Page:Football, The Association Game.djvu/16

 too, in many cases the schools had special codes of their own. Every one did what was right in his own eyes, and the consequence was a number of games widely different in character, and some of them so divergent as to present, according to outward appearance, no real basis of agreement.

It was to assimilate these conflicting elements, and to harmonize them under the influence of a common set of laws, that the Association first saw the light. At the outset, too, its success seemed to be well assured. At a meeting held at the Freemasons' Tavern on October 26, 1863, the Association was formally instituted by a resolution to the effect, "That the clubs represented at this meeting now form themselves into an Association, to be called 'The Football Association,'" The names of those who were present will show that there was then at least an honest desire on the part of all who were concerned to prepare a code of rules which would unite all football players under one common and reliable head. The N.N.'s of Kilburn were represented by Mr. Arthur Pember, who was subsequently elected the first President of the Association; Barnes, by Mr. E. C Morley, who was for the first few years Hon. Secretary; the War Office Football Club sent Mr. E. Wawn; the Crusaders, Mr. H. T. Steward; the Forest club, Leytonstone, Mr. J. F. Alcock; the Crystal Palace club, Mr. F. Day. The Rugby clubs, too, were hardly in a minority, as Blackheath, Kensington School, Surbiton, Blackheath Proprietary School, Percival House (Blackheath) each sent a delegate. So far everything augured favourably for the formation of a body which would secure the adhesion of football players of every sect. The first election of officers, too, was conducted in a broad spirit. Mr. Arthur Pember, of the N.N.'s, who had taken a prominent part in