EDITORIAL.
269
Recent misstatements in the Lawrence Journal and Kansas Review give the impression that the faculty "sat down" upon certain professors who were seeking to suppress fraternities. The facts are these: Some fraternity members have this winter made scholarship secondary to social matters. To get the matter before the faculty in shape for discussion a motion was made that there be inserted in the next cataloge a provision recommending that students should ask their parents before joining secret societies. The subject was discussed informally, and no disposition was shown either to "sit down" on any professor or to antagonize fraternities. The faculty recognize fully that when rightly used the secret societies are most beneficial to their members and harmful to no one; and when they are abused they are subject to censure. While our fraternities carry out the principles on which they are founded they will have the warmest co-operation of the college authorities. The Purdue fight will not be repeated in the University of Kansas.
The fraternity annual has been named "Cicala," the Italian for grasshopper, a festive insect well known to the Kansan a decade ago. A thousand copies of the magazine will be issued, containing productions of every kind from the exuberant imagination of the editors, profusely illustrated by the demoniac pen of the artist. The secret societies will doubtless be represented in the pages by the usual quota of piercing eyes, blazing altars and homely females.
The medical society reporter informs us in our last number that "steps will be taken at the next legislature to form a medical college in connection with the University." We hope not. If the legislature takes a fit of liberality toward the University it
should add five or ten dollars to the library fund, provide a stove pipe for the smokehouse observatory or give a little nourishment to the infantine law department. Much as we would like to have a rival to Bellevue hospital, we must have these other things first.
The Atchison Champion marvels at our two words "frats." and "barbs." If these words were stricken from the student vocabulary an unendurable hiatus would at once appear in college life, and the wheels of University machinery would cease to revolve.
A careful enumeration shows that in the "free-trade school of Kansas" there are three protectionists for every one of the English theory. Blaine is the almost unanimous choice for president.
The Athletic association has taken under its wing a boat club, a foot-ball club and v base-ball club. Hereafter there will be excuses for bruised shins and blistered hands, but none whatever for dyspepsia.
Review lesson in logic: "The best men of the University are in the fraternities." "The editorial board of a college magazine should be made up of only the best men.'" "Therefore___."
A good theatrical troupe always obtains a generous patronage from the University. One fourth of all our students attended the Abbott opera last Tuesday evening.
Friends of Prof. Canfield in Dakota have long been urging him to accept the chancellorship of the State University at Grand Forks, but the professor prefers to continue his work here.
It is at last definitely settled that the college orators of Kansas will meet in battle array on the 18th. of April. Lawrence is to be the scene of carnage.