26 NOVEMBER 1892, Page 3

Boys at Rugby are required by the school regulations to

take runs, occasionally, of about five miles, as part of their regular athletic exercises. Great care, however, is taken to prevent weaklings from trying to run, and this term, out of the 505 boys in the school, 124 were excused. One lad of fourteen, however, who in February had been medically examined and pronounced sound, recently overran himself—he did four and a half miles in forty minutes—and falling forward, died of the exertion. A furious attack has, therefore, been made upon the system as dangerous to the health of the boys, though there has been no previous accident of the kind, and though the runs are in no way races, nor are the boys spurred on to any unusual speed. The outcry seems to us wholly unreason- able. The boys must be physically trained in some way, or they will never enjoy full health, not to mention the mischiefs of idle loafing ; and running is as good a way as any other. There will be accidents occasionally, in spite of every care ; and the precautions taken appear, if the doctor is competent— a fact not doubted in this case—to be reasonably sufficient. At the same time, we cannot endorse Dr. Percival's approval (Times, Friday) of "crick," a race of twelve miles, run once a year by lads of seventeen. Extra precautions are taken, and the boys are picked ; but an effort for that distance, made by boys on fire with jealousy, must for many of them be an over- strain.