- âª The crimson prairie sunset âª âª And the Kansas sky of blue âª âª Emblazoned in love and glory âª âª The banner of old K.U. âª âª Or go and walk peruse the valley swept with gold âª âª Come every loyal Kansas heart so brave and true âª âª Come stand beneath the elms of glory and of home âª âª And sing our tender song of love for Kansas U âª

- Where do you wonder oh thoughtful one. Where do you look with eyes that see me not

- I look afar with eyes that see thee not to the stars, fair lady, to the stars whose constant light the long night through guides my dreams in the distant view, highward to the stars.

- "To the Stars," I didn't know you knew that.

- Oh, I know a thing or two.

- That poem reminds me of something.

- Now what are you thinking about?

- Oh, just you and me.

- Now look, I don't see how you can sit there and giggle on a day like this,

- Neil. You know, I feel the importance of this day as deeply as you do, but, well, I just can't help thinking, you may not realize it, but man, how you've changed. Ha-ha. Look, not a hay seed left.

- Hey! Come to think of it, you're not the girl I first met either.

- Neil, do you remember the first time we saw each other?

- Yeah, sure. It was up in North College Hall. You were wearing a lavender sweater. âª Hello, fellas âª âª Hello, fellas âª âª Hello, fellas âª âª North College bids you, hi âª âª We left our mothers far behind, âª âª Far behind, far behind âª âª We left our mothers far behind âª âª But now we're at KU âª âª Just to see you âª âª We're only foolin' âª âª We love it here at old KU âª âª Good evening friends âª

- Hi there.

- Hi. Hello.

- Hello.

- I'm Sally Mason.

- You are?

- Well, aren't you going to tell me who you are?

- Oh, I'm Neil Brandt.

- Are you having a good time?

- Sure. Sure.

- Are you a freshman?

- Yeah. Are you?

- Yes, I am.

- You certainly have a nice place to live here.

- Isn't it beautiful? I just love it. And it's not only that we have such a nice place to live. We all have such a good time together

- With all these pretty girls, I'll bet you do. Wanna dance?

- Why, yes. Carol. I'm simply thrilled to death.

- Well, Sally, I am too.

- I mean with the way things have turned out and everything. For a while, I almost decided not to come to KU.

- You did? Why not?

- Oh, people tell you that it's so big and classes are so large and so many people.

- Oh, but it's not that way at all. Why lots of classes are even smaller than they were in high school.

- That's what I mean. Carol, did anyone ever tell you that KU was big and unfriendly and when you came here that you'd just get swallowed up?

- Oh, sure. I heard that story,

- But now that I'm here why everyone seems so interested in me. It's wonderful. Carol, did you see that cute boy I was dancing with?

- Yeah. Which one?

- I don't know which one, his name was Jimmy. He was a wonderful dancer.

- Oh, I know which one you mean he's Gilbert.

- No, his name was Jimmy.

- Oh, no, no. I didn't mean that. Gilbert, it's just a word. It means wonderful, swell, you know?

- And did you see that other boy I was dancing with?

- Which other boy? There were a lot of boys there.

- Well, this one was different. Quiet. I couldn't get a word out of him. I don't know why he was so bashful. He said his name was Neil. Neil, that's sort of a nice name. I don't think I ever knew anyone named Neil before, Neil.

- Say you are wound up.

- But look, Neil, I don't know why you're so darn afraid of these girls. They aren't any different from the girls back home.

- Yeah, I know. I'm afraid of the girls back home too.

- You gonna ignore women all your life?

- I don't know. I just can't think of anything to say to 'em. Like that one you were dancing with, Sally.

- Sally Mason?

- Yeah, that's the one. I had a fine chance to talk to her and then I couldn't open my mouth. She must think I'm awful stupid.

- Oh.

- Sally. Sally Mason. That's a pretty name. Don't think I ever knew anyone named Sally before.

- That's just the kind of guy Neil was when he came to KU. Smart as anybody I ever knew and serious, but well, not quite sure of himself. A diamond in the rough, not just with the girls either. He wasn't even quite sure he was enrolled in the right subjects.

- I am Neil Brandt.

- Good morning, Neil. It's good to see you again. Won't you have a seat.

- Thank you.

- How have things been going lately?

- Well, I don't know. There's so much to this place. I don't know that I'll make the grade or not.

- Well, everyone feels that way sometime or other. It's a little different from the old hometown, isn't it?

- Sure is.

- Anything in particular bothering you?

- Oh, it's just, well, it's like you said, it's so different. I may be doing all right. I think I'm on the right track and then again, I don't know. It's just that I don't want to get too far in this business of deciding what I'm gonna spend the rest of my life doing well, until I'm sure.

- Let's see, you're enrolled in engineering.

- Yes, I've always thought I wanted to be an engineer. Spent most of my life on the farm and I don't know, just seemed to get a kick out of the machinery and fixing things.

- But engineering isn't quite what you expected?

- No, it isn't.

- Do you remember that series of tests you took a short time ago?

- I sure do.

- Well suppose we look at the results for a moment, so that you can understand the meaning for you. In this particular series, you took several kinds of tests.

- How'd you make out?

- Oh fine. I'm going on with my engineering.

- Good.

- Are you ready to go?

- No, I haven't had my appointment yet. I gotta wait. You go on.

- Well, okay, see ya.

- Neil's talk with the counselor in the guidance bureau helped him to see that he was on the right track in his engineering studies. Whether or not he was headed in the right direction was one thing that had been bothering him and he was glad to get it cleared up. So it looked as if everything were going to be smooth sailing, but there were lots of other personal problems that Neil had to cope with

- [Carol] Why Jimmy. How are you?

- Excuse me a minute. Carol, what are you doing here?

- Oh, I have an appointment with one of the counselors in just a minute. Where have you been? I haven't seen you since our party.

- Well, I haven't seen much of anyone socially, except Neil. I don't know about you, but I've been busy.

- I'll bet.

- Mr. Nelson?

- Right here. Look, I'll meet you here just as soon as we're through and we'll walk home together.

- That's a Gilbert idea.

- A what?

- Gilbert, silly, Gilbert.

- Oh, Gilbert. Gilbert?

- Hi.

- Hi.

- What are you doing?

- Studying.

- How can you study with all this?

- Oh yes.

- I walked, walked home with Jimmy just a minute ago.

- Was Neil with him?

- No, I didn't see Neil. Say, are you?

- Carol, I don't think I'm doing very well. I thought I knew how to study, but things are piling up. I've been at it all afternoon, but I still have so much to do. I don't know how I'm going to get at it.

- Yeah, it isn't high school, is it?

- No, it isn't high school.

- Come in.

- Hi, Jill.

- Hi, Jill.

- Candy? What's everybody so solemn about? Somebody get jilted already?

- Oh, Jill.

- Oh, Jill. We were just talking about all the things we're supposed to do. We're a little confused.

- Why don't you go see Janet.

- I'm not desperate.

- You don't have to be desperate to see Janet. She's a good kid. Sure helped me. Candy? Well, I gotta go now. I'm a working girl, you know?

- Try not to spill the soup down my neck tonight, dear.

- [Jill] Okay.

- I sure admire that girl. It must be tough carrying a heavy load, studying to be a bacteriologist and working too.

- Yes, but look how many girls we know are studying to be all sorts of things and lots of them are working.

- You know, Jill could be right about Janet.

- I suppose she could. I'll go see if Janet's in.

- Oh, now don't get the idea that nothing ever happens to me. I'm as human as Sally. But on her, the situation just looks better. So Sally went to see Janet. Janet's one of our counselors here at North College Hall. She went through all this several years ago. She probably gets a big kick out of some of our problems, but when you're away from home, it sure helps to have someone like Janet to talk to.

- Well, at home I always make good grades, but the way I'm going now, I just don't know.

- Well, don't worry about that. You're just finding out what every girl finds out when she first comes to college. You're not home anymore. Everything's different. It's a process of growing up that you have to go through. It's sometimes rather hard, but it usually works out.

- But I don't see anyone else having the troubles I'm having.

- [Janet] Take my word for it, they do.

- But what can I do about it?

- I think it's mostly a matter of organization. Sally. You have to learn to budget your time so that you have time to do the things you have to do and still have time for fun. You are having fun, aren't you, Sally?

- Oh, yes, Janet. I guess maybe that's why I get so worried about my studies.

- If that's the way you feel about it, you don't need to worry. No, Sally didn't need to, but she was the kind of person who did worry about things that were important. Foresight, I guess you'd call it. Together we worked out a time budget for Sally. The reading and study clinic helped her to solve her study problems and it wasn't long before she got the hang of college and all that went with it. That girl had more friends. Well, we were all sorry to have Sally leave us when freshman year was over, but Sally had successfully made those critical first year adjustments. She was ready to make way for the new freshman women who need the at-home feeling that North College Hall gives them. She and her classmates moved on some to scholarship halls, some to sororities, but we were all reminded of Sally frequently, even after she left us.

- Must be a pretty tough problem.

- Oh yeah, yeah. Mighty tough problem. Ah, what would a lawyer know about a slide rule?

- Slide rule the boy says. For gosh sakes, Neil, why don't you do something about Sally?

- Oh, I'm afraid there's not much I can do about Sally. I used to think maybe someday I'd get up enough nerve to call her, but I don't know. She's secretary of AWS. Secretary of this, secretary of that. Now look, lead in the play.

- Look buddy, you don't need to feel bad about all those activities. You could handle a lot more if you weren't spending all your spare time at your job.

- I kind of consider my job an activity. I like it. It's a good experience in my engineering work. Besides without it, I couldn't stay in college.

- Yeah, but how about Sally?

- Well, I gotta go home. Here counselor, take good care of Sally.

- Carol, Neil Brandt just left here. That guy's still just pining away for Sally Mason. I wonder why we can't do something to help the poor...

- Well, that's just the way she feels about him. It's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of, those two not even seeing each other. I am going to do something about it, Gilbert. Operator, 1-0-6-7, please.

- Honest, Carol? Are you telling me the truth? Well, it's worth a try, I guess. Bye. 2-0-1, please.

- Sally? Sure, sure I remember you.

- I was talking to Carol and Carol thought maybe you'd help me.

- [Neil] Yes, Sally?

- Well, Neil, we're having the AWS party and the girls are supposed to ask the boys and well, will you take me?

- Me, take you?

- Well, yes.

- Sure, sure. I'll take you. Bye.

- May I call someone for you?

- Sally, Sally Mason.

- Who?

- Sally Mason. Gosh.

- Hello, Neil.

- Look at that, will ya?

- She asked that guy to go to the dance with her. I've been trying to get a date with her for three months.

- Me too. I've been calling her for three weeks. Sh! Here come our dates.

- I'm afraid I'm not much of a dancer, Sally.

- Neil, you're wonderful.

- So are you.

- Sure took you a long time to ask me for a date.

- Yeah, sure did. Huh?

- Remember me? I'm Janet, Sally's counselor when she was at North College Hall. I got to know her quite well after that. Used to see her everywhere. There was quite a change in Sally during the next several years. She became a part of the university, and the university became a part of her. Her schoolwork absorbed most of her time. You see, early in her college career, Sally had decided what she wanted to be, a homemaker. Combining her courses in home economics with courses in journalism, prepared her to do what she wanted to do and gave her the advantage of a professional skill she could use if the need ever arose. But there were other cultural pursuits in school and out to add to her happiness. A favorite of hers was the choral group with which she took part. âª The banner of old KU âª

- Swell guys. Tomorrow same time. Concerts and lectures were just a part of the great plan of the university to prepare its people for the real business of living. There were the visits to the university's outstanding galleries and museums and there were the cultural benefits derived from association with friends.

- Hey, hi Sally. Hey, we're going to the Hawks Nest. Come on, go with us.

- Oh, sure.

- Look, Neil, you don't mean that if someone offered you a job in New York, you wouldn't go. That's not what you mean.

- Well, no, I don't suppose I could make a statement like that and swear to stick by it. Just sure as I did I'd find myself on the way to New York. But honestly, I wanna stay in Kansas.

- But why Neil? I don't get it. Look, if you really want to get someplace, you've got to go to the big cities. We don't have big cities in Kansas.

- We have cities in Kansas, plenty big enough for me. And I know lots of people in Kansas who are more successful than most of the people I've heard of in the big cities. Besides where could you find a better place to bring up a family than Kansas?

- Bring up a what?

- Oh, well.

- What Neil means is just that,

- Oh, hi prof.

- Hi.

- You know Carolyn and Jimmy.

- Professor Martin.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- Will you have Coke with us?

- No, thanks. I have to get back to my office now. I'll see you all.

- Bye.

- Bye.

- You know, I wasn't very surprised to hear Neil Brandt involved in an argument. I've had some pretty good ones with him myself. Arguments are part of our college pattern. They help whet the mind and bring conclusions to a sharp focus. Neil is a good example of what I mean.

- What's the matter? Are you having trouble?

- Oh, hi. Yeah. This darn thing just doesn't seem to work right.

- Oh?

- Well you can do it the way the book says, but well, wouldn't it work better this way?

- Well, it looks all right. Why don't you try it?

- What about the book?

- Listen, if you can think of a better way, don't let that book bother you. Moments like this, when I can see the man emerging from the college boy are what make my job worthwhile. The self-assurance that came to Neil with being able to think for himself was reflected in his future life on the campus. His growth was evident in his awareness of the political and social problems of his world and in his willingness to help solve them. His opinions impressed his classmates. They were finding in this quiet boy the qualities of leadership that his acceptance of responsibility brought out. Yes, Neil's interest in his engineering work marked the beginning of our friendship. That friendship grew through the personal respect that forms between student and teacher here at KU. He and others like him were frequent visitors in my home.

- Mike slipped off of the curb and got hit by a Ford Pat stood there shaking his head, draw and repeat, Mike's gone and done it again.

- It is the same story in India, only Pat, we call him Gunga, gets hit by an elephant instead of a Ford motor car.

- It's a pretty small world.

- [Party guest] Well, now that reminds me of another-

- Sometimes the campus is pretty small too. Like the chance meeting between Neil and the Chancellor. Neil was involved in an intramural baseball game. With a majority of KU students taking part in intramural sports, interest and feelings can run high. Neil's team was behind until Jimmy hit a home run.

- Chancellor Murphy.

- Well, it's all in a day's work. Although my first meeting with Neil Brandt was more enthusiastic than dignified, it marked the beginning of a warm friendship. Neil's developing sense of personal responsibility, brought him to the front in student affairs and often led him to my office. Well, Neil, it's good to see you sit down.

- Thank you.

- You know, I've been wanting to talk with you. I'm trying to decide whether we ought to send delegates to the student conference in Chicago. What's your judgment in the matter?

- I thought you might want to know about that. These are the counsel's recommendations. It might be of some help.

- Fine, fine. What's on your mind?

- I don't quite know how to say it. I'm gonna graduate in a few days, and this might be the last chance I'll have to talk with you, before you get all involved with commencement. I wanna tell you what the university has done for me and how I feel about it. It's hard to express your gratitude to any one person for all the university has meant to you, because it involves so many things, friends, professors, good times. But it seems to me it's such a big thing. I just had to tell it to somebody.

- I think I know what you mean, Neil. You know I had the same feelings not many years ago when I graduated from KU. I want to tell you something. You think that you know now what the university's done for you, but wait a few years and you'll really know how valuable your experience here has been. Neil, it took courage and faith and imagination to build this country, this state and this university. This tradition, which in effect is an expression of faith in the future, was never more effectively put than by the motto of our state "To the stars through difficulties." You know, those men and women who lifted their eyes beyond the horizon to the stars and dreamed courageously, they knew that to bring their dreams to reality, required self-discipline and a strong sense of personal responsibility and a dedication to principle. If at KU you've learned to dream creatively, imaginatively, and realistically, you'll have justified the faith of our people in their state university. And you'll know, as you begin to bring your dreams into being, just what it is your university has given you. Sometime before you leave the campus, Neil, take a walk and look at each one of the buildings and remember what each of them is meant to you. Think a while of what they've contributed to you and your growth. These will be memories that will stay with you all of your life. Do that for me, will you, Neil?

- Yes, sir, I will. And thanks. Thanks very much. âª The crimson prairie sunset âª âª And the Kansas sky of blue âª âª And there's an invited glory âª âª The banner of old KU âª âª Or go and walk, peruse the valley swept with gold âª âª Come every loyal Kansas heart so brave and true âª âª Come stand beneath the elms of glory and of home âª âª And sing our tender song of love for Kansas U âª âª We'll be loyal sons and daughters âª âª And we pledge our devotion true âª

- Dear Mom and Dad: I think this is the time right now, while I feel the way I do to try to thank you for the sacrifices you've made so that I could come to KU. I've done my best and I hope that someday you'll be proud of me and will see the good results of all your efforts. Yesterday the university arranged an interview with the Snow Engineering company in Wichita, and I'm glad to tell you that I will go to work for them on June the 20th. I know you'll be as happy about this as I am. Let me know when you'll get here for graduation. Sally and I will have something to tell you. See you then. love Neil.

- Have any regrets, Neil?

- No, not a one. If I had it to do all over again, be just like this.

- Say you two. Come on, it's time to go. âª We'll be loyal sons and daughters âª

- Gilbert?

- Gilbert. âª To the noble alma matter âª âª All hail to the crimson and blue âª âª The banner of old KU âª