SUMMER SESSION KANSAN
COMMENT
Not Poor-But Rich
Those who heard again the songs of Stephen Foster in commemoration of his 112th birthday, which was three weeks ago, were told once more of the genius who died with thirty-seven cents in money to show for his life's work and with a note in the same thin purse which read: "Dear friend and gentle heart."
Had he lived in these times, when the rights of the song maker are copper-riveted, the composer of "Old Black Joe," "Swanee River," "My Old Kentucky Home" and the many other imperishable melodies would have died rich. He would have been protected in his share of every sound picture, every orchestral presentation, every radio broadcast. As it is, the authors of "Flat Foot Floojie" probably have made more money in the last four weeks than Foster did altogether.
The genius is seldom if ever heavy on the business side. That goes for musicians, painters, inventors, poets, creative artists generally. So Foster sold his songs outright for "eating money;" then he wrote more songs, and sold them, too, with no strings, no royalties, no equity in the future except the satisfaction his own soul felt in having done something immortal.
It remained for the latter day Irving Berlin to clean up financially.
We wonder if his production would have been better or worse had Foster got into the big money that would have been his today. Loving his art as he did, we think he might have given the world even more than he did on a too-frequently empty stomach. Or then again he might have gone the route that so many geniuses go, who can't stand prosperity, but instead are content to bask in the soft alluring sunlight of brief accomplishment.
We'll never know. But we do know that our nation's life, now and for all the years to come, would be poorer without the man who left less than half a dollar in worldly goods, but uncountable billions if interpreted in terms of human emotion, inspiration and enjoyment.
Two Kinds of Athletes
From the N.Y. Times:
Moscow paraded 35,000 athletes in Red Square last Sunday. Berlin will have to parade 50,000 to catch up. Considered all by itself, this is fine. We have had plenty of instances of geniuses in sick of feeble bodies, but the majority of men are more useful to society when they are well and strong. The joker in these demonstrations is, of course, that they have a military background. The athletes are getting ready to take their perfect muscles, their steady nerves and their controlled breathing into the trenches. They are getting ready to wallow in the mud, to lie out in the snow, to be infested with vermin, and to dodge, if they can, bullets, shells and gas. They are preparing to lead the most unhealthy life known to man.
The classical ideal was not merely a sound body but a sound mind in a sound body. It does not appear that much attention is being given in the militarized states to mental athletics. Suppose the 35,000 young Russians or the possibly 50,000 young Germans started exercising their intellectual muscles as vigorously as they do their body muscles. One knows in advance what would happen. There would either be some thousands of prisoners, exiles or young men in front of firing squads, or there would be a crash of illogical dogmas that would be heard around the world.
Our own athletes don't always make Phi Beta Kappa. They don't all become doctors of philosophy. But they are free to go to the end of their intellectual tether. They don't have to spend their days enlarging their biceps and their nights trying to believe things that aren't so.
It looked as though the controversy over "Gone With the Wind" had been settled when the leads for the motion picture were finally selected. But now it has been announced that Norma Shearer wants the last half of the book rewritten. Someone has suggested the subtitle, "Sheared by Shearer."
It looks as if nothing has a private life anymore—even the cosmic ray has been photographed.
For the time being it looks as if Hitler is Czeched.
Campus Opinion
Editor, Summer Session Kansan
Editor, Summer Session Kansas.
I wish to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for the helpful suggestions of "Striving to Succeed."
In answer to his criticism of my taste, sportsmanship, and understanding, I should like to call his attention to page 255 of Dale Carnegie's book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People," lines 13, 14, and 15.
A. B.C
Editor; Summer Session Kansan:
This spring, as annually, the campus was stirred with a move for a men's dormitory. But it was only an idle breeze that blew hot, then soon blew cold. In the old and decrepit houses with their mouldering, historical stench of age, in basements, attics, corridors—live the men of the University, over 3,000 of them in the regular session. There are, in the city of Lawrence, adequate housing facilities to care for only 2-3 that number. Comfortable, inhabitable rooms are at a premium, above the reach of the average student. For him, the dirty, dark, cramped rooms in shambling houses must be shared with the rats and the cockroaches. In the summer these dingy rooms are hot, stuffy, without ventilation. In the winter an overcoat becomes appropriate dress for study, snow sifts in the cracks, and the wintry blasts wail "we need a men's dormitory at K.U."
One-interested-student.
FAR and NEAR By H. A. Billingsley
Summer Session Kansan
Address all communications to Summer Session Kansan
Richard La Ban ___ Editor
Muriel Mykland ___ Associate Editor
Freida Cowles ___ Associate Editor
The student who blithely disregarded lessons during the winter session, now believes the road to hell is paved with make-up lessons, 7:30's, and summer school weather.
✿
Elton E. Carter Business Manager
Business Telephone K.U. 66
Night Connection 2701K3
Editorial Telephone K.U. 25
Night Connection 2704K3
One of the testers in Prof. Sarvis' Psychology Clinic got a break with a non-breakable stop-watch crystal recently. Heat expansion caused the crystal to pop out of place, and the technician in an air-conditioned jewelry shop allowed time for contraction and replaced the crystal. Because of this first success at such manipulation, he refused any pay for the work.
One of the college professors was a bit embarrassed at the educational banquet Wednesday night when he kept stuffing his shirt in his trousers and finally noticed that the dishes on the table were moving toward him.
~
--with a few day's work
Friday July 29,1938.
A Journalism Professor was so interested in the welfare of one of his students who returned after a day's absence with poison ivy, that his first question was, "What's the story?"
M. Kingman.
I DOUBT IT
When a pair of red lips are upturned to your own,
With one to gossip about it
With no one to gossip about it.
Do you pray for endurance to let them alone?
Well, maybe you do, but—
I doubt it.
With no one to gossip about it,
When a shy little hand you're permitted to seize,
With a velvety softness about it.
Do you find you can drop it with
never a squeeze?
Well, maybe you do, but- I doubt it.
When a tapering waist is in reach of your arm,
With a wonderful plumpness about it.
Do you argue the point twixt the good and the harm?
Well, maybe you do, but— I doubt it.
And if by these tricks you should capture a heart.
With a womanly sweetness about it,
Will you guard it, and keep it and
act the good part?
Well maybe you will, but— I doubt it.
E. C.
3rd Annual Fire College Held at University
The third annual Fire College, to be held under the joint auspices of the University of Kansas, the Kansas department of vocational education, the League of Kansas Municipalities, will be held at the University Sept. 12 to 15 inclusive.
Someone was heard to remark that everyone in his class had begun to look like WPA workers. And that reminds this department of an incident that occurred recently. A WPA worker died and the coroner was called. The report is that he turned over thirty men before he found the deceased.
--with a few day's work
As Roosevelt crossed the country he endorsed the following: "Dear Alben" Barkley of Kentucky, Thomas of Oklahoma, "His Nibs" McAdoo of California, and the Royal Gorge of Colorado.
--with a few day's work
Have you heard of the two new kinds of kisses? There's the Howard Hughes type—covers a lot of territory in a short time, and the Corrigan variety—you never know where it's going to land.
~
Mania: A sane person driving an automobile.
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