HOW TO GET STRONG
various associations,—with migratory tracks; racing this year at one place; the next at another; little noticed; leaving nothing definite, nothing settled; no way of telling how this year's best crew compared with former ones. What satisfaction is there in that, either to the oarsman or to the public? A few times we have sent crews to Henley. But, before they went, had they proved themselves representative? Had they won great name at home? Did not better crews than they remain here? And are we not losing a valuable opportunity? Why should not we have a chosen course, really National; settled; and in all ways fit to test our picked men; and see who could then row down all the rest? We always have good material, if it were only brought together. We have kept our amateur-oars comparatively free from the taint of evil influences; which have done so much, and rightly, to deaden public interest in professional contests; which, were they kept pure, would delight tens of thousands. It is fortunately easy to provide them with a track, where they can row each other to a stand-still. The college-oarsmen of our land come chiefly from Cornell and Yale; Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania; while many of our non-college amateur oarsmen come from the middle and western States. The colleges named are scarce three hundred miles apart; not much over half a day's ride. Such a track should be near a large city, for the comfortable accommodation of all visitors. Philadelphia, Boston, and New York all have water near; where the Henley course, of one mile five hundred and fifty yards, could be duplicated;—indeed in each case with wider and deeper water—and so fit for more breast-racing. The Schuylkill at Philadelphia is not as straight for the distance as the Henley course; but the curve is not a
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