highest possible degree of efficiency, so that
sports, instead of being non-productive, lead to the development of
structures possessing a high degree of value, not only to the
individual, but also to society.

Furthermore, those qualities of mind that are encouraged on the
athletic field between contestants in a game are the qualities that in
the later serious struggles of life make most for success.

b. =Productive Employment.=--Hardly less important than the influence
of sports is that of productive employment for the adolescent. That
the adolescent youth should not be assigned tasks that overtax his
physical or mental powers goes without saying, nor should he be
assigned tasks that consume so much of his time that he is unable to
take an active part with his fellows in field sports. However,
experience demonstrates that the youth undergoes a more wholesome all
around development if he takes some active part in a productive
employment, than if allowed to devote all of his energies to play.
The simple fact that he is held responsible for some duty about the
home or the shop develops in the youth not only a knowledge of how to
do things and a sympathy with the adults who are devoting their
strength largely to similar tasks, but--more important than either of
these considerations--these tasks develop in him the ability to
accomplish promptly and efficiently some piece of work as a duty--to
do it regularly and promptly because it is a duty without any
reference to a personal enjoyment in the task. If this important
lesson in life is learned during the early adolescent period, it will
make the path of life much less rugged than some seem to find it.

Society.

Incident to the activities of the athletic field, the youth is brought
into more or less intimate contact with fellows of his kind, both of
the same and of the opposite sex. While the boy of ten to fifteen
delights in the forming of "cliques, gangs and crowds," the boy of
seventeen delights equally in widening his circle of acquaintances.
The athletic contest gives him an opportunity not only to measure his
powers with those of the other young men, but also to win the respect
of his young lady acquaintances. There is no doubt but that the
approbation of his young lady friends for his prowess and strength as
manifested in sports, serves as a strong factor in the stimulation of
athletic contests and in bringing the sexes together in a purely
social capacity.