The University Weekly.
Editor-in-Chief, CHAS. HARKER RHODS
Associates, { ... WILL R. MURPHY,
Literary Editor ... N. M. MCNAUGHTON,
Local RAY CLIFFORD
Society HELEN WILLIAMS.
Athletic GENE SALLEE
Business Manager J. M. RADER.
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
Myron L. Humphrey, Anna Warfield, J. Schroeder, N. P. Sherwood, H. H. Tangman, C.A. Gardner, A. M. Seddon, C. L. Robbins, C. H. Myers
Entered at the Lawrence Postoffice as second-class mail matter.
Shares in the WEEKLY $1.00 each, entitling the holder to the paper two years, may be had of the Secretary and Treasurer, George Foster, the managing editor, or at the WEEKLY office.
Subscription price, 50 cents per annum in advance. Single copies 5 cents.
Address all communications to J. M. Rader, Business Manager, Lawrence, Kansas.
LAWRENCE, KAN., SAT. MAY.17. 1902
POOR ECONOMY.
Dr. S.W. Williston, dean of the Medical school and director of our Paleontological department, has definitely decided to accept the flattering offer recently made him by the University of Chicago. Dr. Williston is one of the greatest scientists in America. In some fields he stands pre-eminent among the world's authorities. He is national president of the Sigma Xi, and his many valuable contributions to science have brought him international recognition. During his twelve years' connection with this institution he has worked tirelessly for the advancement of his department. The Medical school, under his direction, has largely overcome local antagonism and national prejudice, and, for the length of course offered, this school today ranks 'among the best. Due directly to Dr. Willittson's persistent effort, it has literally received recognition by the Regents of New York, an honor enjoyed by very few western schools. The paleontological specimens of the University, collected and classified largely by the doctor's personal effort, form a priceless adjunct to our museum. Dr. Williston has been identified with many of the activities of university life. He has been a member of responsible committees under the management, and has ever taken an active interest in the deliberations of the council. In this sphere the loss of his sagacious advice and broad experience will be seriously felt
In the very beginning the doctor allied himself with K. U. at a personal financial sacrifice. He loves the University of his state, and is exceedingly loath to leave it. Search the country over and a second man of such wonderful accomplishments can not be found to take his palce. For years higher institutions have sought to entice him away with offers of financial promotion, but he clung tenaciously to K. U. And now we lose him simply because the state fails to appreciate efficiency and persists in maintaining its high-school schedule of salaries.
With two of our leading professors secured by other institutions, and several more considering offers, the State of Kansas is brought face to face with a living issue. How much longer is K.U.to be the training ground
for talent—a never-failing storehouse of supply, from which higher institutions may draw upon at will for vital energies by simply offering reasonable wages? Among our professors are men, the peers of any in their respective fields,men who have in a measure made the reputation of this school and upon whose continuation with the faculty rests the future prestige of this institution. Can we reasonably expect to keep these men if we persist in maintaining our high-school schedule of salaries? To abide under such conditions is cheapening of personal dignity and compromising professional worth.
The state has never showed a decided inclination to do property by this institution. The great pride that she should manifest in the growth, the possibilities, the usefulness and national reputation of K. U. has been diverted into sordid channels. She has looked askance at the possible future of the University. The legislator, who, in times past, imbued with enthusiasm for the work accomplished here, pleaded for more liberal policy toward the institution, that the range of her usefulness might not be circumscribed, was branded as a purse-poor politician in league with expectant contractors. The institution has been allowed to hobble along with its cramped facilities and meagre appropriations. Contrary to all prevailing precedent, she has been dragged into politics and her welfare accordingly jeopardized. Then, from the wind-washed plains of Kansas, the be-whiskered disciples of reform convened to give to the astounded nation a master stroke of practical economy, in whieh, by direct legal enactment, they materially reduced our professors' salariea. With this exhibition of civil parsimony, this flagrant invasion of the legislature, dates the gradual cessation of K. U.'s growth. It was an effective retardation.
The state is derelict in its duty. Like a small boy, who, flattered by some success, begins to imagine "he's the whole thing," so is the state apparently patting itself on the back with self-complacency, content to find the acme of highest development in the present condition of her public institutions, considering them a sort of indestructible Phoenix, to rise full-fleshed after each disaster.
For years, in a certain sense, K. U. has had to shift for itself, the parent exhibiting little active concern in the progress of prosperity of its progeny. Naturally, the institution has of past years lagged and allowed neighboring universities to slowly ferge ahead. Had it not been for the loyalty of our faculty who, when turned down by the state in their demands, set manfully to work to replace her deficiencies by private philanthropy, and through whose efforts several of our most imposing buildings now grace the campus; had it not been for these men, K. U. would today be a scrawny, sickly school, unknown and unnoticed. On the other hand, had the State reciprocated their efforts with proportionate loyalty
and co-operated with the faculty, K. U. would today rank preeminently the greatest university of the West. Her marvelous success, such as it is, embodies a liberal spirit of "Ad astra per aspera."
The time has come for the State to change its attitude. Now is the crisis. The next legislature must decide by its policy whether we want a first-class university compatible with the pride and dignity of our great State, and if not the field should be abandoned to denominational schools. We gloat of the wealth of our broad prairies, and our inexhaustible resources. We boast of the loyalty and progressiveness of the commonwealth, and our orators, in their matchless eloquence, fail even in the realms of sublimity to adequately express the possibilities of the State, yet in violence to this utopian theme behold the inharmonious attitude of the State toward K. U. The State is so big it is unwieldy in its unknown strength, and yet it furnishes a university that could well be the burden of ten first-class counties.
We need not import talent to place the institution in the niche she deserves if the State acts at once. Let it awake to its manifest duty, and cease to appropriate merely a non-negotiable good will and approval which fails to feed families or buy facilities. If the present tendency is to remain, abandon the idea of a state university and make a public confession of weakness and apathy which has long been currently implied. The departure of Dr. Williston and Prof. Adams should be a lesson to the State. It is said, however, that it requires such vital sacrifices to rouse people to their duty.
Some few weeks ago, the council favorably entertained a student petition which asked for a joint conference of professors and representatives from the student body to decide certain questions of discipline. Since the happy subsidence of the excitement current some time ago, the existence of this recommendation has evidently been overlooked. The proper authorities should take this matter up and press the matter to a successful conclusion. The conference is of vital interest to both students and school. Since the heat of excitement has cooled both sides will be able to confer dispassionately and much good can be accomplished. Several of our leading professors have expressed themselves as anxious to see a student representation on the Disciplinary Committee. We should not delay to have such sentiment chrystallized into definite reality.
The past week has been replete with political schemes and devices. The newly elected board chose its staff for next year—a process more delicate than the general public would suspect. While many of our fraternities are content with simple representation on the board, the factions clamor for equal division of the spoils regardless of the party in power. Conference and compromise are frequent to accomplish the end desired. While at the
surface such a partizan zeal might appear to be directly detrimental to the editorial interests of the paper, yet in fact it is not so serious as might be inferred. Each side generally puts up candidates of equal merit and since no definite guarantee of position has been given any member, the editor can generally choose at his discretion, the board as a body, ratifying his appointments. The WEEKLY has been the champion of college politics heretofore nor does it wish to recede from its position on that point. It would suggest however, that efficiency and special aptitude should be considered in proposing a candidate to the public, rather than popularity and ability to draw votes. Political zeal becomes harmful when the welfare of student enterprise is sacrificed simply for a sordid desire to win.
The library should stock up on dictionaries. There seems to be an especial shortage in the German texts. The deficient supply is apparently in a fragmentary state, each relics of a faithful service spent. The entire stock, such as it is, is nearly always in use. Applying for a dictionary you are handed an ancient fragile affair, that should arouse the utmost respect for senility. The pages are loose and scattered indiscriminately throughout the book. The building is a memory only. If these relics are retained for service next year, the students will be compelled to carry them to and fro in hand-baskets.
Science Notes.
Mr. Tucker is at present employed in mounting and classifying the recent acquisition of African insect. Dr. Scherer, of K.C., was in the city yesterday gathering data from our library on comparative anatomy of the elk.
The Biology Club were addressed yesterday afternoon by Mr. Woodbury, who spoke on the "Gusticulation of Amphioxia."
A few years ago our collection of the asilidoe or hopper-fly was sent out to Will Snow, then located in California, to be worked up by him. Death overtook him before he could accomplish his desire aud the collection, comprising about 3000 specimens, has been recently returned to the University.
The Entomological Department made an important exchanges recently in which the museum acquired 300 new specimens of the lepedoptera of which 275 are of different species not found in our collection. We have over 3000 different species of this class of insects and by this one exchange the value of our collection is increased ten per cent.
Dr. Jacques Loeb, of the University of Chicago, whose recent discoveries regarding the relation between electricity and animal life promise to revolutionize the science of physiology, has appointed Dr. Ida Hyde, of the University of Kansas as a member of the staff which will assist him this summer in giving a graduate course in comparative physiology at the Marine Biological Laboyatory at Woods Holl, Mass. It was through her original investigations at Woods Holl that Dr. Hyde first came under the notice of Dr. Loeb, and gained admission to the scientific laboratories of the Universities of Leipsic and Heidelberg, thus opening these celebrated German universities for the first time to women students.
Just Received
A full line of Artist Materials, Oil and Water Colors, Brushes, etc. Our stock of writing materials is complete with the latest novelties in Box Papers.
923 Mass. St.
G. C. WOLF,
'Phone 515-blue.
New Saratoga Pool Hall
THEODORE E BOONE, PROP.
New Tables and Furnishings Complete
Complete Stock of the Best Brands
712 Mass. St.
of Cigars.
---
THE
Kansas City Medical College
Established 1859.
KANSAS CITY, MO
DIRECTORS
Officers of Faculty.
J, H, VAN EMAN, M. D., President.
W, C.TYNE, M. D, Vice-President.
T, I.BRAITTE, M. D, Secretary.
D, R.PORTER, M.D., Treasurer.
E, W.SHAFFLER, M.D.
ANDREW L. FULTON, M. D.
DEAN.
ROHT, MCE, SCHAUFFLER, M. D.
SECRETARY.
103 Main Street.
Well known Lecturers.
Carefully conducted demonstrations and Quiz classes.
New Pathological Saloratory with abundant opportunity for practical laboratory diagnosis.
New Operating Amphitheatre and Clinic Rooms in St. Joseph's Hospital.
Large Obstetrical Clinic with many opportunities for students to personally conduct cases.
Has graduated classes for over 30 years. Alumni well established throughout the West.
---
Ciga
Joe
day.
Shell
reet.
Eher
Friday
Try
chocol
Miss
in the
Peter
home
All
Loy
are victorious
Free
Mr.
Greens
the lily
Mrs May Sand.
---