The Remise Meets a Parry
Item
-
Title
-
The Remise Meets a Parry
-
Date
-
January 1939
-
volume
-
4
-
issue
-
1
-
page start
-
9
-
page end
-
9
-
list of authors
-
John Howard Hanway
-
content
-
en
THE REMISE MEETS A PARRY
To The Editor of The Riposte:
In the "Remise" section of the December Riposte, your unhappily anonymous commentator has contributed an interesting and timely article on one of the most important subjects presently claiming the attention of the A.F.L.A. Board of Governors, namely: the dearth of competition for the younger fencers in the New York area.
It seems unfortunate, however, that he saw fit to tie this question up with the current difference of opinion with respect to the formation of a Metropolitan New York Division or with the League’s financial problems, because neither of these matters has any bearing on the Board's ability to establish additional competitions in any classification or to prepare separate schedules of events for national championships on the one hand and for prep and novice or other prize events on the other.
Whether or not additional competitions can be held in New York depends, first, on the extent to which we can use or expand our present facilities and, second, on where we can obtain the necessary officials.
If memory serves me rightly, few clubs were willing and none was anxious to accept more than its accustomed quota of events when the 1938–1939 schedule was being drawn up. Where then are we to find a host or hosts for the suggested new events in the prep and novice classifications? And who is going to direct and judge these events? Bear in mind that such competitions, if established, will be most important from the point of view of future development of the League and our efforts in this direction will prove only a boomerang if our prospective recruits are disheartened at the start by inadequate or incompetent judging and directing.
These problems are probably not incapable of solution. That they must be solved is one matter on which there can be no disagreement. But whatever means are adopted to achieve this desirable end, I feel that the discussion should be kept clear of controversial subjects like the Metropolitan Division, as the Remise points out, is controversial.
The financial problem in connection with the scheduling of additional prep and novice events, moreover, is non-existent, because the expenses of any competition are more than covered by the entry fees which the League collects and the dues of Junior as of Active members go, as they should, to the general support of fencing.
By all means let us work for the greatest possible growth of the New York group, either within or without a divisional form of organization. The Remise has called attention to what undoubtedly would be an excellent means of attracting a greater number of New York fencers to join the A.F.L.A. But we should strive to avoid confusing the issue and thereby delaying this highly desirable development.
John Howard Hanway
January 13, 1939
