UNIVERSITY COURIER
Entered at Lawrence Post Office as Second Class Matter.
VOL. I.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS, NOV. 6, 1882.
No.5.
University Courier.
A SEMI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS.
BOARD OF EDITORS.
EDITORIAL,
C. C. DART.
TOPICS,
J. D. McLAREN.
LITERARY,
E. A. BROWN, ANNA MURPHY.
SCIENTIFIC,
L. L. DYCHE.
NORMAL,
G. E. ROSE.
EXCHANGE,
ALBERT RIFFLE.
LOCAL,
GLEN MILLER, MARY GILLMORE.
PERSONAL,
CLARA GILLHAM.
MISCELLANY,
W. S. WHIRLOW, ELLA V. KEIST.
BUSINESS MANAGERS.
EDMOND BUTLER, B. K. BRUCE.
Subscription, One Dollar per Year, in Advance.
EDITORIAL.
THE Lawrence Journal, that eight-page, heavy-ruled, Pica-Doric heading paper, champion of the patent medicine cause in the West, has descended from its exalted position of political dictator to the people of Douglas county and has fallen into line with the college press. This is hardly surprising for "boys will be boys," even when they think themselves men. The application for letters of majority does not always make beings who are able to manage their own concerns. We understood from the management of the Journal that they would not take part in student fights, stating that it would not be consistent for them to do so now that they are in "business"—big business. The appearance in the Journal of the 20th cult.of an article from the Student Life would prove otherwise. Boys, we are glad to welcome you to our ranks, for now the college press can boast of an eight-page journal, though as to your literary merits we cannot say much, you are, we suppose, on a par with the Student Life and the Review. Your sudden desertion of politics will relieve you of some embarrassments during the coming campaign, for you are hardly old enough to tamper with the great questions at issue. We did not intend to weaken the Review staff by starting this paper, though we have thought it was weakened of late. We are glad that such unprejudiced papers as yourself and the Student Life have noticed it, for the Review would never have acknowledged the weakening had it been stated to "it"by us. But now—?
If the Review cannot get another hundred from the Regents we will gladly help them upon their paper editorially and financially. We hope though to see them pull through by their own exertions.
The eastern and western trip of the second half of the article in the Student Life is well known to us. If they cannot get ideas for their exchange column in St. Louis they can be furnished from Lawrence free of charge, postage paid.
The Post Graduate Course of our University, as laid down in the catalogue, will necessitate more thorough work than heretofore on the part of those desiring a master's degree. If we are not in error, formerly a graduate was not compelled to pursue any special line of study, but need only devote three years to some literary or professional calling in order to secure a second degree. This method was certainly rather loose and ought never to have been adopted. Some colleges have become so accustomed to granting degrees without efficiency that it may soon be a question whether a degree is a benefit or a detriment to its possessor. It is certainly gratifying to note that K. S. U. intends hereafter to issue none at all where there is insufficient merit. The University of California has also recently taken a similar stand. There are a good many little dead-and-alive colleges; however, that seem to think the proper thing to do is to make every third-rate preacher a "D. D." and every fourth-rate politician an "LL. D." A few of the sectarian schools are of this kind. They act as if instituted merely to fill the denominations which they represent with "Doctors." Hence at every Commencement a batch of ministers are presented with the honorary degree of "Doctor of Divinity." Some of the eastern schools appear to regard a man's becoming President or Governor as conclusive evidence that he is a profound scholar. Accordingly Mr. Hayes was made a "Doctor of Laws" during his term of office, and Mr. Arthur has recently received a like degree. These men have fair ability and doubtless understand political matters passing well. But they are no more philosophers and no more deserve these degrees than thousands of other politicians who were not so fortunate as to be elected to the Presidency. It is often true that those least deserving are most anxious for recognition. Men