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THE STUDENTS JOURNAL.
A LETTER was sent out some time since by the president of the State Oratorical Association, asking that the local associations take action in regard to some plan whereby several of the smaller colleges in the state may be admitted to the benefits of the State Association, without increasing the number of contestants in the state contest. If some satisfactory plan for doing this can be settled upon, it should be done. The only good reason for denying the benefits of participation in the state contest to some of the applicants for admission is, that the length of the program of the state contest should not be increased. Several plans have been proposed. One is; that the colleges in the Association be divided into pairs, the two colleges of each pair hold a contest, and the winner go to the state contest. A better one is; that the state be divided into four districts in such a way as to place an equal number or the contesting colleges in each district, and the winner of each district contest be sent to the state meeting. We have still a different plan to suggest. Let the colleges of the state be divided into two or three classes, according to the grade of work done. Then let the oratorical representatives of the few colleges in the highest class meet the district representatives of the lower class or classes chosen by some such plan as the second one proposed above—in the state contest. It is to be hoped that some plan will be adopted which will treat all colleges in a just and equitable manner and yet reduce the length of the program of the state contest. Every local association should send its delegates to the state meeting with instructions favoring such a change.
THE election of J. A. Simpson as manager of the foot ball team next fall is a guarantee that the affairs of the team will be ably and carefully managed. The election was a surprise, as Mr. Simpson was not a candidate for the position, but was elected as a compromise candidate when four ballots had shown that no one of the candidates could be elected. However the Athletic Board could not have done better.
On next Saturday evening K. U. will select her orator for the state contest. This will be one of the hardest fought contests in years and the winner will be sure to take a very high rank at the state contest. The orators of most of the colleges have already been chosen and we feel that K. U. notwithstanding her unfavorable position on the program will do herself proud.
THE UNIVERSITY'S NEED.
Again the University comes before the Legislature with an appeal for increased financial support: and seldom, if ever, during the existence of the school, has the need been more urgent than it now is. During the past few years Kansas University has attained that high rank among American educational institutions toward which it has always been striving. The appreciation of this fact is shown by the rapidly increasing number of students: an increase as shown by the Chancellor's report, of seventy-five per cent in four years. The young men and women of Kansas are rapidly learning that they need not go to the Atlantic seaboard to attend an institution of higher learning, but that they can stay within the state and thus save expense and time.
In order to maintain its high rank among educational institutions, Kansas University must be progressive, for its sister universities are progressive. Many of the universities of neighboring states already have a larger fixed income, a larger faculty, more buildings or better facilities for research. But so far our faculty has succeeded in keeping this school in the first rank by unusually hard work. This extra work has been prompted by great loyalty to the state and enthusiasm for the school, but it cannot continue indefinitely. If the Legislature does not show its appreciation of the effort that has been made, by providing for a division and lightening of the work in some departments and a better recompense in others, the University will retrograde to a position not at all in keeping with the position and character of the state of Kansas.
The rank won by the State University should be, and is, a matter of pride to every intelligent Kansan, and the fact that Nebraska, Missonri, Minnesota and others have surpassed Kansas in some ways in the support given their universities is not a very pleasant fact for a patriotic Kansan to contemplate. If these states continue, as there is every reason to suppose they will, to give such ample encouragement to their systems of higher education, then Kansas must either do likewise or submit to the humiliation of seeing its sons and daughters spend their time and money in other states. In this way many Kansas youths would be permanently withdrawn from the state and