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University Daily Kansan Tuesday, Nov. 15, 1955.
by Dick Bibler
Students At Fault In Book Shortage
Editor:
There was a recent Kansan editorial complaining about the scarcity of books for the Western Civilization reading program, just as there have been several editorials complaining about the program itself. In both cases some of the facts are perhaps little known or distored by emotion. With regard to the availability of books, a few comments may be helpful.
Actually, a larger number of books per student has generally been provided for the Western Civilization curriculum than for other courses and curricula in the University.
The major difficulty at the present time appears to me to be the social immorality of large numbers of students taking this course. For instance, at the present time, we can account for only four-sevenths of our stock of Crane Brinton's "Ideas and Men." The other copies have in effect been stolen from the library by thoughtless students. We can account for slightly less than one-half of our copies of the mimeographed "Collected Readings" prepared specifically for this curriculum. Over one-half of the available stock has apparently been stolen. The same situation is true with regard to Ebenstein's "Great Political Thinkers." Ebenstein happens to be one of the books students are having the greatest difficulty with just now.
This is no place for a complete inventory, and these are perhaps the worst cases, but there are many other titles of which our stock has been seriously depleted by apparent theft during this semester.
These are harsh words, I realize, but I think the time has come to put the matter clearly before the student body. Morale is not a matter merely for football games, and this type of vandalism is as inexusable as defacing buildings, perhaps more so because other students suffer directly as a result.
I am aware that many students are unhappy because we have turnstiles in the Undergraduate Library. I don't like them either, but here is clear indication of why we do have them. I object strenuously to making it even more difficult for students to read books, but unless we can find some solution to this problem of social immorality, I am afraid we must even more seriously restrict the use of books for Undergraduate students, and particularly Western Civilization books.
Two years ago we rebuilt the basement area so we could have, for the first time, an open stack, free access, library for Undergraduates. We prefer to provide an atmosphere in which students can readily get at books they must read or want to read. Kansan editorials of a few years ago stated that KU students suffered for the lack of an open stack library. We provided it for them. Then last year so many copies of assigned books "disappeared" from open shelves that we were forced to remodel so more books could be stacked behind the counter.
"BETTER NOT BOTHER HIM—HE'S TRYIN' TA STUDY FOR A TEST TOMORROW"
The only immediate solution I see in the Western Civilization program, if this keeps up, is to pull all the books off open shelves and serve them out over the counter. This will inevitably result in greater congestion and delay for everyone at the counter. It has been suggested that they be left on open shelves and that use of them be restricted to the Undergraduate room. Experience indicates that copies would still disappear.
As to the present situation, an undue scarcity of books has been created by dishonest students. In the face of his scarcity, we may indeed have to be much more rigorous in controlling the use of all Western Civilization books. If we do so it will only result in greater congestion and delay for every one at the charge-out desk; we won't automatically receive additional staff for the job. A final solution must be based in the development of an adult sense of responsibility toward public property and toward one's fellows. The matter, it seems to me, is squarely up to the University of Kansas students at this point.
Robert Vosper
(Editor's note: Because of space limitations, this letter, with Mr. Vosper's permission, was cut.)
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
Director of Libraries
... Letters ...
The future Dr. Wimdt Frustratemnot takes more than a little credit for having instigated the intense socio-educational thinking displayed on page two of the UDK for Nov. 14.
The Winfield graduate student's ideas in particular, though right out of Wimditi's book of pedagogical sugar plums, are nevertheless a trifle obsolete. Mr. Witter, it appears, has never read the testimony of Glub Glub Schizotremes, one of Frustratemnot's more brilliant colleagues. In the only term paper he ever wrote (half-way through it he decided it was not only old hat but futile to compete with other students) Glub Glub made the following conclusions.
"Don't the college presidents see this outragious trend of meedievalism a contributing trend to the symptoms of inadequacy all over the nations campuses? Be that as it may an buy an large I don't care anymore because in the collage I'm going to start up when I get the money not only will everybody get their 'A' but there wont be no puddie duddie system at all an no wise guy teachers cluttering up the place."
"What this world necessitates in a college is one where every student is guaranteed a minimum grade of "A" upon entering. Society is definitely increasingly more-so endangered by the intellectually superior who are continually trying to monopolize all them good grades. Not only that, but the true fact of the matter is that a gifted few, aided and abetted by the facultys from coast to coast, are responsible for a definite feeling of insecurity and needless frustration on behalf of . . . (I forgerewhombut it don't really make much difference).
Yours for more adequate emotional life, Mr. Wispy
Editor:
Basically, I believe that the UDK is the best campus newspaper in the country today. My opinion was somewhat changed, however, after wading through "High Hat Music Is So Much Stuff" by one John McMillion.
Apparently this article was meant to be an utter farce. If so, it succeeded beyond all reason. I think that it is a gross insult to a school with such a remarkable music department as KU has.
I personally come from a section of the country that Mr. McMillion would be happy in, for one can find "that old country music" at most any point on the radio dial. There are groups of people who enjoy hillbilly music, but it is a well-known fact that they are in the minority.
How anyone could associate Pat Boone with "good music" I do not know. But not only the Yankees listen to his "strange racket."
Hibbily music, as well as popular music, is, in my opinion, a sort of a folk music, which should be an expression of a people. This music does not express for all of the people, but does express for many. I should think that a senior in a university, as Mr. McMillion is, should appreciate the classics, or is all a student learns these days beer drinking etc?
I do hope that the UDK, in the future, will not need to conjure up a farce similar to this to fill space. Jorge W. Alcantara
Mobile, Ala, junior
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas Student Newspaper News Room, KU 251, Ad Room, KU 376 Member of the Inland Daily Press association, allocated Collegiate Press associations. Representative verifying service, 420 Madison Ave. N.Y. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or year, any semester H in Lawrence). Published in Kans., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays, for examination and examination periods. Entered on record matter, Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan. post office under act of March 3, 1879.
Gretchen Guinn ... Managing Editor
Sam L. Jones, Marion McCoy, Dick Walt, Ted Blankenship, Assistant Managing Editors; John McMillion, City Editor; Barbara Bale, Assistant City Editor; BobYLE, Assistant Telegraph Editor; Jane Pecinovsky, Society Editor; Gladys Henry, Assistant Society Editor; Harry Elliott, Sports Editor; Kent Thomas, Assistant Sports Editor
NEWS DEPARTMENT
CORNELL DEPARTMENT
Leo Fennigan, Editor
Louis L. Holl, Lee An Urban, Associat
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Charles Sledd Business Manager
Larry Fife Business Manager
Judith National Advertising Manager;
Robert Wolfe, Circulation Manager
Presidential Hopefuls
Knowland Opposes Red China Relations
(Editor's Note: With political leaders in both parties jockeying for positions in the 1956 presidential race, the Daily Kansan will run a series of profiles on persons who have been mentioned as possible candidates. These stories are not editorials, but biographies stressing each person's political history and voting record on vital issues. The following is the first in the series.)
By MARION McCOY
William F. Knowland. Republican leader in the Senate, is being looked upon by politicians as a strong contender for the Republican presidential nomination.
Sen. Knowland is 46 and his present term lasts until 1959. He is promoting a remolding of the Republican Party around the ideas of the late Sen. Robert A. Taft (R-Ohio)—a nation able to withstand communism without too much reliance on allies, and a party able to govern without bipartisan compromises.
In 1945 he was appointed US senator from California by Gov. Earl Warren to fill a vacancy left by Hiram W. Johnson. At the time he was still overseas serving as a major with the Fifth Information and Historical Section of the 15th Army.
Sen. Knowland believes his duty of Senate leader is to present the views of his party colleagues at the White House. He also feels it is his obligation to settle any of his own doubts about legislation on the side of administration wishes, unless it involves a matter of deep personal conviction.
On July 1, 1954, he demanded that the United States announce in advance that it would quit the United Nations if Red China were admitted. Three times last year Sen. Knowland demanded that the US break off diplomatic relations with Russia with full knowledge that President Eisenhower did not favor a break.
Sen. Knowland has laid down his foreign policy; Blockade Red China, tell the Communist that we might launch all-out war if they commit another act of aggression, work for the liberation of Soviet satellite states, break off diplomatic relations with Russia, pull out of the UN if Red China is admitted, and if the program displeases our allies, be prepared to go it alone.
He voted for the final version of the Bricker amendment, designed to narrow the President's treaty-making powers, despite opposition from the White House. Sen. Knowland urged a blockade of Red China early in 1953 and opposed the administration's attendance at the Geneva conference in the spring of 1954 because of the presence there of a delegation from Red China.
People who know Sen. Knowland best have said he is not the kind of man who will let his ambitions stand in the way of his convictions. His position on Red China is clear and fixed before the voters. Under no circumstances should he be written off as a presidential possibility in '56.
Crazy? Communist! No! The only way to fight an evil is to know all about it and how to kill it. If we hide from something that threatens us, we will be much like the ostrich who buries his head in the sand when danger threatens.
Let's teach the facts about communism in our high schools.
The same holds true for Communism. We cannot bury our heads in the darkness of ignorance and forget that it exists. American people who are ignorant to the truth about Communism are taken in by the promise of utopia where everyone lives in harmony helping everyone else.
If we were to educate our high school and college teachers in special courses about communism and then have them teach the truth about communism to the students, they would eliminate the vague veil of illusion that now cloaks it. Communism is a form of government. We must know for what it is.
Fight Communism By Teaching Facts
You cannot snuff out an unknown evil plan; you can expose it through education and freedom of the press. Once exposed, its inherent evil will be its own destruction.
—Creighton Creightonian