Page 2 University Daily Kansan Friday. Dec. 9, 1955
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Forget Yourself; Enjoy Christmas
Every December the newspapers, radio, and television campaign to revitalize the Christmas spirit. We hear of safe driving and a return to the spiritual feeling that once surrounded Christmas.
The Christmas spirit has faltered and it's a shame. Think back over the Christmas holidays you enjoyed as a child, and you will find they were happy ones. Why?
Adults have lost the excitement of Christmas. The anticipation of a new toy and the thrill of waking up on Christmas morning to find all those gifts in colorful wrappings no longer appeal to adults.
Grown-ups seem to think that getting excited over a holiday is childish. It probably is, but children are happy. Maybe they are happy because they don't know how they should feel. They let the circumstances take care of their emotions.
The psychologists say that children learn by imitation. If it works for them, perhaps it will
work for us. We all would be happier if we let ourselves have some fun.
Even the tradition of giving at Christmas has deteriorated. Every year it's the same thing— crowds, traffic, high prices.
One way to beat the crowds and the traffic is to shop early. And high prices can be avoided. Give a lot of thought to gift selections and choose presents that really will be appreciated. If you have the talent, make a gift. The recipient will be more grateful for the effort you put into it.
There is no better way to end a year and start a new one than to enjoy the warmth of the Christmas season. Why not make your New Year's resolutions now? Resolve to smile more than usual and maybe even let a Christmas carol slip from your tongue. Allow yourself to feel a bit of excitement and anticipation. You won't be sorry.
—Ted Blankenship
Vacation Caused A Riot In 1942
Life on the campus was pretty exciting at Christmas time in 1942, but it wasn't with the yuletide spirit of good will. In fact, approximately 1,000 students were staging riots in front of Chancellor Malott's office.
What for? It was because the Christmas vacation was to be only four days. So on Dec. 18, students gathered at the chancellor's office in protest.
When the chancellor appeared, he said that although he could not decide whether the shortened Christmas vacation was a wise decision, the decision had been made. When he asked the students to return to classes they refused and remained seated in the halls.
The vacation had been limited to four days because in 1942 KU was operating on a three-semester-a-year basis to allow more students to get their education before they entered the armed services. Therefore the extra days were needed for classes.
Finally the sit-down strike students formed a committee to discuss the matter with the chancellor. That afternoon the chancellor recommended to the University senate that they revise the dates for vacation.
But the senate, which was disgusted with the "disgraceful actions of the students in the riot," voted down two motions to lengthen vacation.
By that evening the riotous students began to realize that the mob action probably cost them the extension they were trying to get.
Naturally the student action brought the University some unpleasant publicity. To counteract this, one committee suggested that statements be sent to Kansas newspapers declaring the mob demonstration was the action of a small minority rather than an all-school action. The statement would be signed by presidents of all Hill organizations and organized houses.
Pressure on the senate to extend the length of vacation continued. Board of Regents member and Hutchinson Mayor Willis N. Kelly, requested that the KU students be given a week of vacation. Mr. Kelly, whose son was a freshman here said he wrote as a citizen not as a member of the Board of Regents.
On Dec. 21, the University Senate reconsidered and it was announced that vacation would begin Dec. 23 and last through the 29th, thus adding three days to the original time set.
The senate gave five reasons for the final decision:
1. "The undoubted sentiment attached to the holiday season in the home.
2. The mounting transportation difficulties connected with travel shortly before Christmas over the following week end.
3. The fact that we now have more recent information concerning the calling of students into service.
4. The fact that the pressure of time seems somewhat less than anticipated because of indications from the government that 16 weeks semesters are desired.
5. As a contribution to the maintenance of student morale, we recommend that the holiday vacation begin Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 5:30 p.m. and terminate Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 8:30 a.m."
Only one unhappy statement remained. The senate announced that it would continue its investigation of the student mass meeting and attempt to bring punitive measures against the leaders and instigators of the demonstration.
The entire incident was unfortunate. It created bad publicity for the University and promoted a hostile relationship between students and administration—not to mention creating a very "un-Christmas-like atmosphere."
Enjoy your two-weeks Christmas vacation!
—Lee Ann Urban
Are You Preparing For Outside World?
College is supposed to be a proving ground. Too frequently students forget that they are preparing for a life outside the realm of books, dances, bridge and coffee. Especially when they have been around for two or three years, college living becomes a habit.
Suddenly graduation is impending. Until then, the student has given only occasional thought to the real world. For four years now college has been the life. Is there anything else?
He enters the world of routine equipped with knowledge from books, a great deal of idealism, and little experience or understanding of what the other side is really like.
For four years he has read dull books and interesting books; admired favorite professors and cut classes of the unfavorites; gabbed all night "just for the heck of it"; played cards hour upon hour and drank coffee. He has been surrounded by people of similar intelligence and similar interests. Now what?
Idealism is a wonderful thing—a Utopia separate from the fallacies in people, from the frustrations of real pressures and problems. Yet, if the student doesn't lose at least part of his idealism while he is in college, the other world will be a drastic jolt, creating a maladjusted, frustrated individual.
College was meant to be preparation for later living. In four years it hasn't the time to equip the student with both knowledge of a specific field and understanding of the big, cruel world. And so it is forced to resort to teaching theories and offering practical information pertinent to one or two fields.
Ask any number of recent graduates who "didn't really expect to set the world on fire," but were disappointed, nevertheless, that they were doing even less of a job than they anticipated.
It leaves preparation for the real world to the individual. Yet, with exceptions, the student reads the newspapers with somewhat indifferent attitudes. He knows only vaguely what is happening in the world—usually from the morning headlines.
It is a rather ridiculous fact that even journalism students, who will some day be reporting the actions of the world to the populus, are poorly versed in world affairs.
College days is the time for formulating a set of values. Knowledge of more than one aspect of living only makes the process easier. And with broadened outlooks, later adjustments to individuals and pressures will come more easily.
Don't Stand By; Be Participator
Iowa State Daily
The train pulled into the station and as I stepped off the pullman, I became interested in three other men who also got off and were walking toward the baggage depot. The manner in which they walked was what particularly caught my attention.
The first man quickly stepped off at a lively pace, evidently in a hurry to get to a business appointment. In just a few steps he was far ahead of the other two men which made me reflect that doubtless he was a person who got things accomplished with great speed and efficiency. He was a hustler, always thinking and acting just about two jumps ahead of everyone else. No doubt a very successful business man.
He rapidly passed the second man who got off. I noticed that this second gentleman stepped off at a more moderate pace. He seemed to be in no great hurry, yet he stepped forward with a calm assurance that suggested confidence in himself. He impressed me as a rather average
"TAKE IT EASY"
business man, neither way out in front nor lagging completely behind.
The third man got off very slowly and even though he looked quite young, his steps were very slow and unsure as if he had no place in particular to go and was just rather drifting along. He had no drive. Even though he was well dressed, he impressed me as being lazy. After all, although all three men got off at the same time, the other two were far ahead of him by now. I felt rather disgusted at him.
And then suddenly the thought struck me that all three of these men were ahead of me; even the slowest one was far in front.
McPherson Spectator
The point is, instead of standing by as spectators in this walk of life, let's become participants. When it comes to intramurals, class discussions, committee appointments, dating, or other campus activities let's not merely stand by to look on and evaluate as spectators, let's get in and make some activity of our own.
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas Student Newspaper News Room, KU 251, Ad Room, KU 376 Member of the Inland Daily Press association and College Press association Represented the National advertising service, 420 Madison Ave. N.Y. Mall subscription rates: $3 a semester or 40 year annual semester in Lawrence, Published at www.kans.edu Kans., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays, University of Kansas, Published at www.kans.edu Entered as second class matter, Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan, post office under act of March 3, 1879.
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