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Kansas University Weekly.
IT SEEMS a pity that the old totem pole is not on exhibition. There are many students who have never even heard of it, and it is a curiosity well worth seeing; especially as it represents much thought—misdirected perhaps; and expenditure, somewhat ill advised on the part of one of the recent graduating classes of the University. It might safely be erected again on the campus, to excite the wonder of the young and the smiles of the old, as there is probably no one in the University now who would molest it. At any rate it should not be left in the dark corner which it now occupies.
LETTERS ARE being sent out from the University to the high schools in the state, which do not prepare their students to enter the Freshman class, urging them to enlarge and arrange their work so as to meet the requirements for preparatory schools. The University is in this way doing a great service for the cause of education throughout the state. It is calling for more thorough and more advanced work in the high schools which in turn will re-act in the same way on the lower grades. Those in particular who never go beyond the high school have reason to be thankful for the change, as it adds considerably to the value of a high school education.
THE LECTURE Bureau as it is conducted at present might almost be called an ideal institution. It is controlled entirely by members of the University, and not as a private enterprise but wholly for the benefit of the University public. No member of the Bureau receives anything for his labor—which often amounts to considerable, and the surplus in the treasury at the end of the year is added to the students loan fund.
Support of the bureau, however, is by no means a mere matter of loyality or duty, but also one of the highest self-interest; for the course of entertainments offered is first class throughout, and the price of tickets is exceedingly low much less than for similar courses elsewhere.
THERE ARE a few students in the University, generally new ones, who seem to think that good manners are ornaments of childhood which they have laid aside. Only the other day a class was interrupted for several minutes before the end of the hour by those who were waiting outside to come in for the next recitation, and who repeatedly opened the door of the room as a hint that they were in a hurry to enter. One young man even walked in with his hat on and calmly stared at the professor until he was asked to withdraw. Such instances as this are fortunately very rare, but not at all infrequently does one see little acts of rudeness which betray a thoughtlessness not in harmony with the character of the true man or woman.
THERE ARE few things which arouse deeper or better emotions in an assembly of people than the singing of songs. Everyone who has been in Chapel when some old familiar hymn was being sung with the spirit and earnestness which old and familiar things alone can inspire, has felt the thrill, the feeling of sympathy the harmony and oneness with all.
It is this feeling, less intense but more permanent which constitutes University spirit, and it is on occasions when large numbers of students can unite in losing themselves in some all embracing movement or purpose, that university spirit is created and made to grow. Now the point which all these truisms are intended to support is that one of the real needs of the University, one which can be supplied on considerably less than enough to build an observatory or a chemistry building, and one which the students feel very keenly at times, is a book or collection of college songs. Many students have been heard to say that they could not put their heart into a yell, but there is no-one who could not put his heart into a song; a good old-or good new-"hail to K. S. U." melody. There are many occasions where college songs might be used. Every student would soon come to have a real heart-felt love for them and through them, for his "Alma Mater." And when in after years he sat down to dream of old college days the sweet refrain of some almost forgotten college song would fill his heart with old-time warmth and his mind with happy memories.