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JOURNALISM IN THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS.
JOURNALISM IN THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS. A PRELIMINARY SKETCH.
PERHAPS in no college of the United States, of equal size and age, have so many student papers sprung up, flourished their day and then gone down, as in the University of Kansas. In this, the first issue of the UNIVERSITY REVIEW, it has been thought well to give as full an account as possible of the origin, growth and decadence of the various publications issued by the students of Kansas State University. The writer for some time has been collecting files of these papers, and information concerning them. I have found both rather hard to obtain, but have sought to unite all scattered particulars into one sketch, that may be added to or amended as further information is received.
The first paper ever issued by students was the Observer of Nature, published by the Natural History Society. The first number of the first volume appeared in January or February, 1874. I have been unable, as yet, to obtain any copies of this volume, but am informed that it contained four numbers, extending into the year'74-75. The first number of volume II is dated March 4th, 1875, is a three-column folio, about nine-by-twelve inches. It contained the Society's proceedings, many interesting scientific articles, and the last page is filled with college news. William Osburn,'77, was editor and proprietor, and the locals were collected by Chas. S. Gleed. The fifth and last issue of this volume appeared June 15th, 1875.
The next year the Observer appeared as before, and side by side with it the first issue of the Kansas Collegiate. This was in fact a division of the paper, the Observer retaining the scientific part, while the Collegiate added literary articles to its news page. The two papers were of the same size and general appearance, were published in connection, having but one subscription list. The Observer contained scientific articles as before, but the most remarkable thing in this volume is "a blood-curdling
tragedy in four acts, by Prof. F. H. Snow, entitled, 'A Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Eastern Kansas.'" This was published in the manner of a serial story, occupying three pages each for four numbers. This volume comprised six numbers, beginning October 26th,1875,and ending April 26th, 1876.
The first volume of the Collegiate also contained six numbers. News must have been a scarce article in the University in those days, judging from the large proportion of litterary matter in the Collegiate. But it was a good paper for the time, and some of the articles are well written. William Osburn still ran the Observer and Chas. S. Gleed the Collegiate.
Of the second volume of the Collegiate I have been able to find but one copy, but am informed that a certain part of the paper was to be set apart for scientific matter, thus combining in one paper the features of the Observer and Collegiate. Chas. S. Gleed was editor, with S. M. Smith and William Osburn, assistants, and Geo. W. Hapgood, business manager. In the one number which I have there is no sign of a scientific department. The gradual pressure of literary matter and the death of the Natural History Society must have produced this change. This volume contained but five numbers. The shape and appearance is the same as before, but the size is increased to eight pages. It is to be remarked that no advertisements appear in the Observer or in the first year of the Collegiate, and in the second volume of the latter there is less than a page of "ads."
The third volume of the Collegiate remained of the same size, but is printed in two columns instead of three. Chas. S. Gleed was still editor, and C. W. Stephenson business manager. It is a very neat quarto paper and contains many good articles. With the May issue W.H.Carruth took sole charge, both Gleed and Stephenson retiring. Six numbers were issued