NEWS
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2005
this week in KU HISTORY
nov.7 - nov.11
© 2005 University of Kansas Memorial Corporation. All rights reserved.
BY SHANKI USDELL
editor@kansan.com
editor CORRESPONDENT
Nov. 7, 1891 - Comanche's Last Stand
The only living creature found after the Battle of the Little Big Horn, also known as "Custer's Last Stand," died. The horse, Comanche, is preserved in the Natural History Museum.
Little did the Army cavalry suspect when it bought Comanche in 1868 that he would survive one of the most famous battles in the United States. The Library of Congress said nearly a third of the 7th Cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer died in the battle on June 25, 1876. Custer and his brother also died there. Although the Native Americans won, the ensuing U.S. backlash forced them to surrender a year later.
The horse survived seven wounds, three of them severe, after the battle. In 1878, Colonel Samuel Sturgis issued a formal order to stop anyone from ever again riding Comanche, now a national symbol.
The Army asked Lewis Lind-say Dyche, a nationally renowned taxidermist, to preserve Comanche's body after the 29-year-old horse died of colic. A loyal 1884 KU graduate, Dyche agreed to do the job for free if Comanche's remains could stay at the University.
Comanche earned his name from his rider, Captain Myles Keogh of the 7th Cavalry. The KU History Project's Web site reported one soldier said the horse screamed "like a Comanche" after an arrow hit him during a fight with a group of Comanches.
The University's final homecoming queen, Janet Merrick, received her crown 36 years ago today during the football game against Colorado.
Nov. 7, 1969 - Homecoming queens dethroned
The University's homecoming activities and culture differed radically from today's. The motto invoked Mary Poppins: "Kansas Cookout or a Spoonful of Pepper Helps the Buffalo Go Down," the Kansan wrote.
But no one would call the year's homecoming "practically perfect in every way." Not only did the Buffaloae beat the University 17-14, but racial tensions also rocked the homecoming queen ceremony. All finalists were white women.
The Black Student Union held its own elections for homecoming queen, electing Lorene Brown, Value, Miss., freshman. The group requested that its queen receive her crown with "the University queen."
The homecoming committee vetoed the request, although it voted to recognize the black queen at the game.
The homecoming committee abolished the homecoming queen ceremony the next year. An approving Chicago Sun-Times editorial called the contests "as far from the purpose of a university as air conditioning is from the worries of the city fathers of Reykjavik, Iceland."
Nov. 11, 1922 - Memorial Stadium honors World War I dead
The University formally dedicated Memorial Stadium to students, alumni and others who died during World War I.
Robert Taft wrote in "The Years on Mount Oread" that the University launched the Million Dollar Drive in 1920. Faculty and students started the drive to build a memorial for those who died in the war, particularly the 130 students and alumni.
The drive began Nov. 18, and students and faculty had pledged more than $200,000 within three days.
"Rome had her Coliseum." Athletics Director Forrest C. "Phog" Allen said in a 1920 University brochure. "Kansas must have a stadium!"
The proposed stadium would replace the rickety, decaying stands of McCook Field.
Before the University could build the stadium, it first had to demolish the McCook Field stands. It declared May 10, 1921, Stadium Day, a University holiday. Students organized a makeshift army to tackle the destruction, the Kansan reported. This "cyclone of hustling humanity" dissembled every stand in only one hour and 18 minutes.
— Compiled from www.kuhistory.com, "The Years on Mount Oread" by Robert Taft, "The University of Kansas: A History" by Clifford Griffin and the Spencer Research Library Archives. Edited by Katie Lohrenz.
RELIGION
Sophie Kenn, 4, celebrates Shabbat 350 on Friday night. The event, which attracted 450 people, was the largest Shabbat gathering at the University of Kansas.
KU Hillel sets record
Shabbat 350 attracts 450 people at KU
BY MALINDA OSBORNE
mosborne@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Hillel is a campus group for
Jewish students that plays host to social and religious events. Shabbat, which lasts from sun-down on Friday to sundown on Saturday, is the weekly holiday that celebrates the Jewish day of rest. Every Friday night, KU Hilfel holds Shabbat prayer services and a dinner afterward to cap off the week. The average attendance ranges from 50 to 60 students.
For the fourth straight year the KU Hillel Foundation exceeded its desired attendance for the group's annual big Shabbat celebration.
Shabbat 350 — the number signifies the anticipated attendance — attracted an estimated 450 people, making it the largest Shabbat gathering in the University's history, said Emily Caulfield, Sugar Land, Texas, junior and KU Hillel president.
For Shabbat 350, a combined service was held at 6 p.m. in Woodruff Auditorium, incorporating elements of each branch of Judaism. A large buffet dinner took place afterward in the Ballroom of the Kansan Union.
Middle Eastern food, a performance by KU Hillel's A Capella group, Shirim Netzim, and a raffle entertained the crowd.
The event has grown from the original Shabbat 150 which took place three years ago. Each year
both the number expected has grown along with the actual attendance, which has always exceeded expectations. That same year, the KU Hillel had fewer than 50 members. The University of Texas and University of Colorado are the only two Big 12 schools with larger Jewish populations than the University. Caulfield said about 1,800 Jewish students attend the University.
"Hillel is building a reputation. We are building a presence in our organization but outside Hillel as well," she said.
Caulfield said she saw the increasing numbers as a challenge.
People outside the Jewish community, including faculty, students and members of the Lawrence community were invited to Shabbat 350. Mehrdad Hosni, Manhattan junior and student senator, said he came to the event wanting to expand his knowledge of different cultures. Hosni attended the service beforehand and the dinner afterward. He said he was impressed by one Jewish tradition where people were asked to shout out names of loved ones to be remembered before certain prayers.
Those who are part of the Jewish community, such as Matt Rissien, Overland Park freshman, said he saw KU Hillel as a nitch. Rissien, who attended a Judaic school from kindergarten through his senior year in high school, said it was a big change to attend a secular school, but KU Hillel made the transition easier.
"Hillet is my Judaism on campus. It's nice to find that it is so active and I, myself, can stay active in the community." Rissien said.
Edited by Nate Karlin
STATE
Greyhound trainer loses license, fined
WICHITA - A trainer at a Wichita greyhound kennel has been fined $5,000 and has lost his license to work at Kansas race tracks after an inspection uncovered conditions so bad that several dogs were lying in their own urine.
The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission issued a summary order this week against Aaron Unger.
Conditions described as "unhealthy for dogs and humans"
were discovered in August when a commission veterinarian inspected Brinkley Kennel No. 10 at the Wichita Greyhound Park.
The veterinarian described floors covered with standing urine, turnout pens littered with feces and mouse droppings throughout the kennel, the order said.
The inspector also found at least two malnourished dogs and an injured greyhound.
The animals were moved to another kennel at the park, and the injured dog was treated.
The Associated Press
STATE
County cracks down on absent jurors
TOPEKA — Shawnea County has begun cracking down on people who don't show up for jury duty.
As many as eight people who failed to report for duty on Oct. 3 will be mailed letters this week ordering them to appear in court.
But this time they won't have to serve as jurors. They will be asked to explain why they shouldn't be found in contempt of court for failing to report for
jury service, Shawnee County District Court administrator Don Troth said.
In the first nine months of 2005, more people failed to report to serve as jurors,3,984 than reported,3,407,a no-show rate of 53.9 percent, according to Shawnee County District Court numbers.
Chief Judge Richard Anderson called that yield of prospective jurors "pathetic."
The Shawne County jury coordinator had mailed summons to 168 county residents, and 101 showed up. That was a no-show rate of 39.9 percent.
The Associated Press
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