Merger of the athletic program at Case Western Reserve University moved a step nearer reality yesterday.

The university announced the establishment of a single department of physical education at CWRU.

According to the school provost, Herman D. Stein, this action of consolidating the separate physical education departments of Adelbert College, Case Institute of Technology and Flora Stone Mather College follows the pattern established within the university as long as three years ago when single departments were established in the physical sciences and mathematics.

ERNIE GREEN, former Browns fullback and now assistant vice-provost for a student services at the school, will head the project of unifying the departments.

Reserve Athletic Director Eddie Lewis was named acting chairman of the unified department. Philip (Nip) Heim, AD at Case, and Helen W. Smith of Mather, will serve as co-chairman.

A week ago the varsity fencing teams of Case Tech and Reserve merged into one, however, the school officials say neither federation necessarily has any bearing on other varsity sports.

ALTHOUGH OFFICIAL sources will not admit to plans of combining the entire varsity athletic program the school newspaper "merged" last Saturday’s Case-Reserve football game won by Reserve 28-14. The headlines on the game read: "CWRU 42, Visitor 0".

"They (Lewis, Heim, and Miss Smith) will determine the manpower needs for conducting an imagiative physical education program, develop new ways of getting better use out of our present facilities and plan new facilities," said Green of the federation.

This article first appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer November 20, 1969.
Reproduced with permission.