Tuesday, October 31, 1967
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
9
Last day in J-school but Jean's on the job
JEAN McKNIGHT
Kansas editors at Editor's Day give Miss McKnight a standing ovation after she was presented with a plaque recognizing her outstanding service to the journalism school.
Confidante, housemother, artist, signmaker and even ghost-writer for the Kansan—that's the way one student described her.
Today is the last day on the job for Jean McKnight—librarian, public-relations-woman-hostess receptionist, secretary and archivist of the William Allen White School of Journalism.
Jean—there hasn't been a journalism graduate in 13 years who has known her as Miss McKnight—has terminal cancer. Doctors told her more than two years ago she had six months to live, but she just keeps coming to work.
To enter Watkins
Her illness has forced her to take sick leave, and Wednesday she'll enter Watkins Hospital. Monday a new series of experimental treatments begin.
"I'm a walking guinea pig," she told editors, most of whom she knew, at Editors' Day ceremonies Saturday when she was presented a plaque.
"When they run out of animals or guinea pigs, they use humans. I'm one of those," she said.
'Be here next year'
Be here next year "But I'll be here next Editors' Day, either in person or in spirit."
Today, like any other day, Miss McKnight arrived at 7.30 a.m. to sort the mail and make the coffee in the faculty lounge.
Because today is her last day, she'll probably stay late—she was still working at 10 p.m. Monday—trying to get things in order for her already-appointed successor, Mrs. James Gunn.
This afternoon, there will be a short coffee for Miss McKnight—she wasn't supposed to know about it but did Monday night.
Knows everyone
Knowing, almost instinctively, is one of Miss McKnight's hallmarks. Every member of the journalism faculty, and his likes and dislikes are filed in Miss McKnight's mind. For example, articles on books go to Calder Pickett, professor of journalism.
Coeds run in second, third place at amateur's cross-country meet
Two KU coeds placed second and third in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Cross-Country Meet at Wahoo, Neb., Oct. 29—but neither ran for KU.
Peggy Grinvalsky, New York City senior, ran the two mile event and placed second in the rainy, 36-degree weather. Her time was 12:56.
Miss Grinvalsky is an independent runner. "I would rather run under my own name if I can't be under KU's name," she said.
Janet Pappas, Prairie Village sophomore, who placed third at 13:08, is a member of the Cosmo team sponsored by the Topeka Cosmopolitan Club, a group of Topeka businessmen.
John Davis, a Topeka optometrist, coaches the Cosmo team. "He mostly instructs us by letter and helps us with transportation to the meets," said Miss Miller.
Judy Clary, Kansas City senior, is also a member of the Cosmos, but hasn't been training for the past few weeks because of a torn leg muscle.
Janice Miller, a Cosmo member,
also ran but did not place.
The Topeka Cosmopolitan Club provides the Cosmo team members with transportation to and from the meets.
Miss Grinvalsky is coached by
Dave Kamrar, San Mateo, Calif. graduate student in physical education.
Each girl runs an average of five to ten miles a day. "It's kind of hard to practice since we're on our own and have no regular workouts," Miss Grinvalsky said.
Miss Grinvalsky said that last spring a women's track team was started by interested girls but was never fully organized because there were no sponsors, no coaches available, and no University support.
times used the indoor track but only before or after the men's track team had practiced. "The men track runners don't like the idea of women's track" she said.
Miss Clary said that she some-
"We run on the cross country course or on the campus streets," she said.
the thousands of KU students expressing their sentiments
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Lee Young, instructor of journalism, also receives articles, clippings and notes Miss McKnight can't use in the library but thinks Young might be able to use in class.
But it was for the students that Miss McKnight reserved most of her attention.
Helps students
Any student could get the same services as the highest-ranking faculty member, and more than once got more. She made it a point to know the name, author, color and pages assigned of every book placed on reserve in the library—when a student forgot his assignment Miss McKnight could tell him.
strong suspicion the first, "seed" books in the collection basket were books Miss McKnight had donated.
At Christmas, Miss McKnight pushed a book drive to get reading material for students in Watkins Hospital, and there is a
Miss McKnight came to KU from Humboldt, intending to work her way through school. She couldn't, and took a job with the state printer in Topeka. In 1951, she came to KU as secretary to Burton Marvin, then dean of the School of Journalism. The William Allen White Foundation trustees installed her 13 years ago as librarian and archivist for the foundation.
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