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Kansas University Weekly.
AFTER THE noise and worry and confused excitement of the recitation room and the crowded halls what a relief when a good or bad day's work is ended to pass an hour away in the peace of the quiet country, within the cooling walls of the Spooner library building. There you enjoy the silence, experience the delights of an explorer after the odd and rare volumes in the stack, feel the luxury of original study or research, or spend an idle hour not idly and in vain with some poet, novelist or essayist of the immortal great. This is incidental pleasure for general culture.
WITH THE opening of school in September there promises a year of enthusiasm. The wave started in the spring with a base ball revival. Then toward the close of school came news that Dr. Woodruff had consented to coach the foot ball team this fall and make eastern veterans out of Kansas raw material. And now the Athletic association promises a game with the champions of the northwest, or, failing in that, we are to meet old Pennsylvania herself. Surely athletics flourish and interest in athletics creates university spirit and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm means vitality and push.
It is to be regretted that Nebraska saw fit to evade, Missouri and Iowa to overlook entirely the questions propounded by the Madison conference of college presidents. Surely sincerity in the desire to promote purity in amateur athletics would have counselled an affirmative
answer to each of the questions and a prompt adoption of the Chicago modified rules. That, of the Universities represented at the conference, Kansas was the only one to do this speaks well for her purpose of maintaining the spirit of true amateur sport. We hope that the action of Nebraska and the failure to act of Missouri and Iowa does not mean that they countenance professionalism in their football elevens or even are impassive in the matter.
THE FACT that the originators of the Lotus will shape the policy of the Weekly next year is creating keen anticipation. The Lotus, while it was of the University of Kansas, a pleasure toy for young talent, before it became the idol of the literary tyro, stood for polite satire, the aesthetic, and dreams. It announced no purpose, proclaimed no mission, for it had none,—save to give a grateful typographical setting to idle essays and sketches by college men and women. But its evident lack of purpose was appreciated. It was received and accepted of the eastern cult and the West knew it no more. Perhaps this was well. Anyway its first editors do not promise that the monthly illustrated issue of the Weekly will be a second edition of the rare numbers of the Lotus. That would be bold indeed. But whatever their promises we may expect some pleasing innovations. The new editors have the confidence of the University public and the retiring board wish them success.
Locals.
Edith Davis was in Lawrence last week.
Augusta Flintom has been visiting in Wichita.
Carey Wilson is spending a few days in Lawrence.
Mayme Addison is spending the summer in Colorado.
Martha Snow is spending the summer in Colorado.
W. H. Sanford has a position on the Kansas City Star.
Professor and Mrs. Canfield are spending the summer in Vermont.
Edith Thatcher has gone to Michigan to spend the month of August.
Prof. Clark is in New York city where he is filling two orders for portraits from life.