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THE WEEKLY UNIVERSITY COURIER
THE LARGEST COLLEGE JOURNAL CIRCULATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Published Every Friday Morning by the
COURIER COMPANY,
For Kansas University Students.
DENTON DUNN, R. J. CURDY,
President. secretary
EDITORIAL STAFF:
CYRUS GR CARE, EDITOR-in-Chief,
F. G. KENNEDY, EDITOR-in-CONS,
P. C. MUNKERFIELD, E. A. WHEELER,
F. C. KEYN, W. A. WHITE,
F. C. CUNKLE, H. B. HOPES,
INEZ T GOGAAT
BUSINESS MANAGERS;
DENTON HOGER J. EARLE L. SWOPE.
Entered at the post-office at Lawrence, Kansas,
as second-class matter.
MARCH 2014
PHI GAMMA DELTA—Meets Saturday nights, No. 715 Mass, St., 3d floor.
PHI KAPPA PSI—Meets Saturday nights, at rooms of the members.
PHI DELTA THETA—Meets Saturday nights, 2d floor opera house, west side.
SIGMA CHI—Meets Saturday nights, 3d floor Opera house block, east side.
BETA THETA PI—Meets Saturday nights, at H. S. Trempel's law office.
SIGMA NU—Meets Saturday nights, I. O. O. F. block.
KAPPA ALPHA THETA—Meets Saturday afternoes, No. 715 Mass, St., 3d floor.
L.C. E—Meets Saturday afternoons at homes of members.
KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA—Meets Saturday afternoones at homes of members.
OROPHILIAN LITERARY SOCIETY—Meets Friday afternoons in its hall, University building, north wing, 3d floor. Pres., J. M. Hulligan; sec'y, Rosa McMurray.
SCIENCE CLUB—Meets Friday afternoons, in Snow Hall. President, W. H. Brown; sec'y, V. L. Kellogg.
PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY—Meets Thursdays at 3 p.m in Sayre's lecture room. J. H. De Ford, president; Mass Howard, sec'y.
KENT CLUB, of Law Students—Meets Friday nights in Court House. Pres., J. W. Roberts; sec'y, A. Ovento.
PHILLOGOLOGY—Meets second Friday of the month in Greek lecturno room, University building, Pres., Prof. Williams; sec'y, Prof. Carruth.
GERMAN SOCIETY—Meets Friday afternoon from 2 to 3, in Orand hall. Pres., Henri Nickel; sec'y, Anna McKinnon.
ATHENEUM LITERARY SOCIETY—Meets Friday afternoons in its hall in the University building, south wing, third floor. President, C. L. Smith; sec'y, C. O. Nutting.
ORATORICAL ASSOCIATION—Pres., E. G. Blair; sec'y, A. L. Wilmoth; Board of Directors Frank Crowwell, Denton Dunn, V. G. Kellogg.
COLLEGE BRANCH Y. M. C. A.; sec'y, F. J. Gardner; sec'y, L. T. Smith; meets every Friday night in rooms of city association.
COLLEGE BRANCH Y. W. C. A., meets Sunday afternoons at homes of members.
DICKSON DEBATING CLUB—Meets Friday nights, at Court House, Smith Curry, pres. H. White; sec'y
LIME KILN DEBATING CLUB—W. R. Cone, pres.; H. Hunt, sec'y
COURTIER Company—Pres., Denton Dunn; sec'y R. J. Curdy.
REVIEW Company—Pres., S.W. Shattuck.
BASE Ball Association—Sec'y, T. Gillmore.
The English department by the aid of Prof. Marsh, has received 125 volumes of the early English Text Society, ten volumes of English Grammar, a work on old English songs, ballads, etc., and a full set of Arbor's reprints, and also sixty volumes of other miscellaneous works for that department.
Through some mistake or over sight it was stated in last week's issue that Prof. Marsh was the author of the Arthur Richmond letters which have appeared from time to time in the North American Review. The falsity of the statement has already been announced by the city papers and it only remains for us to emphasize it and assure our readers that the article in question was entirely without foundation of truth. It has been remarked, in a joking way merely about the University, that Prof. Arthur Richmond Marsh was the author of the Arthur Richmond letters and it may have been that our editor thought that the joke was a serious fact or that he intended his article as a joke. But it was worded in such a serious, honest way as to mislead those who are not acquainted with the facts.
On Wednesday night of Commencement several of the fraternities will give entertainments, parties they are usually called. This will of course make it impossible for the Courier's suggestion in regard to a University ball and reception to be carried out. Though impossible this year, we still believe that it would be a good plan and would be heartily enjoyed by all. Such an occasion would make it possible for alumni and students to meet together in a social way. It would be the great social event of the week and would enable all the students to carry away pleasant recollections. It would meet with favor with many of the alumni, as we know from personal inquiry. It would in short, be a fitting close to the festivities and the hard work of Commencement week. We think that next year, some of the Senior class will take the matter in hand, for we know that if properly managed it will be successful. Let it be given under the auspices of the Senior class, and invite all the students, professors and alumni. It need not be a ball merely, but a reception as well.
A large number of our students are finding employment for the summer with surveying parties. This is a good business, fairly remunerative, and an excellent way of spending vacation. We are glad that so many have been able to find places of this kind, it will give them a taste of rough life, fill them with new blood, and put them in better condition for the work of the winter. It speaks well too, for the efficiency of our Engineering Department. It is a pleasure to know that all the boys are not going to be engaged in that dubious tramp-like business of selling books. Not but what many great and good men have been engaged in the business, but from experiment we can say that it is conducive neither to morality nor general respect among the community. In truth it is a very difficult matter for a modest student to succeed in this profession. In proof of this we have only to state that Baker students have found it far more profitable than those from the University. Farming is far better and tends much more to the development of the athletic nature of man. But surveying is better than
either, because it is more respectable than the first and pays better than the last.
We suppose that there is no necessity for urging all students to attend the lecture this evening. The fact that Mr. Wallace is the most eminent of living naturalists ought of itself to be sufficient to fill the chapel to its utmost capacity. The thanks of the students are due to the lecture committee for affording this opportunity of hearing a really distinguished man. It is so seldom that such opportunities are afforded that we ought, on an occasion like this to be doubly grateful. In this connection we wish to say that the students ought to support and maintain by themselves a first class lecture course. We have no complaint to make against the faculty in this respect. They have furnished us with as good a course as was possible, under existing circumstances—free lectures and limited funds. However, the lecture course has not always in the past.been a success. Now a student's lecture association would be able, we think, to bring to the University some of the most eminent lecturers in the country. Such an association would be profitable. They are supported in many institutions like our own. At Baker last winter, through the efforts of the students, an excellent course was enjoyed and the association is we understand, in a flourishing condition. This is worth trying.
We have had our game with Washburn and were beaten. The Courier has said repeatedly, that those who laugh last, laugh best." In this instance Washburn has a right to the best laugh. Our defeat seems to have had a depressing effect upon our base ballists. This is not right, it ought to stimulate them to greater effort and more vigorous work. No blame can be attached to anyone in particular. The club has not practiced enough together and it was for this reason that many costly errors were made. We ought not to be discouraged however, outside of the battery, our club is undoubtedly superior to Washburn. Without attributing anything to that old fraud "luck," we can say, as some of the Washburnites said, that their club surprised itself by its excellent work. We must not think of giving up after one game. In this respect many of the small colleges in the State, including Washburn, has set us a good example in the oratorical contests. Defeat has not depressed them, after each one they have come up again smiling, ready to try it over. Washburn has never won a contest, but she has always been enthusiastic and this year she came nearer to the top than ever before. Constant defent we know is not calculated to raise the spirits or make one very enthusiastic, but it ought to show where the weak points are and how they can best be remedied. By all means let the nine continue to practice and get it good shape to play a return game.
English
The Senior class was somewhat surprised and not a little disappointed when Prof. Marsh gave its members the requisites for their graduating theses. The instructions are an innovation, they overthrow and destroy many plans for spending Senior vacation in festivity and gaiety. They are in direct opposition to the traditions of past years, when the only requisite was 3,000 words on any topic, written in any manner on paper easily combustible. The theses this year must be on a subject that has received some attention from its writer and with which he has some familiarity. After the subject has been chosen, it must be carefully studied and all the available works pertaining to it must be consulted. It must be well written and carefully prepared, must show research, thought and work.
Although an innovation we heartily commend this plan and think that it is the right one. When a student is ready to graduate, he ought, by reason of his four years work, to be able to prepare a thesis on some subject connected with his past studies. In this thesis he should set forth clearly his points and be able to prove them by citations and illustrations. In German Universities when a student graduates he presents before an audience such a thesis and is questioned upon the points which he makes or attempts to make.
In the past no such thoroughness has been observed. In fact, Senior theses have been ridiculously slim and have been prepared without care or thought. Old essays, chapel orations worked over, 3,000 words on any subject, words written against time and space, portions of economic thesis; all these have been handed in, have passed muster and immediately on their presentation have been consigned to the flames or oblivion. Such careless work will under the new plan be of no avail. Nor can it be other than a matter of congratulation that the change has been made. We understand that Prof. Marsh intends to thoroughly revise the English course and require students to do more practical work in writing. This is another change much needed. The lack of training and of careful, thorough criticism has been on many occasions painfully noticeable. While there has been enough of writing, it has not been of the right kind. It will undoubtedly be a great advance and will work much good to our students if they begin the practice of careful writing in their Freshman year and continue it until graduation.
Andrew D. White on Fraternities.
The fraternity question has been discussed pro and con, in all its bearings, times innumerable. But the paper in the May Forum, by Andrew D. White, formerly president of Cornell, will probably have more weight and be of greater interest than anything heretofore written on the same subject, not only because Mr. White occupies a high position in the educational world, but because he has had an opportunity to observe the fraternities in their practical workings. Mr. White thinks it is inevitable that men should club together into organizations of some kind. This comes from the fact that "man is a social being." This being
true, he thinks that fraternities reduce the evils resulting from such organizations to a minimum. For they are more premanent than temporary clubs, and the strong rivalry existing between them compel their members to preserve and guard their good name with watchful and jealous care. They assist also, he thinks, in maintaining proper discipline. While president of Cornell, Mr. White says that he was often able by appeals to fraternity pride, to make men rectify their ways, after all other means had failed. He regards as beneficial and productive of much good the conventions which fraternities hold, composed, as they are, of men from different institutions of learning. He thinks that the chapter house system is also productive of good results. Indeed he is heartily in favor of the system, because it brings a certain responsibility to young men in the houses and this responsibility makes them much more careful and considerate than they otherwise would be. He thinks that the secret part of fraternities is of little importance, as they have nothing very terrible to conceal. Young men who have been members of fraternities in college are not nearly so apt to join other secret organizations in after life.
Mr. White concludes his paper thus: "The true question is, are the fraternities, as a fact, under all circumstances of the case, more powerful for evil than for good? My contention is that they reduce certain inevitable evils in college life to a minimum, that they produce much good in many ways, and that when college authorities deal with them in a large minded spirit, they can be made to do still more good." We would recommend to both the friends and the enemies of the fraternity system a careful perusal of Dr. White's paper.
Alfred Russell Wallace.
Alfred Russell Wallace.
The most distinguished of living English naturalists, Alfred R. Wallace, who shares with Darwin the honor of having introduced into modern science the epoch making discovery of the variations of species with the environment, will lecture at the University on Friday evening. Professor Wallace is now on a lecturing tour in this country, and the lecture committee has been so fortunate as to secure him for the above date. Although the expense of this lecture is very large, all will be welcome, and seats free. Professor Wallace is not only one of the most fascinating of writers in his field of science, but at the same time stands in the first rank of popular lecturers and has aroused much enthusiasm wherever he has been heard. The lecture will be illustrated by the lantern.
Monday while the young ladies of Kappa Alpha Theta were holding an exciting meeting in Prof. Canfield's lecture room, some wicked boys barred the door, making exit impossible any place excepting the window. Three of the most daring ones succeeded in reaching the ground uninjured and released the others from their captivity.
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