As in the running races so in the hurdles there is a wide difference of opinion as to length and as to height of hurdles and number of hurdles. The 100-yard hurdle race seems very popular, 8 hurdles, varying from 1½, 2 or 2½ feet in height. There is also the 120-yard, 10 hurdles, 14 inches high; 90-yard, 7 hurdles, 1½ and 2½ feet in height; 80-yard, 6 hurdles, 2½ feet; 65-yard, 6 hurdles, 2½ feet; 60-yard, 4 hurdles, 2½ feet; 60-yard, 3 hurdles, 2½ feet; 50-yard, 4 hurdles, 2 feet; 40-yard, 5 hurdles, 2 feet; 40-yard, 4 hurdles, 1½ feet. There is a great variety of choice.
The hurdles should be arranged: First hurdle, 15 yards from start and each hurdle 10 yards apart, allowing 15 yards between last hurdle and finish line.
In a pamphlet reprinted from the American Physical Education Review, January, 1916, “A Survey of Track Athletics for Women,” Mr. Stewart has made the following selection in order to standardize track events.
| Junior Events: | 50-yard dash |
| 75-yard dash | |
| 60-yard, four 2-foot hurdles | |
| Standing broad jump | |
| Running broad jump | |
| Running hop, step and jump | |
| Base ball throw | |
| Basket ball throw | |
| Senior Events: | 50-yard dash |
| 100-yard dash | |
| 100-yard, eight 2½-foot hurdles | |
| Standing broad jump | |
| Running broad jump | |
| Running high jump | |
| Running hop, step and jump | |
| 8-pound shot-put | |
| Base ball throw | |
| Basket ball throw |
Mr. Stewart also says: “Only the exceptional girl should pole vault, run the 220-yard race, or put the 12-pound shot. Hurl ball (Sargent), discus (free style), javelin throw, standing high jump, and many other events are good, but the above groups seem sufficient and best adapted to competitive work.”
Jumping.
While all jumping may be done in one pit, where the space is available it is better to have one pit for the high jumps, one for the running broad, one for hop, step and jump, another for the pole vault.
The pits should be soft. All pits are made the same way but differ in size. The earth should be dug up to a depth of at least a foot and a half. If ground is hard, pits should be deeper. This soft dug-up earth should be equally mixed with sand or sawdust or both. Pits should be kept well raked up and not allowed to become packed.
For the high jump the pit should be wide, at least eight feet in width and six or seven feet long. For high jumping, two adjustable standards and a bamboo or thin cross-bar are required. These standards are placed six feet apart, directly opposite each other in a straight line. The standards are perforated by little round holes into which the pegs (not more than 3 inches long) are inserted to hold the cross-bar. There should be a runway or approach of at least twenty yards. There is no take-off.
For the running broad jump there is a runway—cinder track, if possible—20 to 30 yards in length, 3 feet in width. A take-off is sunk, marking division between runway and pit. This is a planed joist, 5 inches wide, sunk into ground so that top is on a level with runway, and painted white. The pit should be at least 25 feet long and about 6 feet wide. This may also be used for standing broad. The pit for the hop, step and jump is constructed in the same way.