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August 5, 1944.

Capt. Harold E. Johnson, AGD,
3534 Pairmount St.,
Dallas 4, Texas.

Dear Harold:

When Pred Ellsworth and I sat last week at Rotary he asked me
if I remembered you. I said that I certainly did because I had very many
pleasant contacts with you. He discussed a part of your letter in which
you spoke about the intramural program and sent me a digest of the part of
your letter in which you referred to a chapter that he could not figure
out. You said: “Contrary to the evidenced opinion of some responsible
athletic authorities an adequately sponsored intramural sports program
would bring about a greater support for the varsity athletic activities.
I believe fellows like my old friends Hngleman, Cadwalader, Weinecke,
Pralle, will agree. Didn't most of them participate in the intramural
sports in which they did not letter with the varsity?"

I find myself a little hazy in trying to figure it out myself.
I have never imown of any athletic authority of responsible standing whe
would not definitely recommend and sponsor intramural sports. It is a
great builder for competitive sports. Any boy who likes te play one game
well would naturally get into other intramural sports. Where boys belong
te fraternities and other organizations, it is the most natural thing in
the world for a star in basketball, like Imgleman, to get into softball,
horseshoes, or what not. It is a great social mixer as well as providing
a friendly contact that makes men widerstand and like each other better. |

I think every one of the men that you mentioned, perhaps, parti-
cipated in one intramural sport, but I know of none of them that participated
in any sport that they did not letter with the varsity. The point that I
mean is - Engleman in basketball and temis, Cadwalader in football and
baseball, Weinecke in football, and Pralle in basketball. These fellows
were all top-notchers in competitive sports.

I am wondering if you will not give me some of the athletic
authorities that you have in mind who have criticized Sete athletics.

For your information I think that perhaps you de not know of my
interest in intramurals. I not only started them here at the University of
Kansas, but sponsored them by putting a thousand dollars each year of
athletic money derived from sports inte intramurals. ‘#ith lumber from the
Athletic Association we built the eight large outdoor handball courts, we
ee the tennis courts, the maintenance of the
golf courses, and all. This was all from athletic money and not from
physical education. After the first World War I engaged G. B. Patrick, who