Engel Deprecates Slight Attention Devoted to Guiding the Outbursts of Spring Energy--Wants Balanced Development

"The recent 'rioting' on the part of Harvard students was a normal demonstration of unguided youthful exuberance under the stimulus of the spring weather," said Dr. Alexander Engel, former German cavalry officer, and proponent of scientific calisthenics, in an interview yesterday concerning the recent disturbances.

"The fact that little or no damage was done by the 'rioters' makes evident the fact that a spirit of arbitrary violence or viciousness was entirely lacking in the affair. The arrival of a warm spring sun has much the same effect on youthful human beings as on growing plants; all forms of life are bestowed with superabundant energy, and each of them utilizes a considerable percentage of it in the processes of growth. However, in the case of the modern college man, very little attention is given to the guidance of this lavish expenditure of springtime energy, and much of it is thereby wasted.

"The well-tested doctrine of classical moderation and diversification is almost universally ignored or defied in the conduct of athletics in America, with the result that many phases of youthful exuberance are given no attention. Thursday's 'riot' was simply the outburst of one neglected phase of that exuberance.

"A primary function of athletics should be the 'reinvestment' of the wasted energy so admirably illustrated by the 'riot', in permanent additions to the human structure. Only through a balanced development of all aspects of the individual man can youthful energy be directed into the proper channels, and wasteful, if harmless, outbursts be prevented."