opposition to unfair methods in athletics, you will have done enough for this year. In fact, you’ve got to begin at the bottom and lay your foundation; once establish a principle of athletic purity and fellows like Cameron won’t trouble you. It isn’t Cameron that’s to blame, but the spirit of the school.”
“We know that, sir,” said Hansel. “I wish we didn’t have to interfere with him; he’s so—such a good sort, I think.”
“He is,” said the coach heartily. “He’s one of the best-hearted chaps here. I don’t believe he would willingly hurt a fly; but for all that he isn’t capable of seeing anything out of the way in his position here. He would probably be highly indignant were you to suggest to him that his presence on the team was not quite square.”