The best answer to a lead at the face is to duck to one side or the other and counter either on the face or on the body, as shown in illustration No. 6. But sometimes it is necessary to parry it in the regulation manner. This should be done by shooting the arm out perfectly straight as if leading. This will make the blow glide easily off the wrist or arm, as shown in illustration No. 5.
Never parry with the arm bent, as is often done, for then the arm receives the full concussion of the blow, and may be badly bruised. The left-hand lead and the different parries form the first principles of boxing. Practise them again and again until they come instinctively. With these well learned a boy can do much towards defending himself, even before mastering the counters, cross-counters, upper cuts, side-steps, and all the more complicated part of boxing which can only be taught effectively by a teacher.
A last piece of advice—practise continually. Spar with everybody and anybody who will put the gloves on. By so doing one perfects what has already been learned, besides continually picking up new ideas from the different styles of his various opponents.
One of the most important of recent events in the world of interscholastic sport is the reconciliation between Exeter and Andover, and the renewal of athletic relations between these two great schools. The first meeting of the two old rivals occurred on the football field at Andover last Saturday; which was too late for any comment to get into this issue of the Round Table. Next week, however, we hope to be able to devote to the game the space due to so important an event.
It was decided on November 5 that there should be an Exeter-Andover game. On that day Andover sent a challenge to Exeter, and Exeter at once accepted. Two days later the Exonian confirmed the news of the reconciliation, and spoke editorially as follows:
It is now three years since these contests were broken off, and this thought, taken with the history of the years which went before, may well give us cause for sober reflection. We, the school of to-day, stand far enough apart from the school of '93 to consider calmly the events which then took place, and to draw from them such lessons as shall help us in the conduct of our athletics in the future. We are able now to see that the spirit of rivalry between the two schools, which was at first but a healthy stimulus to all forms of athletics, had grown to such unhealthy proportions as to cause a doubt in the minds of thinking people as to the beneficial results of such athletics, not only to those who took part but to the larger school bodies.