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University Daily Kansan Tuesday, Sept. 24, 1963
Red and Blue Rule
The September edition of the University of Kansas Alumni Magazine briefly mentions an instance in which KU students triumphed over an edict of the Board of Regents by taking matters into their own hands and establishing a tradition.
Almost 100 years ago, it seems, the Regents adopted maize and sky blue as the official colors of the University. However, during the 1890's students began to talk of adopting Harvard crimson as the athletic color to honor Col. John J. McCook, a Harvard man whose gift had made possible a new football field.
BUT WHO KNOWS what might have happened down through the years during many athletic contests if the team had only heard the cheerleaders and student body cry plaintively, "Let's go, Big Maize, let's go!" It might have worked miracles.
Perhaps it's just as well the Regents' colors have been forgotten. They wouldn't fit into the Alma Mater too well.
When Yale alumni on the KU faculty objected to their alma mater being left out, Yale blue was added. So today we have crimson and blue in our Alma Mater. Maize and sky blue are out.
A maize and sky blue Jayhawk might look pretty silly, but there is a limit to just how silly a Jayhawk can look, and who's to say the current crimson and blue job can't be improved?
More important, however, than what might possibly have resulted if students had accepted the Regents' colors is the precedent which has been established by the rejection of maize and sky blue.
Those fearless, pioneering students of yore blazed a trail which we have neglected too long. And that long-forgotten Board of Regents, by giving tacit approval to the students' actions have sanctioned the students' right to pass judgment on all actions concerning the University. Think what this means.
The next time the man in the booth tells you you can't drive on the campus before 3:30, tell him you are invoking the Crimson and Blue Precedent, thereby making it traditional for students to drive on the campus whenever they please.
WHEN YOU APPEAR to pay your fees next week, tell the Business Office you are invoking this precedent, and rather than paying the increased amount you will make it a tradition that students hand over whatever loose change they happen to have handy.
If your dean tells you you need such-andsuch course in order to graduate, remind him of the Crimson and Blue Rule, and help establish the tradition that students, not the University, establish degree requirements. Ask him to have a doctor's degree ready for you tomorrow morning.
And if, by some odd quirk, the Chancellor should order you to cease such nonsense, shout "Stare decisis!" as you leave his office.
After you get reinstated, refuse to sing the Alma Mater. Look with disgust on all crimson and blue Jayhawks. Wear maize and sky blue at all athletic events. After all, it's traditional that the Board of Regents control the University.
Ralph Gage
A Rational Way
The race problem can be solved, but not by sit-ins, demonstrations or picketing. These methods merely serve to make the problem known. Like a television commercial, however, they are impressive only at the first two or three presentations; from that point on they are ignored, or worse, are received with indifference.
What should be done? First we must combat the idea of the hyphenized American. For we are all Americans. With this thought in mind, we ask what is best for Americans: we are not asking what is best for Negroes or what is best for Whites.
Certainly harmony is best for all. But there can be no harmony when a group is deprived the privileges granted to another. When this situation is compounded so that many groups in our country are deprived, both harmony and melody are sacrificed.
THE TUNE thus slaughtered is the tune of assimilation. America, obviously, is not the "great melting pot" for many ingredients still remain packaged.
As Americans we must convince Americans that others are Americans. If that statement seems redundant, how much better if it were.
One often hears that you cannot legislate love, that you cannot legislate morality. It might be added that you cannot bring about love or morality by going out in the street and demonstrating.
The solution lies in the hands of the intelligent youth. It could be started right at KU The keys to the whole problem are education and determination. These policies must be initiated at the individual level—there, at the "grassroots" problems concerning human relations can be worked out. It can not be left to the Federal Government.
The same people who wear out their souls picketing, who despite the song, are overcome by the seeming impenetrability of ignorance can much better effect the equality and brotherhood
of man by working with their own sphere of acquaintances.
HOW MANY of these people when planning a social gathering think to themselves that certain persons must be excluded because they just wouldn't mix with the others. Thus, for example, Arab acquaintances might not be asked, because a Jewish friend had already been invited.
Ben Jonson once said, "He despies me, I suppose, because I live in an alley: tell him his soul lives in an alley." In some respects this is the case with the Negroes and the Whites. The Negroes live, today in a social economic alley—those Whites who despise Negroes truly have their souls in the alley.
It is our job to help elevate both these peoples from their respective alleys. We must bring Negroes and Whites together.
There are two ways of scratching a person you may scratch to soothe or you may scratch to irritate. If two factions are to be brought together and merged into one, the scratching must be pleasant. If two people are to become friends, they must have a rock from which to base their friendship. In the case of the Negro and White, the contact must not be initiated on the rock of the race issue. For that rock, like politics, is a rock of quicksand.
LET EACH see that the other can form intelligent opinions about many issues. As the friendship grows, the question of whether all Negroes are or not inherently repulsive becomes obviously ridiculous. Whether all whites live only to exploit and subjugate the Negro becomes equally assinine.
Determination and education at the individual level can make songs like "America, America" more meaningful than ever. The process is harder than picketing, it may be more gruelling than going on a hunger strike. But isn't it about time that we started doing things ourselves and stopped asking those who care more about votes than the welfare of our country?
Worth Repeating . . .
— The UCLA Daily Bruin
Every man has, at times, in his mind the ideal of what he should be, but is not. In all men that seek to improve, it is better than the actual character.—No one is so satisfied with himself that he never wishes to be wiser, better and more holy.
—Theodore Parker
"What's Our Firm, Unswerving Asia Policy This Week?"
with best wishes
The Easy Way to Write Editorials and Letters
Many people probably wonder how one goes about this business of writing an editorial. There are, of course, many ways, some of which include research. But for those off days, editorial writers have at their fingertips ready-made, fill-in-the-blank editorials. One of those is printed below. And below that is a ready-made, fill-in-the-blank letter to the editor, for those bashful Jayhawks who want to make themselves heard but have trouble getting ideas, or just have trouble with trifling things like English and comma placement. Just circle one word for each blank and forward it to the Kansan.
Ready-Made Editorial
is an issue which is a challenge to us all. Every right-thinking person in the (state, nation, world, universe) will (view with alarm) (point with pride) (be puzzled by) (be gratified by) (be alarmed by) this latest development, which comes at a time when (state, nation, world, universe) faces the darkest day in its history.
history. All men of good will should band themselves together to (see that it doesn't happen again) (perpetuate it) (encourage it) (discourage it) (deplore it) (praise it). Only in this way can we assure continued (progress and prosperity) (justice and freedom) (peace and joy) in a (state, nation, world, universe) fraught with crisis as never before.
We must all (get behind) (oppose) this latest development in the ever-changing rhythm of time, in order that the ... may continue to ... On the other hand,... As has so well said,... The future of the (state, nation, world, universe) hangs in the balance. We must not fail!
Ready-Made Letter
Dear (Editor, Idiot, Sir, Fink):
Your (esoteric, syncretic, bigoted, inane, fallacious) article in yesterday's Daily Kansan marks you as an obvious (genius, Bircher, psychotic, fellow traveler, ass). That your work should appear in the Daily Kansan is beyond reason; you should be (criticized, chosen managing editor, writing for the New York Times, coherent, applauded, famous, impeached, hanged).
Any (real American, honest, philosophy, intelligent) student can immediately detect the (truth, poetry, stench, amorality) inherent in your argument. If a (Pulitzer prize, petition, cash award, bullet) were good enough for you, I would be the first to (present, finance, destroy, aim) it.
Thank you for (inspiration, hope, trash, nothing).
Thank you for (inspiration, hope, trust, love)
You're (lovingly, encouragingly, threateningly, disgustedly)
Yours (lovingly, encouragingly, threateningly, disgustedly);
(Your signature—proper spelling can be found in the student directory.)
Dailij Fränsan
111 Flint Hail
111 Flint Hall University of Kansas student newspaper
founded 1889, became biweekly 1904, triweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912. Member Inland Daily Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press, Represented by National Advertising Service, 18 East 50 St., New York 22, N.Y. News service: United Press International. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $5 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays, University holidays, and examination periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kansas.