Interscholastic Football Planned For Coming Year

Austin, Texas. Sep. 13th - Arrangements have been made by the Interscholastic League of the University of Texas to conduct a bureau of high school football results. The State has been divided into twelve sections, and it has been arranged that each team of the different districts must play representative teams of the same district and the results forwarded to the bureau immediately.

The idea of interscholastic football was partly worked out last year, but the bureau expects to make it a success this year, for more than 100 schools from all over the State have already enrolled. This idea will also take the "small-time stuff" out of the high school's game, giving them a chance to compete with the remainder of the high schools of Texas for the championship.

Rules which have been accepted by more than 100 leading high schools of the State follow:

1. Each team to play five games with different teams within their designated sections not later than the second Saturday in November, holding dates open after this time for games of elimination.
2. Teams eligible for championship to play games of elimination as suggested by league.
3. The league retains the right to reject a team that has failed to arrange a representative schedule.
4. Each team to report every game to the league as soon as possible or arrange for the home team to do so.
5. Each team to observe faithfully Interscholastic League rules.
6. By entering this league, each team pledge themselves to act in the spirit of the "football code."
7. Each player will fill out an eligibility card furnished by the league before being allowed to participate. These cards to be signed by superintendent or principal, and returned to the State office.
8. A guarantee offered or demanded in excess of 50 per cent of the gate receipts for any game shall, upon action of the State executive committee, disqualify offending team from further participation.

The Football Code

The football code contemplated in Rule 6 reads as follows:
"The football code means to play the game in the spirit of fairness and clean sportsmanship. to observe all rules and not attempt to hold, "beat the ball" or coach from the side lines because it can be done without the knowledge of the referee, or to resort to trickery in equipping or preparing players. It means to accept decisions of officials without protest, to treat your opponents as your guests and to put clean play and real sportsmanship above victories. It is the ability to win without boasting and to lose without grudge. Victory is no great matter, defeat is less. The important thing in sport is the manly striving to excel and the good feeling it fosters between those that play fair and have no excuse when they lose."

Roy B. Henderson, who is in charge of the athletic contests of the Interscholastic League, states that many schedules have been arranged during the Teachers' Institute meetings this month.

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