The Question: CCNY President Buell G. Gallagher says: "All big-time college sports are subsidized. Players go to the highest bidder." Do you agree?

DR. BLAKE R. VANLEER, Atlanta
President
Georgia Tech
"That wasn't so when I was a student at Purdue. It wasn't true when I served on the faculties of the Universities of California, Florida and North Carolina State. Current practice is to trade an education for athletic ability and no more. In the Southeastern Conference we run down these rumors."

GEN. MARK CLARK, Charleston, S.C.
President
The Citadel
"To say that 'Players go to the highest bidder' is quite untrue. Yes, there is a lot of competition for the top players. It is not wrong to exchange a college education for athletic ability if a boy can do college work. But studies must come first. There is no compromise."

DR. FRANCIS P. GAINES, Lexington, Va.
President
Washington and Lee University
"That is true in some universities. Personally, I believe it is a much healthier situation to have unsubsidized athletes. I speak as a college president who has tried both plans. After we dropped subsidized athletics, we had more boys volunteer for football than ever before."

DR. O. MEREDITH WILSON, Eugene, Ore.
President
University of Oregon
"In populous centers, sports are moneymakers. From this stems the abuse which led to the charge, in itself a symptom of recognition that academic excellence and athletic irresponsibility must be in inverse ratio—that through subsidy, the integrity of higher education may be imperiled."

DR. HENRY M. WRISTON, Providence, R.I.
President
Brown University
"That's what I call overstatement for desired emphasis. It's not literally true, but there's more truth in it than I wish there were. In some colleges it is more true than others by far. It certainly isn't true at Brown or other Ivy League colleges. Proof is we're all losing money."

DR. OLIVER CARMICHAEL, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
President
University of Alabama
"That is an exaggerated statement which distorts the facts. Unfortunately it has enough truth to make it worrisome to universities anxious to maintain a proper balance in their athletic and scholastic programs. Funds are available for athletes but only on a scholastic basis."

DR. HENRY T. HEALD, New York City
Chancellor
New York University
"It's all too true. Intensive competition for athletes results from overemphasis on winning teams and gate receipts. The result is a never-ending spiral. This is one of the reasons NYU no longer plays football. It is time for colleges to place athletics in their proper perspective."

DR. HAROLD W. DODDS, Princeton, N.J.
President
Princeton University
"I disagree, whole-heartedly. Unfortunately there are too many examples where that is true to a degree, but Dr. Gallagher overlooks the colleges that are combating this with all their might and doing it successfully. Citing these regrettable examples does injustice to other colleges."

DR. JAY F. W. PEARSON, Coral Gables, Fla.
President
University of Miami
"Disagree. We follow the rules of the Southeastern Conference for scholarships and aid to athletes. We don't buy anyone. Our experience proves that boys select a school. They may like the country, the coach, the players. There are no indications that unusual inducements are offered them."

DR. WILLIS M. TATE, Dallas, Texas
President
Southern Methodist
"Such emotional description is not fair. All worthwhile educational activities are subsidized. We give many more scholarships to theology students. To say that an athlete goes to the highest bidder is false. Boys needing aid are still attracted by the best educational opportunities."

DR. LLOYD MOREY, Urbana, Ill.
President
University of Illinois
"I disagree, definitely. A statement like that is not accurate or in accordance with the facts. Through my acquaintances in other colleges, we are making every effort to keep away from a situation of that kind. I am positive Dr. Gallagher's description does not exist in the Big Ten."

ELEVEN PHOTOS

ILLUSTRATION

NEXT WEEK'S QUESTION:

"What frightens you most?" (Asked of adventurers and explorers.)